(ThyBlackMan.com) One of the most important keys to the advancement of the Black American community is the empowerment of Black American families. There are numerous research studies that continue to dwell solely on the deficit social progress statistics or on the pathology of African Americans in 2011. For sure there are many persistent social and racial inequities that besieged African Americans. But, it is also persistently unhealthy to only focus on the negative without ever offering participatory solutions to these problems and inequities. I believe that it is vital to promote the economic, cultural, political, and social development of our families and communities.
Empowerment is the process of establishing and maximizing ones true potential to attain and sustain power and control over one’s personal development, education, wealth, health and shared-contributions to the advancement of humanity and the world. Of course, the best form of 
empowerment is self-empowerment. You can’t give someone empowerment. It has to be earned. People have to be directly involved and they have to participate in helping to shape and nurture their own self-empowerment.
African Americans cannot and should not wait for someone else to liberate us or to empower us. Yes, the government and the state do have social responsibilities for the overall social conditions of society, but to make people solely dependent on a ”welfare state of mind” is itself ultimately self-destructive and counterproductive. We have had a long history of overcoming the odds and by the grace of God and hard work and struggle we have as a people collectively achieved great strides forward. The challenge today is to understand both the problems and the solutions concerning our families, and then to actively participate in achieving and fulfilling those solutions.
While it is true that currently in the United States married couples make up almost 75% of all families, among African Americans only 44% are married-couple families. But that statistic does not tell the whole story. The multiple family structures in the African American community are different from White Americans because of history, culture, poverty, and disproportionate incarceration of African American males. Yet the ”extended family” ties, bonds and relationships among African Americans remain strong despite the tremendous stress and social pressures on the African American community.
Sixteen years ago when I worked to help organize and coordinate the Million Man March, it was done expressly to raise the level of consciousness and responsibility of African American men in particular to take a greater responsibility and atonement for the strengthening of our families and communities. It was the largest public demonstration and mobilization ever in Washington, D.C. in the history of Black Americans. The truth is immediately after the Million Man March, not only did Black on Black crime and murders dramatically decrease across America; there was also an increase in Black marriages, Black adoption of black children, Black-owned business development and a significant surge in Black youth cultural leadership and economic advancement through hip-hop and other creative genius.
Then five years later in 2000 at the Million Family March, a national effort was successfully launched to raise the consciousness level and community involvement in the building and sustaining black family life. After the Million Family March, marriage bureaus throughout the United States reported a statistical increase in Black marriages. Reflecting back, the importance of those two massive gatherings in Washington, D.C. only serves to remind us that we do have the capacity to speak out, stand up, and take our responsibilities seriously for the ongoing redemption and empowerment of our families and communities.
We have more opportunities today than ever before to make more of a difference to improve the quality of life in our communities. Self-improvement is a key to community development. I want to especially encourage our young brothers and sisters to seriously consider the benefits of building strong, loving, and successful families. The economic recovery of the African American community will be dependent both on building strong businesses and families. Don’t let the negative self-destructive forces of hopelessness and cynicism take hold on your consciousness. Whatever the problems we face today, we can make tomorrow a better day, if we work together, build together, share together and fight for freedom, justice, equality, and empowerment together.
Written By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
Official website; http://www.baeo.org/
