Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
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Introduction:
Breaking New Ground
“We are the first generation of black people
in 400 years who can live our dreams.”
—Susan Taylor
Attaining your degree may not seem like such a big feat, but it is. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent data, only 17.6 percent of African-Americans have completed four or more years of college. A lack of support, motivation, funds or ability held others back. And although there is no limit to what anyone can accomplish, the truth is that educated Americans of all ethnicities fair much better than those without a degree.
You are blessed because there has never been a better time in American history for black women with a college education. As our graduation rates have increased, so has the number of us entering fields that have primarily been comprised of men, taking management roles that would have been nearly impossible to secure decades ago, heading major subsidiaries of Fortune 500 companies, and owning our own businesses.
As part of a younger generation of black women, you will help determine whether we continue to make such significant gains as these. We need more black female computer programmers, physicians, scientists, journalists, elected officials, accountants, and the like. Furthermore, we need more black women to be in positions of leadership and power at the companies they join.
Understand the enormous potential you have. Believe that you can accomplish all of your goals. Racism, sexism, fear, low self-esteem, lack of support, poverty, and all those other obstacles to people’s achievement haven’t stopped you thus far. There is no reason why anything or anyone should deter you now.
The times spent daydreaming and talking about what you were going to do with your life after graduation is over. It’s now time to show and prove. And everyone wants to know what you’re going to do now, so what are you going to tell them? More important, what are you going to tell yourself? That there are too many obstacles in the way to your success? That you don’t have what it takes to accomplish your goals? That you’ll just focus on getting by and try to be happy? Our ancestors would be angered by such mediocrity.
There is more than enough room in the world for you and it’s time you began claiming your space. It’s time for you to learn more about yourself, and find out that you’re a stronger, smarter, and braver person than you ever thought possible. It’s time for you to find and create opportunities for yourself and others. It’s time for you to start making the world a better place in any and every way you can. It’s time for you to break new ground. Make our ancestors proud.
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