THE AFRICAN AMERICAN NETWORK (TAAN)

I had an opportunity to hang out with some Cameron Elementary School students this weekend to help them celebrate the completion of another year in the Read & Lead Program.  We had an ice cream and cake party and we presented them with books to help them with their summer reading. We had some ice cream and cake left so we visited the Carver Library on E.Commerce and provided some of the kids and their parents cake and ice cream. I met a particularly bright young man.  He knew what he wanted, he was confident and will probably become a great leader in his community one day.  He was a third grader, but had lots of energy and was not afraid to ask for help.  As he entered the room to get his ice cream and cake, he seemed very excited that we were there.  When asked what type cake he would like, he responded "I want chocolate and vanilla cake.  I want them on two different plates and I want my ice cream in a separate cup".  I thought to myself, here's a young man that

by Laura Thompson We often equate poverty with ignorance. We look at what people don't have and compare it to what we have, and assume that people are bad because they don't have material things like us.  We criticize people that struggle day in and day out to put food on their families tables and turn our noses up at them because they may be riding the bus or may not have the latest model car. But have you ever walked among the people that you dishonor because you view them as less than. You should get to know them better.  They are your people.  They are starving for knowledge and a way to succeed.  They are looking for a way out of poverty.  They are looking for a way to share their gifts and talents.  As they should. You know, once upon a time, we were slaves, in America...but we were not slaves in our native land. Once upon a time, we were warriors in our native land.  Our culture was different there.  Our lifestyle was different there.  We were first class citize