From Boyz to Men: Saving Our African American Males from the Streets and from Themselves NADCP 21st ANNUAL TRAINING CONFERENCE July 27-30, 2015 . Washington, DC

P.O. Wallace Green, LICDC (216) 664-3287 Cell:(440) 570-7608 [email protected]

From Boyz to Men:

Saving African American Males From the Streets and themselves

• Male by birth • Adult by age • Man by choice – Becoming a better man is on going* – H.E.A.T.

Habilitation Empowerment Accountability Therapy The Pinwheel Group LLC

Shhhhhh! King baby is still sleepin’! The client’s world is OK • King Baby’s Bubble: – – – – – – – – – – –

Lookin’ good. Sumin’ ta drink. Sumin’ ta smoke. Sumin’ ta hustle. Sumin’ ta sex. Some money to flash. Some boyz to hang wit. Car to drive. Music to blast. My worldz all right Soldier? In whoz army? Adopted from: King Baby, Tom Cunningham Hazelden books

The job of an African American father • It was never about the police

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) –Teens are temp. Psychopaths

This is a passing phase but the damage can last a life time

Manhood in other cultures: Xhosas, Africa - boys to men ritual

The Bar/Bat Mitzvah • “The purpose and major task of any life cycle ceremony must be to legitimize those changes, to standardize and formalize a new role for the individual within the community.” • “Up until now the individual has been seen as “property” and responsibility of the parents • Society will impose coming of age responsibilities on the child like it or not and more specifically, ready or not; and through such a ritual the child becomes ready • Culture gives them a head start (13 not 18)

Some of the founding fathers • • • • • • • •

Tom Silverman David May and Jon Schecter Rick Rubin Keith Naftlay Lyor Cohan Jimmy Iovine Jerry Heller

African America founders: failure & personal glorification • Sylvia Branch and Joe of Sugar Hill • Jay – Z, • Damon Dash • Kareem Biggs Burke • P Diddy • Shug Night • Dr. Dre • Master P. • Slim and Brian Williams • Chris Lightly

The Source: 1st Nationally Syndicated Hip Hop Magazine • A girl stood up and complained, “We have two white guys who have started a magazine about a black culture, which makes them gate keepers for the whole culture which they did not create. They are essentially telling us who we are. I don’t feel that is right. How do you feel about that? From the book, ‘The Big Payback’

From boyz to men • You have to man up – – – –

You can’t complain them away You can’t march them away You can’t beat them down You have to out preform, out compete your challengers

• If something bothers you enough to complain about it, but not enough to do anything about it, than you will forever be a bystander in your own life. Rewards and success go to those who do something about that which they don’t like. • The ones who Man Up!

• • • • • • • •

What are American culture manhood rituals? Sex Drink Drug License Ink Prison Child Why nothing more formal, or meaningful?

Definition of Hip Hop Culture • A form of popular culture that started in the African American inner-city areas (Bronx), characterized by rap music, graffiti art, and break dancing. MCing, DJing, spit boxing, fashion, slang and style are also important elements of hip hop. The term has since come to be a synonym for hip hop music and rap to mainstream audiences.

Definition of Hip Hop Culture

• The 5 elements of Hip Hop –MC-ing –B-Boying –Graffiti –DJ-ing –Knowledge

Why Hip Hop is not a Culture The Cultural Litmus Test > The unique worldviews, customs, norms, values and patterns of behavior that are learned through socialization to nurture, strengthen and insure the positive progress and development of it’s people. > The people who benefit from this culture are the “The Billion Dollar beneficiaries.” Welcome to Hiphopracy •

Cultural Training Institute, prepared by Victoria Winbush. (1996).

Definition of Hip Hop Culture • The 5 elements of Hip Hop • Commercial Rap have been replaced – MC-ing _________ – B-Boying _________ – Graffiti _________ – DJ-ing _________ – Knowledge

• • • • • • • • • •

Fashion Alcohol Slang Smoking weed Strip Clubs Making it Rain Jewelry Style Cool Hustlin’

My average client that this culture has produced 

Client age 18-25   

Born during the Crack epidemic 1990-1997 You are not talking to Tupac 





You are talking to Tupac’s kid who has no clue Like 40 years in the desert – no one remembers Egypt

85% loved one in prison

• 5-6th grade reading level – No diploma

• No father (Baby mama era) – Or relationship is: • bad, • hateful, or • They are ‘boyz’

• Unemployed – No Marketable skills

• 1-2 Children • 2-3 girlfriends / hostages • Has 3-4 hideouts

• Low self esteem – Mask of Cool Pose ?

Book, ‘Cool Pose’ • The aloof swagger and… unflappability projected by young black men from inner-city urban areas is a "cool pose," a bit of posturing that insulates them from an otherwise overwhelming social reality, a new report holds. • While the cool pose is often misread by teachers, principals and police officers as an attitude of defiance, psychologists who have studied it say it is a way for black youths to maintain a sense of integrity and suppress rage at being blocked from usual routes to esteem and success.

Richard Majors, author

Book, ‘Cool Pose’ • The cool pose is…language, mannerisms, gestures and movements that "exaggerate or ritualize masculinity," • “The essence of cool is to appear in control, whether through a fearless style of walking, an aloof facial expression, the clothes you wear, a haircut, your gestures or the way you talk. • The cool pose shows the dominant culture that you are strong and proud, despite your status in American society.“ • The ability to get other people to do what you want in spite what they see, feel and know

Richard Majors, author

December

th 4

by Jay - Z

• But, I noticed a change in him when me and my husband broke up • Now all the teachers couldn't reach me And my momma couldn't beat me Hard enough to match the pain of my pops not seeing me, SO With that distain in my membrane Got on my pimp game Fuck the world my defense came Then Dahaven introduced me to the game Spanish Jose introduced me to cane I'm a hustler now

Changing Levels; Developing Character Subject Poverty/ Hip Hop ManGood hood Fighter, Lover, Cool Hustler Nerve

Mid. Class Good provider Role model Leader Planner Char. Strength

Wealthy Visionary Hustler Generational provider Polit. Leader Nerve Char. Strength

Kwanzaa Transformative Power

1. Unity 2. Self Determination 3. Collective Work and responsibility 4. Cooperative economics 5. Purpose 6. Creativity 7. Faith

Growing up: It’s you against you

Football Player / Basketball Player Right uniform for the right game • If you have these skills

• You can develop these skills

Man Up • Circle the top 3 • Rate yourself • They will see this again

Boyz Down • Make sure they have these 2 listed: – ‘F’ it – Focusing on the ‘next’ battle • Alternate plan • (This is just slowing me down)

King Baby 



 

 

Often become angry or afraid of authority figures and will attempt to get them to work against each other Seek approval and lose their own identity in the process Can make a good first impression but are unable to follow through Have difficult accepting personal criticism and become threatening, angry or escape when criticized Have addictive personalities and are driven to extremes Are self rejecting or self alienating

King Baby     

 

Are often immobilized by anger and frustration and are rarely satisfied Are usually lonely even when surrounded by people Chronic complainers who blame others for what is gong in their lives Fell unappreciated and think they don’t fit in See the world as a jungle filled with people who “aren’t there” for them See everything as a catastrophe, a life or death situation Judge life in absolutes black or white right or wrong you are for me or against me

King Baby        

Live in the past while fearful of the future Have strong feelings of dependency and exaggerated fears of abandonment Fear failure and rejection and don’t try new things that they might do well. Are obsessed with money and material things Dream big plans and schemes but have little ability to bring them about Can not tolerate illness, imperfections in themselves or others Think the key is finding answers not developing skills Focus on trying to be understood rather than trying to understand

King Baby Are not successful because people are either born with the "right stuff" (characteristics and they feel that they were not. Or others are just lucky  Prefer to charm superiors, and intimidate subordinates  Belief rules and laws are for others or suckers  Often become addicted to excitement, life in the fast lane  Hold emotional pain in and lose touch with their feelings  “F” it 

The Superego • Incorporates the values and morals of society which are learned from one's parents and others. • The conscience and the ideal self. The conscience causing feelings of guilt • The ideal self (or ego-ideal) is an imaginary picture of how you ought to be, McLeod, S. A. (2008). Id, Ego and Superego. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/psyche.html

The Ego • The ego develops in order to mediate between the unrealistic id and the external real world. It is the decision making component of personality. • Ideally the ego works by reason whereas the id is chaotic and totally unreasonable. The ego operates according to the reality principle, working our realistic ways of satisfying the id’s demands, often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid negative consequences of society. The ego considers social realities and norms, etiquette and rules in deciding how to behave.

The Id • The id is primitive and instinctive – It demands immediate satisfaction – The id is not affected by reality, logic or the everyday world. • It operates on the pleasure principle (Freud, 1920) – which is the idea that every wishful impulse should be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences. – The id engages in primary process thinking, which is primitive illogical, irrational, and fantasy oriented.

Hip Hop cultural views attitudes beliefs worksheet re: • The music (The 7D’s) – Lust – Gluttony – Greed, – Sloth, – Wrath, – Envy, – Pride

What are the cultural values according to the music ? • Family – Raising children

• • • • • • • •

Women Education Hustling Spirituality Getting high Brotherhood Employment Career

• Gangs / Click • Respect

Hip Hop is really the advertising arm of the prison industrial complex!

The field has scaled down and opened up • • • • • • • • •

Two Chains Future Rich Homie Quan Chedda De Connect Kevin Gates I dint get tired Kid Ink Ride out Lil Boosie Chief Keef Bobby Smerda

New wave of rappers who no longer have to fit the profile • • • • • • • • •

Kanye West Drake Kendrick Lamar Lupe Fiasco MGK Earl Sweatshirt Jasiri X J. Cole Rae Sermmund

• • • • • • •

Young Thug Camron Dallas Jeramih Jidenna Tanashe K camp Dej Loaf

Recent police killings throughout the nation Black Lives Matter...but to whom should this be directed?

African American males are repeatedly reported as being older than they are

Civil rights attorney Constance Rice

The current commercialized version of the Hip Hop culture puts Police on edge, to the point that ‘blackness’ is scene as a weapon

If you know what’s going on outside your house • Than there is nothing stopping you, accept you, from preparing for it inside your house

A man does not give power to his obstacles

All fired; All rehired

Why should they have to respect us, more than we respect ourselves?

• If your house were on fire would you be focused on the ethnicity, color, or income bracket of the fireman with the hose and ladder? • “I think it’s smart to get out of the fire first and if you want to have that conversation about the causes, we can do it then, but there are systemic problems in the system that you need to guard against and I wouldn’t be doing my job if we didn’t have this discussion.”

Keepin’ it 100: don’t look for racism

I refuse to lose

Fighting the right war • Right vs. Wrong (Respect) – – – –

Been going on before you got here Will be going on after you leave Side step, or chose wisely War is bigger than you

• Success vs. Failure – Battle is on the clock (18-25) – Opportunity lost is difficulty compounded – War is on you

Two Homecomings

Hip Hop Culture has a very Positive side: • • • • • • •

Hustling Self determination Commitment Courage Entrepreneurialship Tenacity True understanding and development of Power, Influence, Money and Position

Man Up! Worksheet

3 Core and a few more Characteristics of Manhood 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Commitment (Hustle) Honesty App. Behavior Respect Accountable Courage Trust Education Responsible

10. Independent 11. Goals 12. Prepared 13. Spirituality 14. Consistency 15. Discipline

Business Card: 1 wk. at a time • Check • Minus • Even

E

5 Levels of Commitment 1. I don’t want to be 4. I will do the best I here can 2. I want the benefits 4. Always improving without putting forth 5. 80-90% the effort 5. I will do whatever 3. I’ll Try 1. Acceptable failure 2. Commitment is to trying 3. 30-40% pay off

it takes 4. 90-99.9%

I can show you how to fight this fight and win…

HONESTY

Only one type of person fails • “Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves.” – Honesty – The ability to tell on it, before it tells on you. – If you can’t be honest, be honest about it

Man UP! and L.I./E.!

• LEARN

Intellect Emotion

ITS NOT WHAT YOU SAY… IT’S WHAT YOU CONVEY!

RESPECT • Deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment. • The condition of being esteemed or honored: to be held in respect. • Admire (someone or something) deeply, as a result of their abilities, qualities, or achievements.

Who do you listen to (respect) with regularity? • Police, Judges, C.O.’s, Parole Officers, PO’s,? – What do they have in common? • They can do something TO you (Slave mentality) • Client listens to the people who can do the most harm to us, • He need to listen to the people who can do the most for him who ever that is

• Name the people that you respect (listen to with regularity) that can do something for you? • Do you have a unique relationship with your employer? • How does ‘power’ figure into this equation? – “I have a problem with authority” I don’t like being told what to do

TRAYVON MARTIN: Responsible / Accountable?

• Marijuana positive was allowed in on the case

What is on the internet will be on there until the end of the earth

“Better chance of being killed by someone who looks like him.”

The Choom Gang • In his memoir, [he] talked about routinely getting high. “Junkie. Pothead,” he wrote. “That’s where I’d been headed: the final, fatal role of the young would-be black man.” …he only got high because he was contemplating deep matters: drugs could “push questions of who I was out of my mind.”

The number of African Americans killed during the 1st four yrs. of Obama’s presidency

Compare that to: Afghanistan War U.S. casualties -3,427 Iraq War U.S. causalities -4,802

Courage • Most of us have it twisted – It’s not acting like you don’t give a damn, but acting like you do

• Courage is not reckless • Without it, you will never go past Level 3, ‘trying’ • What will prevent you from looking in the mirror – you are not all that or less than that

• Is it difficult? Than it will take courage

Are you worthy of your client’s Trust? • • • • • • •

Be accessible Display honors Make office inviting Call at odd hours Do home visits if you can Call sponsor and significant others Have something to eat for the client durring one on ones

Inspiration, or desperation?

• You earn a living 3 ways: 1. What you know 2. What you can do

• To help Consider you understand the hip hop this your culture that you personal are a part of and to help invitation: you differentiate the real the fake, so Tuesdays atfrom 4:00pm 6thembrace Floorthe Justice that you can positive and Center avoid the pitfalls of the negative • Equip you with the tools to navigate your way through the system so that you can stop being pimped by it, if that is your choosing

“They told me to follow the Blacks” Go with the poor • • • •

Don’t make anything Don’t own anything Don’t know anything Don’t want to know anything • Dependant people make the best customers

Looks like he’s right! Graduation Rates Ohio 2004-2005 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

31.6 % White Students

10.2 % White Students

African American Students

African American Students

31.6% of the African American students in the state of Ohio did not graduate from high school in 2005 compared to only 10.2% of the white students in the state who did not graduate from high school.

Put these values first… that’s all they did! • • • • • • • •

Family Education Career Spirituality Security Freedom Health Property – What made AA successful

• Don’t hate! • You can’t blame others for having the values that you should have!

Steve Mariotti

• In 1982, Mariotti made a significant career change and became a special education/business teacher in the New York City school system, choosing to teach in such notoriously challenging neighborhoods as Brooklyn and the “Fort Apache” section of the South Bronx. • It was at Jane Addams Vocational High School in the Bronx that he developed the insight and inspiration to bring entrepreneurial education to low-income youth. This led to founding the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in 1987.

Key Bank saw an opportunity

The Purpose of Goals • To give you a destination • To give you a purpose • To achieve dreams – (Not fantasies)

• To have something to weigh other activities against – What will a record do to my employability?

The Abandon House Theory: There is no goal to fix, sell, or move in “I can’t wait till I’m off probation!”

Only two types of people are successful in this world: • Those that are prepared, • Those that are lucky • One you chose to do • The other chooses you

Why you need spirituality • Goal: To become employable, graduate drug court, get off paper etc. • Know certain things, – When to waking up on time, – Display app. behave, – Study, ask questions. etc.

• Success is guaranteed • However, All that being said, one day you wake up and What happens ?

• When the client doesn't preform the actions in which success is guaranteed , what does he ask?

CONSISTENC Y

What you do, you get use to

Independent

This system’s success is predicated on 3 things: 1) Mental illness 2) Addiction 3) Boyhood

Cost for one year Per state (2010) Question: Are you worth more behind bars, that you are on the street? State

Average Daily Inmate Population

Taxpayer Cost of Prisons ($ in 000s)

Average Annual Cost per Inmate

Alabama

26,758

$462,507

$17,285

Arizona

40,458

$1,003,553

$24,805

Arkansas

13,369

$326,081

$24,391

California

167,276

$7,932,388

$47,421

Colorado

19,958

$606,208

$30,374

Connecticut

18,492

$929,438

$50,262

Delaware

6,528

$215,210

$32,967

Florida

101,324

$2,082,531

$20,553

Georgia

53,704

$1,129,858

$21,039

Idaho

7,402

$144,669

$19,545

Illinois

45,551

$1,743,153

$38,268

Indiana

38,417

$569,451

$14,823

Iowa

8,384

$276,039

$32,925

Kansas

8,689

$158,198

$18,207

Kentucky

21,347

$311,727

$14,603

Louisiana

39,938

$698,363

$17,486

Maine

2,167

$100,558

$46,404

Maryland

21,786

$836,223

$38,383

Michigan

45,096

$1,267,954

$28,117

Minnesota

9,557

$395,319

$41,364

Missouri

30,447

$680,487

$22,350

Source: Vera Institute of Justice, True Cost of Prisons survey. Taxpayer costs include expenses funded by state and federal revenue. Apparent discrepancies are the result of rounding. See the state fact sheets at www.vera. org/priceofprisons for more details.

Cost for one year Per state (2010) Question: Are you worth more behind bars, that you are on the street? Montana

2,513

$75,959

$30,227

Nebraska

4,542

$163,284

$35,950

Nevada

13,696

$282,903

$20,656

New Hampshire

2,389

$81,417

$34,080

New Jersey

25,822

$1,416,727

$54,865

New York

59,237

$3,558,711

$60,076

North Carolina

40,203

$1,204,667

$29,965

North Dakota

1,479

$58,065

$39,271

Ohio

50,960

$1,315,477

$25,814

Oklahoma

24,549

$453,356

$18,467

Pennsylvania

48,543

$2,055,269

$42,339

Rhode Island

3,502

$172,063

$49,133

154,576

$3,306,358

$21,390

Utah

6,338

$186,013

$29,349

Vermont

2,248

$111,280

$49,502

Virginia

29,792

$748,642

$25,129

Washington

17,050

$799,590

$46,897

West Virginia

6,385

$169,190

$26,498

Wisconsin

23,015

$874,421

$37,994

1,243,487

$38,903,304

$31,286

Texas

Total (40 states)

Source: Vera Institute of Justice, True Cost of Prisons survey. Taxpayer costs include expenses funded by state and federal revenue. Apparent discrepancies are the result of rounding. See the state fact sheets at www.vera. org/priceofprisons for more details.

‘The House I Live In’ looks at the drug war: • • • • •

40 years old Over 1,000,000,000,000.00 Spent Millions of low end offences / felonies Very few kingpins 40 years later– Drugs are as plentiful, more potent and as easy to obtain as ever before

• We are victimizing black, poor, uneducated and mentally ill people

You are going against the grain of the United States!!

Declaration of Independence • “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and they are endowed certain unalienable rights, that among these are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these Rights, governments are instituted among men.”

• Life – The principle or force by which animals and plants are maintained in the performance of their functions

• Liberty – Freedom from external restraint or compulsion

The Pursuit of Happiness Happiness is the general term denoting enjoyment of or pleasurable satisfaction… such pleasures are not to be despised in a world full of pain. But happiness…[is]… a different sort of thing. [It] comes to be through a fulfillment that reaches the depths of our being – one that is an adjustment of our whole being with the conditions of our existence – John Dewey Webster’s 3rd New International Unabridged Dictionary, 1964

Not to be confused with: • Pleasure – sensual gratification

Webster’s 3rd New International Unabridged Dictionary, 1964

Problem is you aren’t about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. More like: • Death • Slavery – In the pursuit of • In the pursuit of Sensual gratification: – How something looks, feels, sounds – no learning (Drugs / Commercial Rap lifestyle)

• If you experience sensual gratification before you experience learned happiness = confusion of the two

Discipline: The ability to do what is in your best interest when you don’t feel like doing it

“Run Forrest!” • You can act your way into right thinking

• Quicker that you can think your way into right acting

Remember…, • If you want to be here, that’s good. • If you don’t want to be here that’s • even better!

Motivation Vs. Discipline • Motivation

• Discipline

Presentation Goal #1 • 3 proven methods of getting the clients to use their ‘street hustler’ mentality to work their program of recovery – P.I.M.P.- Know what it really stand for and gain it through handling your business (the Business card) – Just like on the street, recognize the people that can do something for you as oppose to those who can do something to you

• Client needs an income producing fan club – Put some money on it

• Dare the client to prove you wrong

Program Goal #2 • 3 effective ways to motive the clients to avoid the negative pitfalls of the Hip Hop culture – Inspiration or desperation? • Listening to the music vs. trying to life the lyrics • Developing Goals

– Using the right uniform and skill set for the right game – There is an internal prison that proceeds an external one • Helping the client to identify his internal prison through the Boyz Down worksheets

Presentation Goal #3 • Learn 3 effective strategies for being more effective when working with African American males in groups or individually – Guard against ‘cool pose’ by helping the client take ownership of every aspect of his program • Make sure your not working harder than he is

– Us the library assignment to learn vital information about the client – If a person was playing the client like drugs and the system was; the client would still be on the street looking for him • Helping the client to see how he will continue to be manipulated by both if he doesn’t man up

Tool Box • Films/ Videos – Slavery by Another Name – 1hr 43min You Tube • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGz25cOgY0U

– The House I Live In - Documentary 1hr 48 min. by Eugene Jerecki – Billions Behind Bars – YouTube 43 min – Prison State – Frontline production 1 hr. 23 min. • http://video.pbs.org/video/2365235229/

– Young Jeezy Documentary, A Hustlerz Ambition 42 min Daily Motion • http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp4jxm_young-jeezy-a-hustlerzambition-documentary_music

– Jay – Z Words of Wisdom 5min. 42 sec. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f7tX5hHpcw

– Tavis Smiley Guest – Jay Z 2min. 53 sec. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YcSuHNCCVY

Tools for the Tool Box • H.E.A.T. (Habilitation, Empowerment, Accountability, Therapy) – Darryl Turpin and Guy Wheeler – The Pinwheel Group

• Books, – Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell (Jay – Z) – The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (Jay- Z) – The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav (Jay –Z) – Guaranteed Success by Master P. – The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander – King Baby (Pamphlet) by Tom Cunningham Hazelden books