The Rapturous Reader  

If you are old enough, you may remember the song "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Released in 1964, it came to exemplify the sixties Civil Rights Movement. I was 6 years old, growing up in Berkeley, CA. Berkeley was extremely diverse, and I thought the whole world looked that way. My parents instilled in me early on that I was beautiful, intelligent, and could be anything I wanted to be. If anyone said different, I thought they were different, and crazy! I didn't understand the concept of racism or discrimination until the 1970's, when we moved to the "suburbs" of Oakland, CA. I remember my father picking me up from school early on the day Martin Luther King Jr. was shot, and explaining to me what happened. He also had to explain a lot more about society as a whole. From then on, my formative years were shaped by protests against segregation and the Vietnam War, and for black power (I use to play in the park where the Black Panthers met regularly.) I loved my generation, and knew that we would make a profound difference in society as a whole.


A Change Is Gonna Come - SAM COOKE Over the last few months, I have shared my excitement and pride over Barack Obama's presidential election with my three sons, who are 25, 21 and 19, and have been eager to hear their thoughts and perspectives about this historical event. This was the first time two of my sons were old enough to cast their vote, and all three of them had the the opportunity to do something I'd been waiting for all my adult life, and never thought I would see; the chance to vote for a black candidate who had a real chance to win! I was proud as I listened to their perspectives about Barack Obama's upcoming inauguration, and realized that their perspectives are colored by their experiences, not those of my generation.

During this historical time, I hope other parents will stop for a moment and listen to their Generation Y son's and daughter's perspectives. You may just learn something, and they will probably appreciate the fact that you listened!

Alltel Wireless and Dr. Maya Angelou Celebrate Black History Month with the Fifth Annual ‘‘Words of Wisdom’’ Essay Contest. This unique scholarship program supports young students seeking to share their wisdom and further their educations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities across America. Ten grand prize winners will each receive a $10,000 scholarship to a participating HBCU institution of their choice as well as a trip to Little Rock, Ark., to meet Dr. Maya Angelou and enjoy a private concert with R&B sensation Musiq Soulchild. While in Little Rock, students and their guests will also enjoy tours of local landmarks, including the Mosiac Templars Cultural Center, William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Little Rock Central High School.

My youngest son is a Sophomore at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and I plan to sharing the scholarship opportunity with him; not only in anticipation of receiving a $10,000 scholarship (even though it would really help my pocketbook!) but also to encourage him to share his thoughts with others nationwide on how he is being called to build upon this new spirit of change. Won't you join us?