Month: December 2012

Review of Garfield Hylton’s The Soundtrack to My Life

Garfield Hylton

The Soundtrack to My Life penned by Garfield Hylton, the author of Real Goes Right, is a memoir tracing his significant life experiences, especially those experiences related to intimate relationships, friendships, college, and blog writing.  This memoir, which is an e-book, is approximately 55 pages with 11 chapters.  Hylton is an African American male lawyer and freelance writer.

As a reader who likes to experience a book before someone tells me about it, I avoid reading book reviews until I’ve read the book.  Many book reviews in their attempt to provide the reader with an insightful summary of the works they cover can spoil your reading experience: they give away too much.  In my appraisal of this book, I make a solemn attempt not to spoil it for you by doing a great detail of summarization.  I will not offer a chapter-by-chapter analysis of the book.

From the Prologue of the work, the reader has an opportunity to learn it’s an outgrowth of Hylton’s longing to give the readers of his blog more of an understanding about the man behind the blog.  The writer never wastes the reader’s time.  Each paragraph and chapter is meaningful.  Throughout the book, one will appreciate the brilliant Hip-Hop artworks that serve as excellent backdrops that are not only beautiful but also offer substantive contextualization of the book’s content.  Hylton is heavily influenced by Hip-Hop and he does a masterful job of incorporating it.

The first chapter of the book presents the author’s first experience falling in love.  He shares the excitement and pain resulting from his first love, which occurs during his first year of college.  This chapter is essential reading, considering America is rarely exposed to hearing and reading Black men speak and write in nuanced ways about their intimate relationships.  Black men’s narratives about their relationships are often told through a white voice—usually a white voice misrepresenting black men’s stories.  During his freshmen year, his evaluation of women focused predominantly on their physical composition.  He fell almost instantly in love with his first love without even knowing who she really was.  Chapter 1 reveals the impact this relationship would have on future relationships: sometimes no impact and sometimes a “catastrophic” impact.

One of the typical limitations of reading a memoir or any autobiographical work of someone who is not famous or well-known is the reader is left with an unsatisfying feeling about the value of having read the work; that is, the reader is often left thinking “so what?”  This is not the case with The Soundtrack to My Life.  Hylton does enough critical evaluation of his experiences that readers are able to see how his experiences can help to shed light on their own experiences, and his serious assessments of his experiences permit readers to avoid his pitfalls.

The author explains the potent influence the absence of his father in his life has had on him.  Unfortunately, too many black males have had to grow up without their fathers being in the home and active in their lives.  One thing I value most about Hylton’s statements about the absence of his father in his life is he does not lie and say his absence has been inconsequential; it has been quite consequential.

My greatest disappointment with the book is it’s too short.  I wanted to read more of each chapter but each chapter would end too soon.  Many postmodern readers, however, love to read shorter works because they have distinctively shorter attention spans than readers in any other historical epoch.  The author probably recognizes this reality and constructed the book accordingly.

The Soundtrack to My Life is truly engaging, insightful and authentic.  I highly recommend this book and it’s worth every minute you consume reading it.

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Open Letter to Rob Parker

Rob Parker

Dear Rob Parker:

Not too long ago, ESPN commentator Rob Parker viciously attacked Robert Griffin III (RG 3) because he doesn’t fit into his narrow idea of what’s required to be black.  Read what he said here: Rob Parker’s Comments on RG3.

Your preposterous verbal assault on RG 3 ranks among the most despicable diatribes ever.  Your comments are demeaning to all members of our race.  Why can’t a black man be articulate without being suspected of trying to “act white”?   Sorry brother, there are numerous black brothers and sisters who are articulate and we have no desire to give whites the credit for how articulate we are.

You’re not the determiner of who is authentically black and who is not.  If a person is born black, he or she is black—period.  Because RG 3 elects to be involved with a white woman, he’s not authentically black?  Really?  You’re reckless.  You hurt so many people when you make comments like this.  How can you fight against racism when you’re using it?  You cannot.  You no longer have any credibility when it comes to discussing issues of race.  Actually, you no longer have any credibility to discuss anything, including sports.  Who wants to listen to you anymore, save some extremists who agree with your ignorance and radical viewpoints?

ESPN should do more than suspend you; you should be terminated indefinitely.

While everyone deserves a second chance, you can no longer be effective as an ESPN commentator because your comments will leave an everlasting stain incapable of redemption.  Hopefully, your understanding of blackness will improve.  Right now, you should feel an incredible amount of shame and should work your entire life to remedy this public wrong.

RG 3 is an exceptional athlete and person.  He deserves significant respect and admiration.

If ESPN does not fire you indefinitely, do us all a favor and resign.

Sincerely,

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Preparing Students to be Critical Thinkers

Black Woman Thinking

One of the most important jobs of an educator is to prepare students to be critical thinkers.  In a postmodern America educators have a responsibility to provide multifarious opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking exercises.  More focus has to be placed on building critical thinkers rather than assuming students are already critical thinkers.  Many educators see that believe that they already have critical thinkers who need to be challenged to become more advanced critical thinkers.  Even the most ostensibly gifted student in your classroom needs to benefit from rigorous preparation for critical thinking.  While great attention has been devoted to teaching Common Core standards throughout the United States, the top goal of those standards must be to produce true critical thinkers.  An educated person is a critical thinker.  If a person cannot think critically, he or she is not adequately educated.

We have to reimagine our pre-k – college classroom as critical thinking laboratories.  The pursuit of a diploma and degree must have significantly increased critical thinking skills and capacity attached to it.  Many people are familiar with the trite question: Why can’t Johnny read?  Let’s replace this question with a new question: What critical thinking preparation have we given Johnny to help him to be able to read?  Learning how to read is a challenge.  We, therefore, have to offer Johnny training in critical thinking that will enable him to conquer the challenge of learning to read.

Do You Truly Want to Close the Achievement Gap?

Educators and administrators genuinely committed to closing the academic achievement gap between white and non-whites will begin to embrace how vital it is to transform classrooms into critical thinking laboratories.  Imagine being in a Mathematic class where teachers take the time to view each problem through the lens of building critical thinkers.  How the students conceive and work through each problem will be viewed as just as essential as the actual answer.  We will begin to see instructors assigning students to write reflectively about their Mathematics problems, empowering instructors and students with a keen understanding of strengths and weaknesses in solving assigned problems.

What is the Goal of Preparing Students to Become Critical Thinkers?

First, our American democracy depends deeply on an educated citizenry.  Without a mind that thinks critically, one cannot fully comprehend democratic principles and values.  If you don’t think that a failure to grasp democratic principles and values is a problem in America, think again.  At the epicenter of racial, economic and educational problems is a problem with the majority of citizens not being able to cognize and maximize the power of democratic principles and values.  The fight to maintain democracy in America rests first at the doors of democratic education, which critical thinking is central to its composition.

Second, we need critical thinkers to solve the complex national and global quandaries we face.  Terrorism, economic inequality, racial discrimination, world hunger, and etc. cannot be resolved without critical thinkers.

Finally, critical thinkers are crucial to making the next generation of thinkers ready for the tremendous challenges they will encounter.  The world will continue to advance.  Educators must ensure that there is an appropriate transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next.

Conclusion

Let’s empower teachers with the flexibility and tools to transform students into powerful critical thinkers.  From pre-k – college, teachers must concentrate on how they can become meaningful participants in facilitating the evolution of leaders equipped to think in ways that change our world.

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Open Letter to All Ungrateful Parents

Black Family

Dear Ungrateful Parents:

When you have children who are going great things and you never give them any praise, you deserve to be called ungrateful parents.  You should show your children who are doing wonderful things how much you appreciate them.  You could have children who have dropped out of school, on drugs, selling drugs and/or etc. but they are not.  Don’t simply say the reason they‘re not doing unbecoming things is you reared them effectively.  While you may have done an excellent job rearing your children, this does not mean that they had to make good decisions.  They had free will to make horrible decisions and live a life that would bring you shame.

Too often children who always get into trouble receive the most attention from their parents—while the children who are doing honorable things are overlooked.  This shouldn’t be a reality in many homes.  Take time to show your children you love them and are thankful for the positive things they do.  When your children see you’re not going to give them any special recognition and attention for the noteworthy things they do, then they can turn to doing negative things as a means of getting your attention.  Children know poor behavior gains attention from their parents.  Your children want to know they have your attention.

Don’t work your children like they are your slaves.  Your children are not your slaves!  When they do things around the house to make a valuable contribution to the workload, let them know you appreciate what they do and do something special for them from time to time to prove your appreciation.

When your children bring home good or great grades, this is a big deal and you need to show them this is a big deal.  Don’t simply act like getting good or great grades is what they’re expected to do without truly rewarding them for their grades.  Classroom demands are increasing for students and their great work needs to be acknowledged and rewarded.  Everyone likes to be acknowledged and rewarded at some point.  It’s quite understandable for a child to want to receive praise and incentives for the great work they do at school and home.

Learn to listen to your children before it’s too late.  Your child can be considering suicide and you not even know because you’re too busy fussing and/or cussing at him or her about some inane matter(s).  When you talk to your children, you can learn about their problems, fears, dreams, and etc., which can help you to be better able to lead them on a path to success and aid them in proper development.

After the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut that left many young children dead, this should reveal to you how important it is to treasure each moment with your children.  When your child goes to school and you’re at work, it’s not guaranteed that he or she will return.  Every opportunity you have to love on your child should be seized.

Sincerely,

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Antwone Fisher (2002) and Black Male Mentorship

Antwone Fisher

Image courtesy of tvlistings.zap2it.com

Antwone Fisher (2002) offers one powerful example of how effective Black male mentorship looks in praxis.  This film marks the debut of Denzel Washington as a director.  Washington also stars in the film as psychiatrist Dr. Jerome Davenport.  Derek Luke (Antwone “Fish” Fisher) begins his Hollywood debut in this film.  The inspiration for the film emerges from the true story of Antwone Fisher (the screenwriter) and is based on his autobiographical work Finding Fish.  The film is produced by Denzel Washington, Nancy Paloian and Todd Black.

The story centers on Antwone “Fish” Fisher (Derek Luke), a young man in the Navy with a deeply complex and troubling past.  His father was murdered before he was born and his mother was incarcerated soon after his father’s death.  Fish’s teenage mother, Eva Mae Fisher (Viola Davis), gave birth to him while she was incarcerated.  While she was in jail, Antwone was put in an orphanage until his mother was released.  Unfortunately, she never claimed him when she was released from jail and he was placed in foster care at the age of two.  His foster parents, who claimed to be Christians, were Mr. and Mrs. Tate (Ellis Williams and Novella Nelson).  Mrs. Tate’s claim to be a Christian was exposed by her many years of mental and physical abuse of Fisher until he departed from her home at 14 years old.  Antwone also experienced sexual abuse and molestation by an African American woman who Mrs. Tate left him in her care when she had to leave for work.  Mr. Tate is oddly absent from the home while all of the dominant action takes place.  Presumably, he’s out working long hours.  Antwone leaves his foster home in search of freedom from mental, physical and sexual abuse.

Fish lives on the street for a few years before he resolves to join the United States Navy to chart a new course in his life.  As is understandable, his turbulent childhood causes him to struggle with an unbecoming temper.  He gets into fights with a few sailors and is demoted, fined and restricted to the ship for 45 days.  As a part of his punishment, his commanding officer mandates that he receives physiatrist treatment from Dr. Jerome Davenport (Denzel Washington).  Through Dr. Davenport’s work with Fisher, he’s able to achieve success and liberation from his oppressive past, and is able to enjoy a relationship with a woman—despite how his childhood sexual abuse and molestation complicate having a relationship with a woman and her touch.

Dr. Davenport is depicted as a strong leader, smart, disciplined, and compassionate.  He’s willing to move from just doing his professional work to using that professional work for charitable service.  Davenport sees a need in ameliorating the life of this young brother who is vexed by his childhood.  While it may be easy for some people who have never had similar childhood experiences as Fisher to say he simply needed to get over his past, it’s far more complicated than that and this type of thinking lacks sophistication and compassion.

We need more black men to assume a real life mentorship role as Dr. Davenport does in the film.  Davenport did not have to go beyond his professional sessions with Fisher, but he understood his linked fate to Antwone.  He understood that when young black men like Fish are struggling, he’s struggling too.  Dr. Davenport reflects a potent sense of community and he uses mentorship as a vehicle for promoting community improvement.

Although the film ends with your typical happy ending, its exploration of the life of Antwone Fisher brings to the national scene many of the experiences young black males confront.  Unfortunately, many young black males resort to negative means of coping with these experiences.  Too many black men are neglecting an opportunity to improve the plight of underprivileged young black males.

Dr. Davenport was instrumental in helping Fisher to become a reflective thinker and learner.  He taught Fisher how to think about his past experiences in empowering ways rather than in depressing ways.  Although Dr. Davenport is a psychiatrist, black men don’t need to be one to have an auspicious impact on the behavior and educational experiences of black males.  It was not so much Davenport’s educational background that enabled him to instigate a change in the life of Fisher; it was more about his will to answer the call of leadership and responsibility of mentorship.  Asa Grant Hillard, III always reminded black people about the importance of having the will to make change happen, and how vital having this will is to ameliorating black male academic achievement.

When one situates Fisher’s entrance into the Navy in our present moment, he would be required to complete his high school diploma.  Joining the Navy in any period in American history promotes learning and positive progression.  While we certainly want to increase the number of African American men who enroll in higher education institutions, there are other successful paths for them to select, which, of course, include military service.  What’s important is for more black males to be redirected from being ravished by nihilism to paths of advancement, which learning—both formal and informal—must be central to those paths.

More committed African-American male mentors, such as Dr. Davenport, can aid in more black males moving from embracing nihilism and replacing it with achievement.  Antwone Fisher provides one valuable example of positive and effective black male mentorship and the redeeming value of mentorship at its best.

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison