Black
Infrastructure is a division of Going Against the Grain Group.
Candid Discussions
Question: "Why do we willingly mention to each other
upcoming concerts, the latest car, a sale at a store, a
superstar college athlete, or a hot song but find it a task to
promote empowering activities?"
Possible Answer: "We don't truly believe we can rise to
become more than consumers and a powerhouse race."
Question: "Why do Black churches post hundreds of
millions in annual revenue only being 10% of the Black
communities' earnings, meanwhile Black businesses repeatedly
fail?"
Possible Answer: "Pastors specifically speak to the
congregation on where to place 10% of their earnings, meanwhile
their is very little emphasis placed on where the Black
community must invest the other 90%.
Question: "How can we be witnessing record numbers of
college graduates, yet not moving into positions of growing
wealth?
Possible Answer: "Blacks today have bought into the
microwave society attitude where instant gratification is the
only form of payment. What we are seeing is a large number of
graduates running to Corporate America to deposit their
knowledge for the instant dollar, instead of building a
generational "Corporate America" in their own neighborhoods from
scratch, which may take more time before one can reap the
rewards.
Question: "How can their be 3x's as many black
millionaires today than 40 years ago, yet our economic positions
are no better off?"
Possible Answer: "At the end of the day, it's where we
live and spend our dollars. Many of the Black millionaires
generate tax dollars in communities and with businesses outside
of their own."
Question: "How can 89% of the signed hip-hop artists be
black but less than 3% of the executive positions at the parent
labels they are signed to be ran by Blacks."
Possible Answer: "The same reason why over 96% of the
consumers of beauty products are black and less than 5% of the
retail outlets are owned by Blacks. We are not stepping up to
the plate to fill the ownership positions that are not glorified
and sensationalized even though those are the positions with the
real respect, real control, and real wealth!
Question: "Why do Blacks find it easy to create ideas and
businesses but often find it difficult to retain the position as
the pioneers of our concepts?"
Possible Answer: Contrary to popular belief, writing a
book is the easy part, marketing and selling it is what requires
real work. Three of the top taboo discussions in the Black
community are legal, finances, and innovative techniques.
Ironically, these are the three things that lead to power
retention and production. Producing an idea is only a fraction
of the work. Implementing, retaining and repeatedly reinventing
it are what requires the real thinking. Because the marketing of
Blacks taking on the easier career paths that gain all the
fanfare, popularity, fun and fame, is so widespread, we find our
culture shaping our minds and desires to affirm those messages;
leaving our ideas for the taking and raping.
