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CNN will air on Wednesday night this week "Black In America." The first night will address the black woman and and her families. What do you believe is the number one issue that black women should address pertaining to their families? I would appreciate it greatly if you could avoid hijacking the thread and attacking one another. Let us all speak truthfully, but let us also be mature when we reply and demonstrate some level of respect for one another. I would like to avoid a "shut down" again people.
Good reply. On the site which speaks to the program there are discussion questions to print out so that families can have an intellectual discourse and informational session in reference to the topics they discuss on the show. Take a look at them on the site. They are very engaging questions and should provoke a deeper understanding of our knowledge pertaining to black families here in America. I know my daughter and my son will be actively participating. I hope to engage in some online discussions about it after it airs. Once again, thanks for your reply.
I don't mean to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but there are certain aspects of the black community that I honestly believe that only blacks can fix. I'm happy CNN is willing to put our problems and issues on display for ratings, but that's not going to solve - or even change - anything.
And let's be real. (Can we keep it real?) If this was on BET, it would be shunned up and down. But because it's on CNN, it's being praised up one side of the white man's colder ice and down the other side. Now THAT is one of the issues I think is detrimental to our people.
CNN will air on Wednesday night this week "Black In America." The first night will address the black woman and and her families. What do you believe is the number one issue that black women should address pertaining to their families? I would appreciate it greatly if you could avoid hijacking the thread and attacking one another. Let us all speak truthfully, but let us also be mature when we reply and demonstrate some level of respect for one another. I would like to avoid a "shut down" again people.
In my humble opinion, the number one problem facing a black woman today is having to raise young black children on her own in way too many instances due to the very high level of out-of-wedlock births in the black community. The burden almost always falls on the woman to raise the child when an out-of-wedlock birth occurs. And raising a child, particularly a young boy, without a man (ie, husband) in the household is extremely difficult and stunts the economic and professional development of the woman.
"...Hispanic women have the highest unmarried birthrate in the country—over three times that of whites and Asians, and nearly one and a half times that of black women, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Every 1,000 unmarried Hispanic women bore 92 children in 2003 (the latest year for which data exist), compared with 28 children for every 1,000 unmarried white women, 22 for every 1,000 unmarried Asian women, and 66 for every 1,000 unmarried black women. Forty-five percent of all Hispanic births occur outside of marriage, compared with 24 percent of white births and 15 percent of Asian births. Only the percentage of black out-of-wedlock births—68 percent—exceeds the Hispanic rate. But the black population is not going to triple over the next few decades...."
JHussein is my new favorite poster
I forget the study that was done about the 70% birth thing. But I don't think they took into account the numbers of Black couples that are living together (ie shacking up) but just aren't married.
On to the topic,
I wouldn't say this is number one but it is an issue that ties into self-esteem. Considering how sensitive we are about our hair, I think we need to teach our daughters to appreciate their natural hair. Not knocking ladies who still use relaxers, heck its only been a year since I've given them up, but we should not be ashamed of the hair that grows out of our heads. When our kids are getting perms at 2 and 3 years old and thereafter without proper care, its no wonder we have the stereotype that "Black women's hair can't grow". "If a Black woman's hair is long, its a weave". We need to be more aware of what we say to our daughters while doing their hair. Phrases like "your hair is too nappy" and "it's so unmanageable" and turning up your nose while combing it will stick with them for life and can be quite a blow to their self-esteem. Stop comparing them to their "good-haired" cousins, know what I mean? Nappy is beautiful and we should be proud of it. And no, it won't keep you from getting a job, man/husband, or a fulfilling life.
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