Doing What They Have To Do?

I don’t need to tell anyone visiting this site about the struggles of Black men and women in the world of business and entrepreneurship. Black men particularly face challenges in striking out on their own. Whenever I see a Brother with his own business, I know that he’s probably walking a tightrope with no net beneath him. Because of these struggles, the Black community sometimes finds itself in a dilemma over whether to support brothers “making it” in the underground economy (for example, brothers selling stolen goods) or rappers doing well by selling music that flaunts or even encourages breaking the law (see Juelz Santana’s “Make it Work for You“).

What’s your position? Do you think that these brothers are just “doing what
they have to do,” or should the Black community hold them to a higher
standard? We particularly want to hear from youth on this important
question.

What new models of entrepreneurship are Black males creating?

From the side-hustle that makes your corporate 9-to-5 just-bearable to the spirit of innovation that comes with being a Black man in America, many Black men may be unemployed but few are without the knack for “doing whatever it takes to make ends meet” And some are haivng fun while doing it. Like Jesus El, a young man from Oakland, CA, who has elevated the art of acrobatic slam dunks to an art form. Watch him change the game at www.2025bmb.org

Do you have a story of Black entrepreneurship that you think deserves a wider audience? Do you have wisdom to share? Share it with us here! The most compelling submissions and dialogues will be featured on the main BMB website.

Welcome to the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys Roundtable for Employment and Wealth!

The 2025 Campaign is leveraging the online world of social networks and user-generated content by setting up various BMB Satellites around the web, orbiting the home site at 2025bmb.org. This is the place where we’ll be leading the discussion of educational issues that affect Black men and boys, overseen by Roundtable member George L. Garrow, Jr. of Concerned Black Men. Mr. Harris will be posting compelling and relevant topics for debate and commentary to this site, and we invite you to participate. Those who submit the liveliest and most insightful posts will be invited to extend their ideas in a more formal setting for feature on the main 2025 Campaign website.