Handout & Heads Down- The shift in the face and color of Washington, DC

A 2017 Washingtonian article “After Chocolate City” -Rosa Cartagena (May 2017) re-ignites a frustration I have long held, why is such a large part of the black population seemingly content with handouts and being heads down (and this can also mean looking the other way, ignoring what is in front of them).

Of note, the article is about an exhibit that was presented at the Prince George’s African -American Museum & Cultural Center in North Brentwood (September 2017). It only slightly asks the same question I ask, which is “Why are we so often bemoaning the disappearing act of the black communities and their relevance in the lives and history of our country instead of taking a real stance to ensure more than a foothold on a place that we so aptly built?” ⁽¹⁾

To be clear when I say handouts and heads down, I am not just speaking of the low income, less educated and impoverished. I am speaking of all communities of African Americans (AA), those who shake the hands of the politicians (hands out) looking for a deal while looking the other way as their communities are bought out and taken over (heads down). Those who educate themselves so much that they look pass (heads down) from whence they came.  Those that stand-up, but then sit back down when they can’t get a seat at the table (handouts).  Why are we still asking for permission, forgiveness, and pardons, vs. handling our own, taking control and doing what is best for us? Why do we even still care (and that we cared ever is another missive I must address later) if others see us as inclusive, politically correct and socially acceptable in their sight? The country elected a man to preside over our country which is neither of the above and yet there are still so many blacks in positions that still operate and function like its 1950! And even when we take a page out of the book of the misguided, corrupt, criminal-minded, we fall far short of what we as a people can do if we were to adhere to our own values, and beliefs.

The African American community has as much wealth and education as an immigrant coming to the US and builds their fortune on the backs of what we have already labored and toiled over.

Why then are we constantly asking for (handouts) and looking to other people (heads down) for help and support?  Why don’t enough of us believe that we can take care of ourselves, build and maintain our own communities, schools, businesses, etc? Why do we need or want to join in and be a part of others when we have such a wealth of opportunity and choices right in our own world? Why do we believe that wanting to have our own, create our own and live amongst ourselves is the long arm of separatism, racism, narrow-mindedness? Why do we have to be inclusive to be right, smart, correct and good people? We don’t just need to stamp out racism we need to stamp out (self) hatred. We complain about how our cities are changing, how are grandparents are being pushed out of their homes, how we don’t have control or the economic impact that we need to maintain, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Stop believing the hype, change the flavor of your kool-aid and recognize that we are like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, we have ALWAYS had the power, we just didn’t believe it.

FACTS: https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/wepeople/we-1.pdf Asian-Indian population in Northern VA has grown 750 percent since 2001 (Fairfax Times – Jan. 2016)

(DC) a city where Blacks were once the majority, in 2011 the black population slipped below 50%

Museums and art exhibits are nice, but they typically are erected to pay homage or remember something that once WAS! Let's stop creating museums that commemorate our past and create communities that improve and focuses on our future.

⁽¹⁾ Quote from the curator of the exhibit at the PGCAA Art Museum.