Rick Montañez
Staff Writer
Controversial identity was the topic of hot debate last month in a discussion of Na’im Akbar’s book “Visions for Black Men.”
Will Claiborne, a senior business administration major, invited Jalani Bakari, a professor at California State University, Fullerton, to be the moderator of the discussion.
Bakari is the co-founder of the group “Brothers and Sisters are gonna work it out.” He is an activist for the black community and spends much time speaking at college campuses around the country.
“Transcending images of manhood” was the first topic Bakari addressed to the audience. He talked about the difference between maleness and manhood. Maleness is more testosterone driven as opposed to the educated and respected manhood.
“If you don’t discuss it, nothing will be done,” Claiborne said.
Bakari began by outlining many of the key points of the book, and spent most of the time talking about manhood and growing as a person.
Bakari said it is not about being a superstar. He said society celebrates the wrong visions. Black men are placed in a distorted vision in today’s society. The blame is placed on television and media. Most people are never going to be superstars in sports or entertainment media.
This was emphasized by Bakari and several of the guests. If people ignore the issues they will continue to cycle and hurt society.
Some of the guests in attendance participated by discussing their own experiences or visions from their own background. Some of the audience members spoke about stories or issues they had faced.
Bakari also focused on the need for education. He said Bakari also focused on the need for education. He said more problems come from people not being educated in what it takes to be a man. He said most people are miseducated and might fall behind the overall society.
Bakari also brought up the idea of a vision of black people’s origin.
“Who I was before has made me who I am,” Bakari said.
He said the visions will come when black people look farther back than slavery.
Despite their extensive past, some black people only know their history back until slavery. Bakari thinks black people could have a clearer vision if they knew their true history, where their ancestors came from before slavery. He also recognizes it is nearly impossible to track a history with nothing recorded.
Questioning and learning about the world and issues facing society is what will bring the visions around from negative to positive.
“Visions for Black Men” was written by Akbar as a way to get black men to figure out how to become better men. It, as described at the discussion, is to help people with self definition.
This event was one of several that will be sponsored by the Mosaic Cultural Institute, in a range of multicultural debates. Several students are working on what Anthony Hernandez, director at the MCI, calls “pluralism on campus.” The MCI encourages students to incorporate their ideas and values from their own cultures with those of the students around them.
“Students are the most important consumer on campus,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez works with students to plan events, encourages students to combat issues and share their views.
Claiborne also works with the MCI as a student liaison. The idea came from Claiborne’s trip to CSUF. He attended a discussion about Akbar’s book before he read it. After receiving a copy of “Visions for Black Men,” Claiborne felt compelled to bring the issues closer to home.
The event held on Feb. 23 was one of the first in a series planned for the ULV campus. With the help of the MCI, Claiborne was able to give out 30 copies of the book before the discussion. About 40 people were in attendance, and not everyone was able to receive a copy.
Rick Montañez can be reached at phidelt139@hotmail.com.
