6BB AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE MIAMI HERALD FRIDAY , FEBRUARY 23 , 2018
Millennial
By Kenasha Paul
Lately there has been a growing campaign within our community to accept that “ college isn ’ t for everyone .” In the grand scheme of things , the learning style adopted across many colleges and universi�es is not compa�ble with everyone . Lectures , extensive reading and wri�ng may not aide with informa�on reten�on among students who are hands-on or visual learners . It doesn ’ t help that college students are gradua�ng with steep debt and few job prospects , so the sen�ment seems warranted .
However , what if I told you we only
College Is Still the Golden Ticket , We ’ re Just Doing It Wrong
feel this way because we are entering college with the wrong mindset about its true purpose , with educa�on not being at its core . There is a reason that despite trust funds and guaranteed jobs , the top earners in our country push their children to a�end college . For them , college is the most comprehensive country club-like membership achievable . This is where they meet with thousands of like minded individuals who at minimum have shared interests over university offerings , sports programs , and access to pres�gious faculty and alumni . The name of the game is to u�lize the school to leverage up – network with the right people and have a fun �me . Trailing down in priori�es – classes .
It is not saying educa�on is unimportant to them , but they know most of what is taught early on is the founda�onal principles and theory around the subject ma�er – tools to expand their cri�cal and analy�cal thinking skills . However , many are coming from super high schools that have prepared them already in this way . College at this point is to keep those skills sharpened . Thus , strategically focusing more on the internships or externships , to nab fellowships to pursue , but most importantly connec�ng with the right people for their goals .
From Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerberg , we can name all the people who have enormous success but did not earn a college degree . What we overlook is that they both s�ll a�ended college and all their business partners were people they met at their universi�es . Professors can be used as mentors for ideas , dorm rooms as first co-working spaces , and depending on the school and resources a market space for that next million-dollar idea . For the poor and middle class , especially people of color , we enter college focused on ge�ng the top grades and figuring out what career to adopt . If we do get involved , we underu�lize those opportuni�es . Then you have many of us working several jobs to pay for school , not allowing the free �me to take that unpaid internship or fellowship – i . e ., field experience . When you consider that companies generally hire people either within the company , referral , or a stellar candidate – simply having work experience from that service or clerk job is not going to cut it . You might have graduated with a great GPA but may be under skilled in your field or didn ’ t network effec�vely to get referred into a job , all of which makes your school debt pointless .
It ’ s not too late to recreate the experience . You ’ ll just have to work harder , come out your comfort zone , and develop those much-needed employable skills . I serve as CEO of the Black Professionals Network . Our organiza�on ’ s mission is directly �ed to reducing the career achievement gap for professionals of color by providing them access to resources and opportuni�es for their professional success in order to catch up . Our programs are geared toward ge�ng the professional and personal development skills you need to thrive . Visit www . mybpnetwork . org to learn more .
Overall , get involved . Connect with your university alumni associa�ons , professional associa�ons , and prac�ce how to effec�vely network .
Kenasha Paul , J . D . serves as CEO and president of the Black Professionals Network , a 501C3 non-profit organization based in South Florida . Follow her as @ Kenasha on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn .
Politics
By Christopher Norwood , J . D .
At the �me of this wri�ng , it is the Rev . Dr . Mar�n Luther King , Jr .’ s birthday . I ' m si�ng in the lobby bar of the Marrio� Hotel , ironically located onMar�n Luther King Avenue . The lobby is cool , no different than any one of the 6,000 Marrio� Hotels worldwide . The only
America Is an Idea , Not a Race
difference is the food . It ’ s laced with Creole cuisine such as Lanbi Boukannen , Woma Boukannen ( grilled conch , grilled lobster ) and Diri Djon Djon ( rice with black mushrooms ) or Kalalou Djondjon ( okra and black mushroom stew ).
I arrived in Port Au Prince a few days a�er our president u�ered another racist sen�ment at a small bi-par�san White House mee�ng . While discussing immigra�on reform , he called Hai� , El Salvador , and other African na�ons " shithole countries " and said the United States needed more immigrants from places like Norway . These words have shaken our na�on ' s moral compass and our rela�onships abroad .
The a�ermath of his ridiculous remarks have been a spectacle , even more so since I ' m in Hai� living through it . I ' m ge�ng text messages that Conan O ' Brien in coming to Hai� to do his show because of a “ very nega�ve Yelp review ” by Trump as he puts it . Conan believes that if Trump hates something then “ that means I ' ll love it .” So here he comes to Hai� to save the day .
All of this is entertaining , but this media frenzy on both sides of the spectrum may truly miss the point . The real revela�on is that Trump wants Norwegians to have immigra�on priority . This is an interes�ng policy statement that deserves real analysis . Norway is a developed European na�on , listed as No . 1 on the Human Development Index , which is a composite index of life expectancy , educa�on and per capita income indicators . The U . S . is ranked No . 10 . El Salvador is ranked No . 117 , while Hai� is ranked No . 163 .
We all should want to live in a country with universal healthcare . I want to live in a place with a robust social welfare system where higher educa�on is free . Don ' t we all want high schools where the student-teacher ra�o is 7 to 1 . In Florida it took a cons�tu�onal amendment to get the high school-student teacher ra�o to 25 to 1 , less than a third of Norway ' s .
If Trump was really serious about his Norway comments , then he would promote policies that use the Nordic model and “ Make America Great Again ” by crea�ng the environment that will produce the outcome he seeks .
I ' m down with America first , but we must agree first that America is an “ idea ” and not a race . Our country has no race . It ' s an idea comprised of four elements : that all people are created equal , that all possess unalienable rights , all should have the opportunity to develop and enjoy those rights ; and lastly , that securing them requires “ a government of all the people , by all the people , for all the people .” This is America ' s gi� to the world . This is the “ idea ” for which people rush our shores . This is why we celebrate MLK ' s Birthday and why we applaud the contribu�ons of African Americans during Black History Month , because African Americans moved the “ idea ” of America along to higher levels of self-actualiza�on .