Addressing problems of the Black community

By Anisah Muhammad | Last updated: Apr 1, 2015 - 11:29:01 AM

Conference attendees with panelist Floyd Brown (in blue coat).

The Alabama Agriculture and Industries Farmer’s Market in Montgomery, Alabama hosted a “State of the Black Community” conference to create a manifesto to complete goals and objectives and to do something about the problems in the Black community. Key people that spoke at the Feb. 21 event were Karen Jones, organizer of the conference, Floyd Brown, manager of the Farmer’s Market, Callie Greer and candidate for mayor Dan Harris. Panelists included Major Norman, Quartez Harris, student minister Desmond Muhammad and Timothy Williams.

Floyd Brown talked about the struggle to keep the Farmer’s Market going. “We are here for Black farmers to sell their produce,” she said. Ms. Brown shared how Montgomery wanted to remove the farmer’s market and how many White people didn’t think a farmer’s market belonged in the Black community. “Black farmers are a dying breed right now,” she said.

Callie Greer also shared her story with attendees. Ms. Greer lost her daughter to breast cancer because the doctors took too long to get her daughter treatment because she wasn’t insured, she said. “When a doctor can no longer do any good, he must be stopped from doing any harm,” she said. Ms. Greer also quoted the Hippocratic Oath and said her dream is for all people to get free health care. She told the story of her daughter’s struggle with cancer and with getting the treatment she needed. “We’re sitting under Jim Crow again,” said Ms. Greer.

A recurring theme during the conference was the need for economic development within the Black community.

State of the Black Community Conference - Major Norman Photos: Anisah Muhammad

“We need to do our best to spend our dollars and cents with people that look like us and want to service our community,” Major Norman said. When speaking about the police targeting young Black males, he said, “It’s really sticky with young Black men, in terms of walking while Black.”

When you’re in an incident with the police, all of us have a body camera, he said. “Record on your phone,” continued Mr. Norman.

Quartez Harris, also a panelist spoke about recreational activities for Black youth. He said Montgomery is closing down a lot of the recreational centers in the Black community. When recreational centers close down, crime and violence among Black youth increases, he said. Mr. Harris advocates anti-violence through sports.

Desmond Muhammad, spoke about Muhammad’s Economic Blueprint. “The problem we have here in Montgomery, and, really, all over the country is that we are not doing something for ourselves. It’s going to take our unity to overcome that problem. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said that our unity is more powerful than an atom bomb,” said Desmond Muhammad. “Let’s say we took 16 million Black wage earners and asked them to set aside 35 cents a week to put into a national treasury for us; 35 cents times 52 weeks is $18.20 a year; $18.20 times 16 million Black wage earners would produce $291 million in our own account in one year,” said the Nation of Islam Student Minister.

Panelist Timothy Williams, helps people restore their credit. “Bad spending habits are learned,” he said. Mr. Williams also conducts a credit workshop and can teach children in pre-Kindergarten up through senior citizens about having good credit. He is planning a Business Credit Education Workshop. “If the community is going to grow financially, you have to understand the financial plan,” he said.

At the conclusion of the conference, a brother in the audience stood up and called for all Black women to go up on the stage. He acknowledged the Black woman and all of the struggles she goes through to help the Black community.

Anisah Muhammad is a 17-year-old writer based in Montgomery, Ala. To read more of what she writes, visit [email protected].

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