I was listening to News and Notes with Ed Gordon this past Monday, and Marc Morial was a guest. He talked about his work as president of the National Urban League, and one of their premier programs, BEEP (Black Executive Exchange Program).

According to this press release, the Black Executive Exchange Program “brings successful African Americans from the public and private sector to historically black colleges and universities to share their experience and expertise with students and help them prepare for successful careers and future visiting professors.”

OK. If I was running a program to help young Black folks “prepare for successful careers” I’d start way before college. Addressing the still mentally enslaved state of Black America should be a priority for every Black person, and most of these issues that drag down our efforts towards true equality begin, and can best be corrected in, our youth.

By the time any person of any race even gets access to college in this country, they are already in a better off state than their counterparts who don’t have the intelligence (according to standardized tests), family support or economic resources they do. Some lucky folk even have all three. Must be nice.

I hope the Urban League also has programs to address Black youth success before they get into college, when they just happen to be academically ripe for recruitment by the executives (and their companies) who participate in this program.

del.icio.us: urban league, marc morial, mental slavery, black executives