There has been a big old bee buzzing around the country buzzing about a new publication geared towards the Pan African community. It has been buzzing some pretty bold things:

“Black Intellect Café…The Magazine is a forum between all segments within the African American community united to enlighten and uplift each member of the community.”

“The mission of Black Intellect Café…The Magazine is to help African Americans realize their life long dreams and goals and to inspire every member of our community to greatness.”

“Black Intellect Café…The Magazine will encourage, inspire, motivate and propel our readers to take the steps necessary to make their dream a reality. ”

“Our publication is the ultimate business consultant in print format. ”

“Our goal is to reach everyone old, young, rich, poor, working professionals and retired professionals.”

Yet, Mr. Bee didn’t stop at those statements, he went on to cell free phone ringtones wallpaper cingular ringtones polyphonic ringtones make your own ringtones ringtones com alltel cell free phone ringtonesколи под наем free boost ringtones send ringtones to your phone free motorola mp3 ringtones download free nextel ringtones download free nextel ringtones much music ringtones disney free mobile ringtones download free ringtones nokia ringtones for alltel cell phone phone ringtones free jamster ringtones 24 free ringtones free polyphonic ringtones download free cellular one ringtonesкомпютри втора употреба make more substantive statements that some might consider a bit arrogant:

“Black Intellect Café . . . The Magazine is - excuse the cliche’ - more of a movement. For Black Intellect is in fact, still an untapped commodity in the overall global community.”

“BLACK INTELLECT CAFÉ . . . THE MAGAZINE, THE MOVEMENT, THE MIND SET, THE METHOD! Black Intellect Café . . . The Magazine - let’s build our social, political, financial and intellectual power together.”

That is the buzz that is introducing this new magazine. What will develop this magazine is your thoughts, ideas, beliefs, needs and opinions. All of the buzz you have read here is what the publisher and I believe Black Intellect Café … The Magazine is and will become. But what you think? If you were sitting in on an editorial meeting what will your story ideas be? What features would you say we have to highlight in one or two issues? Would you like to see lifestyle habits covered i.e. spoken word venues, where to find Black theatre around the world, etc.?

What is Black Intellect Café … the Magazine to do in order to not be part of the status quo but the catalyst for status change? Buzz….. Your turn!

Youth Entrepreneurs - let’s not lose a group of them that are still unfortunately thriving

In the premiere issue of Black Intellect Café … The Magazine we take a look at youth entrepreneurs. There is a growing trend across the world of businesses owned by young people as young as eight; and we actually mention in the published article two young people who built and then sold a very successful web based business at 15 and 17. WOW! With a bevy of young business owners sprouting, there have also been a variety of organizations birthed to offer assistance, support and resources and they should be applauded.

There is however still a very strong business base run, managed or operated in Black communities throughout the United States that troubles me. That base is narcotics and gang violence. These operations are well run business machines. There is a business plan and formula, there is security, there are consistent financial transactions and a building of supply and demand. There is, however also the consistent loss of life either in death or imprisonment.

Perhaps I am naïve in this, but I wonder what would happen if we could just grab 15 percent of the young business people involved in illegal business operations and show them how they can capitalize on legal and legitimate business ventures? What would happen indeed if we could show them how consistent and steady in business is in fact more profitable then $10, 000 overnight when my mid day you could be dead by the same hand that helped you get the quick cash overnight? Would it not be more beneficial to our community if we could tailor that thug aggressiveness to fit a corporate building and investing atmosphere?

Michael Savory, Chief Executive Officer of Young Enterprise, says the key to success for young enterprising business people is support, “young people are bursting with enthusiasm and ideas, but more needs to be done to encourage them.”

If this is so, how do we encourage those teens in the crux of life’s dark side - a side which is brimming with what society has made attractive and the must have goals - to re-focus and re-position themselves for greatness bathed in dignified success?

Perhaps I am naïve in this, but I wonder …. Yes, I wonder.

I received an assignment earlier this week. It was, on the surface, a very easy task - develop a blog entry based around the question What is the Power of Black Intellect? Deep question, right? There are so many ingredients that can be added to this stew for discussion - but alas I would be writing and pontificating for quite some time if I tried to open each ingredient packet. So how do I tackle this subject? That is the question that keeps racing through my mind even as I type this draft of the blog entry.

African American preachers have certain things in common as they teach from their pulpits on Sunday morning or doing weekly study sessions. One of those things is defining or taking parishioners back to the root of a word. They seek to offer a definition, so that the definition can bring better understanding. So since, as I write this I am listening to Pastor E. Dewey Smith, of Decatur, Georgia - let’s do that. In an effort to answer or perhaps incite thought to the question: What is the Power of Black Intellect? Let’s define the two words.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

Black /blæk/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[blak]

21. (sometimes initial capital letter)

A member of any of various dark-skinned peoples, esp. those of Africa, Oceania, and Australia.

A pigment or dye having this color value.

A member of a racial group having brown to black skin, especially one of African origin.

An American descended from peoples of African origin having brown to black skin; an African American.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
in·tel·lect /’?ntl??kt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[in-tl-ekt]

The power or faculty of the mind by which one knows or understands, as distinguished from that by which one feels and that by which one wills; the understanding; the faculty of thinking and acquiring knowledge.

Capacity for thinking and acquiring knowledge, esp. of a high or complex order; mental capacity.

A particular mind or intelligence, esp. of a high order.

A person possessing a great capacity for thought and knowledge.

Minds collectively, as of a number of persons or the persons themselves

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L intelléctus, equiv. to intelleg(ere) to understand + -tus suffix of v. action; see intelligent]

Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source
Main Entry: in·tel·lect?Pronunciation: ‘int-&l-”ekt?Function: noun?The power of knowing as distinguished from the power to feel and to will : the capacity for knowledge ?
The capacity for rational or intelligent thought

—in·tel·lec·tu·al /”int-&l-’ek-ch(&-w)&l, -’eksh-w&l/ adjective —in·tel·lec·tu·al·ly adverb

If I were to gather an overall assessment of the definitions offered by Dictionary.com or Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary, I could say that black intellect is a people possessing a great capacity for rational or intelligent thought and collective minds with a particular intelligence of high order from a people descended of those from African origin (people with brown to black colored skin). Does that pretty much pull it together for a combined yet concise definition?

What is the power in collective minds of high order all descending from one group of people or point of origin? Again, the ingredients to add are many. I have long believed that the reason Black people in America are so intimidating and dangerous to the political and legal systems - is there is a concern that we will all awaken one morning to the realization that we can be and perhaps already are the POWER that can run this country.

Black intellect is intellectual property that must be developed and marketed in mass arenas. We need not only groom athletes, but we must groom coaches, agents and team owners - conquer and capitalize. We must not only produce our own music and film products, but like Rainforest Productions and Tyler Perry - we must own the production companies and the distribution rights and companies - further we must own the broadcast outlets that air the products in greater numbers.

Black intellect is a continual stirring of our lives, destinies and even our legacies. It is understanding biblical and cultural principles that say when you leave this earth you must leave something for your children’s children behind. Which means we must plan to position our grand children and even great grand children to be born into wealth - financially, socially and intellectually and to continue the development of those properties.

The power of Black intellect is first of all recognizing that it is born within us and we have a responsibility to nurture it, launch it and cultivate it. Sadly, it seems for many of us power is relegated to who has the most toys - material possessions and in some communities who has the most weapons, money and drugs. Perhaps we answer one question by asking another - have the elders and the villagers thought about what we should truly consider powerful in our individual, familial and communal journeys?