Summer Lessons from Belize and Marc Lamont Hill

So I got to travel a bunch this summer, more than any other time in my adult life. The usual grind of championship swim meets was book ended by a missionary trip to Belize and a much-needed vacation to Cozumel. Both of these experiences left a lasting impression on me that make me very thankful that I took the time away from my usual summer routine.

BELIZE

I got invited to Belize under the auspices of teaching swimming to a population where swim instruction is a luxury. I know what the statistics are as far as poor minority youth drowning in the US, and it just made sense that if I could in any way affect that in Belize, then I needed to go. Needlesss to say, the swim portion of my week went really well. With each day, more and more kids showed up, often with parents, to learn how to swim and participate in the activities we planned. The more profound part of my time, however, was spent working in Holy Cross Anglican School and learning about the impoverished San Mateo area of the island.

Holy Cross is situated very close to the prime beachfront real estate of San Pedro, yet socially it seemed to be worlds away. While the beachfront was full of vacationing scuba divers, and fishermen, the neighborhood just outside of the doors of Holy Cross featured one-room "houses" many of which didn't have electricity or running water. The infrastructure of this neighborhood consisted of loosely held together planks that were far from sturdy and would deposit you into the swamp if you happened to make a misstep. Yet, despite these conditions, the children demonstrated the type of spirit that one expects to find in children who want for nothing. I found myself doing more observing than "teaching" because I wanted to understand how the children developed such aspirations in the face of poverty that often chokes away the ability to dream. I learned that for these students, the school was a way out. I learned that for the families of San Mateo, there was appreciation of those who came simply looking to help and not to judge. The trip confirmed to me that it is okay to have a "missionary" mindset as long as the MISSION is the focus and not the displacement of local cultural norms because they are viewed from a deficit perspective. In this case, the mission was to help build and prepare a school to open in the fall that would continue to allow children to dream and have access to opportunities that one day might allow them to return as adults and keep their neighborhood from being co-opted by outside interests.

COZUMEL

In addition to the quality time with my wife, Cozumel afforded me the opportunity to do some "leisure" reading for the first time in years. It may seem strange that my leisure book was Marc Lamont Hill's Beats, Rhymes and Classroom Life: Hip Hop Pedagogy and the Politics of Identity, but the two days I spent reading this book were as enjoyable as the Mrs. reading one of her Sandra Brown romance novels. I read slowly by nature and the process is even slower when I start an academic text, but given my background as a teacher, and a lover of hip hop, I anxiously tore into this one, and Professor Hill did not disappoint.

Many scholars who study the utility of hip hop as it pertains to educating youth tend to focus on one aspect of the culture such as the linguistics or the sociological ramifications, but Dr. Hill's course, which focused on hip hop songs as texts to be analyzed allowed for the engagement of all aspects of hip hop culture. The course, which he co-taught in a Philly HS hit home not simply because I grew up there, but instead of the fact that through their analysis and discussion, the class dealt with the complexities of being part of a hip hop generation. There is misogyny and love, consumerism and social conscience, and often these contradictions lie within the same artist. How does a hip hop head who grew up on KRS and Rakim receive Soulja Boy and Plies? The same question can be asked in reverse. So for me, the beauty of Beats, Rhymes, and Classroom Life is that despite the goals that he had for analyzing classic "texts" such as Summertime by the Fresh Prince and Fuck tha Police by NWA, the students had different views. However, because of the exposure, they were able to engage in important identity exploration. The use of the student's own voices adds a distinct autheniticity to Hill's reporting of the study.

Ultimately, my work in Belize and leisure reading in Cozumel taught me that I cannot begin to use the education and training I have received until I am first able to listen and then be willing to share at a level comparable to those with whom I am working. It is these pre-requisites that set the table for transformational learning to take place.

Hooray Marriage! 7 Years in the Books

So today, Aug 10, is my anniversary, and I'm sitting in a hotel at a swim meet for the 2nd time in seven years. This alone is reason to celebrate my wife, who I haven't seen in 9 days and counting. More importantly it speaks to the tough work of marriage. Today marks seven years and it has gone by in a flash. The Mrs. and I were one of the first in our circle to get married and sadly we have seen marriages crumble that began after ours. So on this day, I felt moved to share some lessons I've learned that have helped me and also pass along some advice for those who one day hope to "join the club".

1. DON'T LET THE SNOWBALL GROW. The biggest blowups that I've lived through have been more about the small issues that were left unresolved than the straw that broke the camel's back. No matter how much you dread having that convo about money or how you messed up, have the talk, and make sure to own your culpability, because if you supress it, it will come up again, most likely in a situation where it has little relevance. Even if you need to take a time out to process before you can chat calmly (like I do), make it known that you will be having a discussion later.

2. NEVER TAKE SPENDING QT FOR GRANTED. In the hustle and bustle of trying to "make it" in our professions, it's easy to lose track of just being able to check in. This gets even more complicated when kids come into the equation because even when you're in the same house, the demands of a child(ren) take up attention that used to be reserved for husband and wife. The Mrs. and I used to have date night WEEKLY, which was a simple dinner and movie. Now we're lucky if date night is QUARTERLY, so it means that we have to be purposeful in planning when we hang. So even though I've seen my wife in TWO out of the last TWENTY-ONE days, I've got a week ALONE with the Mrs. coming up in a Mexican resort that I'm SO looking forward to.

3. CHOOSE YOUR COUNSEL WISELY. Some marital issues don't need to be kicked around the friend network for their input. It only makes things worse. ESPECIALLY, when the friends have little on the resume as far as relationship experience. Your road dog who's still doing Happy Hour and First Friday's religiously and thinks marriage is for chumps is NOT gonna have good insight into how you finesse attention issues with your wife who's juggling motherhood and a career. The same is true for your girlfriend when you're trying to deal with your man who feels less than whole because he all of a sudden makes less $$$ thn you. I've found these things are better bounced off marriage OGs or parents. My parents are divorced, but Id still run my deepest marriage insecurities past them before 98% of my friends. And as a sidenote to this point recognize that because your issues will change the longer you're married, the nature of your relationships with single friends will change. The friendships don't HAVE to end, but they will change.

NOTE TO THE SINGLE FOLK. Though it gets put out there often that marriage is the way to go, I'm here to tell you it's not for everybody. Some people TRULY enjoy the freedom of single life and ability to chase as many partners as they want. Some people don't want to be tied to someone for the rest of time as you pledge when get hitched. When I was trying to pledge Kappa, the old heads would always say "Pledging begins when you cross". That is true for fraternity life and the same sentiment can be applied to marriage. However, it is a beautiful thing to find someone who wants to love you, build with you and support you through anything. These are the rewards of marriage that make the struggles worthwhile. Even on the way to Seattle I was describing the many professional hats the Mrs. wears (economist, filmmaker, writer, mother) and he responded "So you married up!" I comfortably replied "No doubt". I recognized that in 2002 when I stood at the altar, and I'm constantly reminded of it seven years later. So shout out to the Thorntons and others who share my anniversay date. If you're married, work like hell to hold it together. If you're single and looking: Don't settle. If you're single and loving that freedom: Play on...But play fair!

Black Professor vs. White Cop...A Powder Keg That Exploded

It was quite shocking to see the initial pictures of Professor Henry Louis Gates in handcuffs outside his house in Cambridge. If you're making a Mount Rushmore of Black Scholars he is certainly part of the discussion. As the details of the incident between Professor Gates and Seargent Crowley have come out, it has become more and more clear that this case was going to have staying power because of the profile of Dr. Gates. Now the President has gotten involved and managed to breathe more life into the flame before coming to his senses and moving as quickly as possible to squelch it so he can get back to pushing his Health Care Plan, a plan that is taking heavy fire from BOTH sides of the ailse. Let me break down each party involved so we can learn what NOT to do the next time a high profile Black intellectual has trouble getting into his house, and maybe start that REAL conversation on race I hear people talk about, but never engage in.

PROFESSOR GATES
Professor Gates you had every right to be mad when the police showed up at your door talking about a robbery when all that really happened was that you had to force your way into your house after the door malfunctioned, but you should have also realized that from someone else's vantage point it could have legitimately looked like you were breaking in, and walking the cops through that would have kept the situation from escalating. I recently took a class on the LAPD, and four seargents audited the class to add insight from the field. What I took away from the course is that officers are trained not to take anything for granted when they are called to a scene, if they do, they are liable to end up leaving that scene in a bag. Dr. Gates, your alleged answer to Officer Crowley's request for you to identify yourself should not have been "Why because I'm a black man in America?" as noted in the police reports of both officers. I know there have been times that I've had to break into my own house as a teenager, and I was well aware how it might have looked to anyone passing by. I can see where you were trying to exert some of the privilege you have earned as a Harvard professor, but you took it too far by apparently failing to realize that the Officer was just trying to do his job. I must also say that I'm very surprised that you would go on CNN and say that this incident helped you realize "How vulnerable all Black men are." Really? Then I'm glad you got this awakening now, so that you can channel some of your considerable intellect into addressing issues of race and power that Black men deal with on a daily basis.

SEARGENT CROWLEY
From all reports, I find little fault with your initial approach to this situation. The tipping point for you was simple. Despite the low level of cooperation you allegedly received from Dr. Gates, once you established that this elderly man was the lawful occupant of the home, then it was time to walk away. Eliminating threat is job #1 of an officer, and the threat was gone after Professor Gates produced his identification. If you couldn't calm him down, then perhaps Officer Figueroa should have tried, or one of the other officers who had arrived on the scene. Perhaps despite your record as a decorated officer, something that Professor Gates said ticked you off, and you decided he needed to be taught a lesson. Who knows, but in your position, you are held to a higher standard of being able to do what's right so that a situation does not escalate and you didn't. Neither did your colleagues for that matter, and that is disappointing.

PRESIDENT OBAMA
When initially asked about the incident in a press conference where you were supposed to be talking about Health Care, you did the smart thing and admitted your bias towards Dr. Gates and noted that you didn't have all the facts. Given your bias, you should have stopped right there until you either talked to Gates or gotten a briefing from an aide. As soon as you went on to say that you felt the Cambridge Police had acted "stupidly", it was like you poured water on a grease fire. As President, you don't get to use words like "stupid" and "dumb" when describing situations like you're at the crib with your homies. Your position requires that you go for adjectives like "inappropriate" or "insensitive" as if you were still editing the Harvard Law Review. You did this on Friday when you readressed the issue, but the damage was already done. Now instead of being able to hammer Republicans about Health Care and make sure your Democratic supporters have your back, you've had to arrange a Happy Hour Picnic to put this story to bed.

FINAL NOTE
For all those who try to spin this incident into something that has nothing to do with race, spare me. As the President noted in his initial press conference, there is a long history across the nation anecdotally and statistically about racial profiling. If you think that the race of Professor Gates and his driver had nothing to do with Ms. Whalen calling the police, you need to wake up. If you think that Officer Crowley made no initial judgment of Dr. Gates based on his race, the same is true. We all carry biases and prejudices based on our lived experiences as "raced" and ethnic beings. And please don't try to argue that Officer Crowley was above bias because he taught a workshop on racial profiling which he was selected to do by a Black Police Commissioner. Just because he can mechanically teach and understand the concept, does not mean that he's incapable of exhibiting racist behavior, especially when he's being called a "racist police officer". Issues of power, class, and race are laced all through this incident and only when people stop trying to look the other way and face it will we be able to have real conversations on race that help us all move forward in our understandings of one another.

Racism 3.0

One of my favorite professors often talks about how fighting racism has gotten so nuanced these days that it is often hard to see, hence the "3.0" tag. Couldn't help but think that we got a rare public view of what that looks like this week as we watched the confirmation hearings of Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Eight years ago the judge, who appears to have a stellar record on the bench, made a comment about the ability of a "Wise Latina" to draw upon her experiences and come to a more fair conclusion than a White man who has not had the same experience. As she prepared to take a seat on the highest court in the land, she had "some 'xplaining to do" about what this comment meant.

How is this racist you may ask? Simple, only when Judge Sotomayor was about to access one of the most coveted positions of power in this country did she have to be reminded, by people of far less ethical fiber than her own, that it is not the experience of the Wise Latina that is most coveted in this country, and while she may be able to get on the bench, it would behoove her to remember that her rise has not been of her own making, and there are are still forces waiting to smack her down the first time she "steps out of line". Racism today isn't necessarily about overt acts of discrimination, though they certainly still happen daily, but more importantly racism today is about maintaining long standing power structures that favor a white, eurocentric tradition. Only when it makes sense for the best interest of this power base is a minority allowed access, and not until they have had their "hazing" about who they should thank for getting there. Hopefully Justice Sotomayor will continue to draw upon the experiences that have gotten her this far and show just exactly why the Wise Latina will be an asset to the high court.

Leave BET Alone....

I've had a chance to sit and marinate on this one because I had a proposal to get done, but I had to comment on the discussion around the annual BET Awards. A lot of the commentary I heard was from middle-class circles whose values and ideologies are closer to mine, but are CLEARLY the polar opposite of who BET is targeting. I realized a long time ago after growing up watching videos on BET that they were not targeting the late twenties and early thirties version of me like they were the teenage version. How else am I to understand the canceling of almost every show that had anything to do with engaging the intellect and informing the community. I loved TAVIS... they cancelled it. I loved Ed Gordon...they cancelled it. I enjoyed the BET Nightly News...they cancelled it. If the one station dedicated to the Black community cannot even support a news broadcast when we are constantly saying that we are not covered fairly by the CNNs and FoxNews networks, then clearly, their value system is different than mine, and I can either enjoy Tiny and Toya or not. I choose not.

So if you're like me and expect BET to be so much more than it is, you cannot be surprised when Soulja Boy is one of the main Michael Jackson tribute performances because his audience is who BET wants to watch. You can't be surprised when T-pain rolls out the BIG ASS CHAIN, and you just have to shake your head when you see Lil' Wayne with his daughter on stage while singing about "loving" every girl in the world. You embrace that they tried to give "Grown Folk" something with the Ojays tribute, and keep it moving by doing something about your disdain for BET's programming. Support BETJ for example, where all the "Grown and sexy" programming is supposed to be. Find TVOne on your dial and support that, but don't waste your time hoping that the flagship is going to care how "ghetto" you think their awards show is. Clearly it's doing well enough to satisfy the Viacom folk, and that's all that matters. As long as College Hill, and Baldwin Hills and Keyshia Cole get ratings, then who cares how what the message is, or how it's perceived. So leave BET alone, you'll keep from popping some blood vessels that way.

Cousin Kamal and Ridin' with Jim Brown

Just last week I got into one of my now ritual "discussions" with Cousin Kamal about the civic responsibility of Black athletes, namely Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.  So imagine my sense of irony when I found out during my daily viewing of Pardon the Interruption (PTI) that legendary running back and community activist, Jim Brown, has again called out an athlete (first major target was Michael Jordan) for not going all out to be agents for social change.  This has been a war cry of Jim Brown's for a long time, and everytime he takes aim, the pot gets stirred.  Given my current position, and the argument I had just had with Cousin Kamal, I was particularly interested in the insights of  folks whom I respect.  With my new thinking space now functioning, I couldn't wait to get home and take a big swing at this pinata.

To lay the background, Cousin Kamal went so far as to say that when folks like Tiger, MJ and any other ridiculously rich and powerful athlete do not actively involve themselves in the improvement of the lives of the underprivileged, then they are less BLACK.  We disagreed on that, and I'll get into that later.  First let me address the main reasons I'm ridin' with Jim Brown on this issue everytime.

ACCUMULATION OF CAPITAL

Athletics is one  of the few areas where Blacks, particularly men, have been able to access an opportunity structure where they can reap handsome financial rewards for their physical gifts.  Those with a sense of history would point out that this system is no different than the chattle slavery of 400 years ago, except that the wage is higher.  While athletes get paid well compared to your local garbage man, it pales in comparison to the team owner who rakes in revenue from numerous streams off of the labor of his "laborers".  Many athletes do not have great motivation to rock the boat because they have the financial resources  to purchase all the material symbols of privilege of which  they were often deprived growing up.  Meanwhile it is the rare athlete who seeks to use his good fortune to create meaningful change for his community like David Robinson (built a school), Dikembe Mutombo (built a hospital), and Derrick Coleman (purchased a strip mall in financially stricken Detroit).  Listening to today's banter on the sports talk radio shows that I frequent, it just seemed that many were missing the point of what Jim Brown was really trying to say, and when I heard him speak on a local radio show this evening, I was even more convinced that his message is not sinking in properly.

WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? CHANGE INSTITUTIONS

I got particularly heated during the verbal backlash against Jim Brown when Keyshawn Johnson, former NFLer, and by all accounts a socially active person in his South LA community, kept ranting "What are they (Tiger & MJ) supposed to do?" referring to the notion that because of Tiger's foundational work and Michael Jordan's charitable work, that they have done enough.  Gone are the days when an athlete could take a political stand like Brown, Bill Russell, and Muhammad Ali did during the 1960s.  The other part that struck me was that Keyshawn kept giving Tiger a pass on being able to affect social change because he grew up in the OC (Orange County, CA).   So since I didn't have time to call into the show and wait forever to get cut off after a minute, I'll give two examples of the type of social change Jim Brown is calling out athletes for not pursuing.

TIGER WOODS

It is known that when Tiger is in a tournament and near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday, the ratings are much higher than when he is out of contention or not even competing.  Tournaments where Tiger is playing do much better financially than the ones where he doesn't so he literally has the ability to make or break an event by his mere entry.  One PGA tour event founder, Jack Vickers, indirectly blamed Tiger for the extinction of his event in Denver because he hadn't played it in years.  Another, speculated that giving proceeds from tournaments to Tiger's foundation is the only way to get him to certain events.  So if event creators know this, and Tiger is already using his drawing power to support his foundation, then why not take it a step further and ensure that the places where he does play are clubs that have a have a half decent membership policy and track record when it comes to minorities and women?  For years the great tennis legend, Arthur Ashe, railed against South Africa being part of the Davis Cup competition because of it's Apartheid practices.  He did not singly crumble the institution, but he brought awareness to the plight of Black South Africans struggling for equality in their country.  Instead of just hosting clinics at clubs, Tiger could be making sure that policies change at each country club green he sets foot on.  Keyshawn rhetorically asked today, "What do you want him to do, buy up a whole block of homes?" YES, that would be a start.  Buy a whole development in Long Beach, or the OC, or wherever and stipulate that the housing be affordable for minority homeowners in the same way that Warrick Dunn has done for single mothers in Florida.  So does Tiger have to walk the streets of South Central and facilitate gang truces like Jim Brown?  No, but he can go beyond, charity, which is a form of civic engagement that allows him to continue to craft a safe, marketable image, and take the types of stances that will ensure that those he is helping with scholarship dollars will not only go to college, but thrive.

MICHAEL JORDAN

Long ago (1992), Brown first called out Jordan for his aloof response to the report that sweatshop labor was being used to create his Jordan brand sneakers, which are never priced below $100.  Had Jordan ever sought to make a change in the world (which he said he couldn't), this is one possible way:  Following his retirement and increased involvement with the Jordan brand, he could have actually taken the trip to Asia to see what the labor conditions were actually like, and reported back, that would have been a story in and of itself, but what would have been transcendent would have been to demand that the manufacturing of his personal brand be based in the US, perhaps Chicago, or some other midwest city that depended on manufacturing jobs, which continue to be outsourced overseas.  This would have brought jobs and commerce back to the States and would have turned the business on it's ear.  Institutional change is what Jim Brown is talking about, not just status quo living.  I refuse to believe that both Tiger and MJ are ignorant of racism and the way it prevents minorities from gaining access to quality education, jobs, living spaces and health care.  They can do better, and if Jim Brown wants to call them out until they finally get it, I have not problem with that.  Don't try to discredit him with talk of his past legal troubles, and don't say that athletes in the position of Michael and Tiger don't have to do better than what they're already doing because they should.  Watch Black Magic and see what players had to go through to gain equal footing in the pro basketball leagues, and then read up on Charlie Sifford, the first black member of the PGA, to understand how there's even the possibility of a Tiger Woods.

ONE MORE THING: RACE IS NOT FINITE

One last thing that got misconstrued and I heard clarified today is the notion of Tiger Woods' blackness.  We know that Tiger famously identifies himself as "Cablanasian", and that was a sore spot for Cousin Kamal because he took the position that Tiger is saying he's not black, which isn't the case.  He's identifying himself based on all of the ethnic heritage he draws from his parents (Chinese, Thai, African American, Native American, Dutch).  I have no problem with him supporting all of these groups, and it does not make him less Black.  The African diaspora is rich with ethnic blends, and we have to move past grading each other on some "Blackness" scale that we didn't even create.  I will say, that Tiger must realize, that many see him as a Black man, so he should be less reticent to discuss his ethnic heritage.  It could go a long way to helping people move past singular notions of color in the same way that President Obama identifies himself as a Black man, but is quick to note the ethnic history in his family, particularly his White grandmother, the late Ann Dunham.  I'll stop there for now because I know that this will keep coming up as long as Jim Brown is still breathing and athletes are content to have their civic engagement come in the form of a tax write off donation instead of trying to change institutions that adversely affect their communities.

Reaching Lap 16...

As an age group swimmer, I often had to swim the 500 yard freestyle.  I wasn't quick at all, and I was skinny, so I had to swim the distance events.  Initially, I hated this as distance events are way less glamorous than the sprint events, but the harder I trained, the better I got, and eventually I started to embrace the 

20-lap race as my "event" and the training that went with it.  Whenever I would swim the 500, I would take it out hard and get to the front as that was the mantra of my coach.  Around lap ten the lactic acid pain would set in, and I'd have to face the mental challenge of having ten more laps to go.  Once I got to lap 16, however, no matter how bad I was feeling, I could always pick up the pace and finish the race strong as Lap 16 was the point at which I could see the end.  The Lap Sixteen mindset has stayed with me long after I competed in my last 500 freestyle. 

Three years ago, I started another kind of distance event: A Ph.D. in Urban Education at UCLA.  In the same way that my physical attributes led me to the distance events in the pool, my mental attributes have led me to education.  As of the writing of this post, I'm about to submit my dissertation proposal, which to me has become the Lap 16 marker.  I can not only see the finish line, but I can feel it.  I went to UCLA's graduation to see a few friends get their hoods, and I welled up just watching.  so now it's time to pick up the pace and finish.  The creation of this blog is part of that process.

For the last three years, I've sat in classrooms learning new theories, gone to conferences and digested lectures, and have still managed to hang on to a wife, raise a son and coach a swim team.  This blog will be my space to explore where all of that information intersects, understand what it means to me and ultimately the children I want to serve when my Ph.D is done.  One day it might be the merits of public schools, another it might be asking how our most privileged can better serve the poor.  I hope you visit often and enjoy the race to the finish of my Ph.D program and beyond.

JC