Blackinformant.com – African-American culture, news commentary, politics

“Kevin Powell, activist and author, challenged African-American men to take control of their lives and break the cycle of violence and poverty…”

“Powell told the men in his audience to improve in six areas: politics, economics, spirituality, culture, physical fitness and mental wellness.

Powell felt that “blacks aren’t being represented [in society],” but he said that it was important to be a registered voter so that there would be more African-Americans on juries. He also said that they needed to change their values about money, saying, “Most of us don’t know anything about money; it’s a trap.”

One thing that Powell noticed was that many people would spend money beyond their means, particularly on name brands. He said that the desire for status was a result of another problem: a lack of self-esteem.

“If you don’t have self-esteem, you do name brands,” he said.” (more…)