NYDL Episode 64: Inner-cultural Warfare

In this episode SIR and Modern Malcom discuss Inner-Cultural Warfare. What is that might you ask? That is the circumstance within Black America that states there are multiple perceptions of what it means to be black in this modern era and some appear to imprison a segment of our community. In light of the Ja Morant’s story: a suburban black kid who grew up in a two parent household and went to private school. By all accounts there is absolutely no reason for him to be hood / gangsta…yet here we are looking at news stories about him waving a gun on IG live, pointing red lasers (simulating a gun laser) at another NBA team allegedly and so on. What drives even some black suburban youth to believe that being black is being gangsta and ignorant? What happens when you as parents do what it takes to move your family out the hood but you haven’t put the same energy in moving the hood out of yourself and or your family? Why must a significant segment of the black community cling to such a low image of blackness? Why aren’t more of us rising to the countless stories greatness that make up our recent and distant past? Who is at fault? Why is it a badge of honor to be black, poor, and struggling (from some of us)? Why is it looked down on upon to have a united black family that does not financially struggle and has high standards of academic achievement for their children (from some of us)? Why do some of us engage in the “Poverty Olympics” as if there is some prize to be won? How does this impact our collective future and what can be done about it? We often look at the behavior of black youth in the ghettos and have much to say or ignore but we need to start looking more at how the culture of “hood” blackness is influencing even suburban black youth who will ultimately pay a heftier price for their actions since they have far more to lose. Black SUBURBAN parents the spotlight is on you now. We’re going in this episode! Tap in, let’s grow.