Societal Problems

Leadership Challenges Social Problems Leadership and addressing the challenges of young, disadvantaged African-American males Fostering leaders is a critical aspect of improving the fate of young black males today. As articulated in The Pact, written by three African-American doctors from disadvantaged backgrounds in Newark, NJ, having a sense that fighting for the future matters is essential to encourage young black men believe that their dreams are possible.

In the specific example of The Pact, after hearing a presentation about scholarships available for medical school, the young men made a pact that they would work hard in high school and win those scholarships. They did, an example which illustrates the importance of community support, peer support, and specific opportunities that make dreams possible. Despite exceptional, inspiring examples such as these three black doctors, there are many sobering statistics regarding young black males today.

"Black men are incarcerated at more than six times the rate of white men and 2.6 times the rate of His-panic men, reports Human Rights Watch. Fewer have college degrees, which are a big bonus in the job market. Among men, 17.9% of blacks over 25 have college degrees, compared with 34.2% of whites, according to the National Center for Education Statistics" (Scherer 2011). Unskilled jobs are reduced in number, as many of these former occupations are being outsourced overseas, and so the rate of African-American unemployment is far higher than rates for whites.

This creates a spiral of a lack of education and criminality, and a criminal record also makes it harder for an applicant to locate a job, which frequently causes him to fall back into negative life patterns. Acknowledging the importance of leadership, a foundation known as the 100 Black Men of America has established a "holistic mentoring program that addresses the social, emotional and cultural needs of children ages 8-18. Members of the 100 are trained and certified to become mentors, advocates, and role models for the youth within their communities.

Through chapter operated one-on-one and group mentoring efforts, our members forge relationships that positively impact our greatest resource: our youth. The program focuses on building essential skills needed to become productive, contributing citizens" (100 Black Men of America, 2011, Official website). The organization both fosters leadership in the young and draws upon the strength of community leaders to encourage a more positive self-image in the hearts of children. This concept has formed the model for many successful programs for young black men.

Programs such as 100 Black Men and Big Brothers, Big Sisters are implicitly founded upon social theories of delinquency that suggest social modeling has a powerful influence upon behavior. People learn both positive and negative life skills by observing others. Learning can occur in several ways: "the observer is reinforced by the model" -- either a person who acts out, or a person who embodies successful, positive behavior like studying (Ormond 1999).

Social learning theory suggests that young, African-American males often have very negative social models to emulate, particularly if they come from fatherless homes and the main positive role models they see are drop-outs and criminals, who form the self-images of how they 'must be.' Conversely, enabling a young, African-American man to be involved in a mentoring program where he is exposed to positive role models allows him to gain a different sense of self and possibility.

It is not enough to merely educate young African-American males, as current drop-out rates indicate. Instead, these at-risk children must feel as if availing themselves of education matters, and offers them real possibilities for change and growth. Social modeling can also occur through behavioral reinforcement. "The observer might be modeling the actions of someone else, for example, an outstanding class leader or student. The teacher notices this and compliments and praises the observer for modeling such behavior thus reinforcing that behavior" (Ormond 1999).

Once again, this indicates how positive, outside shaping forces are essential to enacting social change. Teachers who act as leaders and mentors and encourage students to associate learning with positive feelings of self-empowerment can counteract negative community influences. Leadership involves a mutual exchange in a mentoring relationship. The teacher or mentor must assess the child's needs and may need to be firm and disciplined, to counteract a lack of discipline at home.

However, there must also be a sense of positivity and awareness of the challenges and struggles the child is experiencing. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds may be more apt to come to school hungry, stressed from poor living conditions, or afflicted with low-self-esteem because of poor role models at home. Leaders are made, not born. If the three black doctors had not had the support of one another, they may have been diverted from the path they set for themselves.

Additionally, they were able to hear about and avail themselves of an important scholarship program that made becoming a doctor.