And even though many ethnic groups were surveyed for this study, the responses revealed so far from the young Black respondents are interesting, according to experts.
Data from surveying the youths paint a complex picture of the often-misunderstood generation and the Black youths, who have strong opinions about themselves and their society that contradict conventional wisdom.
Here are some preliminary findings:
An overwhelming majority of Black youths believes sex education should be mandatory and condoms should be available in high schools;
Black youths are heavy consumers of rap music, yet the majority of them find it to be too violent, too sexual and degrading to Black women;
Nearly half (48 percent) of Black youth said the government treats immigrants better than Blacks;
A majority of the Black youth respondents believes government leaders care little about people like them;
More than two-thirds of Black youths believe race slows the government’s effort to cure AIDS;
And Black youths are much more likely than white or Hispanic youths to practice safer sex.
Some Philadelphia educators and activists weighed in on the study’s findings.
Bilal Qaayum, co-founder of Men United for a Better Philadelphia, said he does not agree with distributing condoms in schools and in prisons.
Qayyum is heavily involved with Black youths who may be in danger of becoming victims of street violence or are labeled “at-risk” from the surrounding society.
“I am not one who promotes giving away condoms,” he said. “I clearly don’t agree with that in prison. I think it promotes sexual activity. One of the problems in the Black community is that we have to be very careful about what we promote. There has to be a balance about what we are promoting and with young folks and the negative promotion. We have to be careful with drawing the line of what the values did in our neighborhood.”
Qayyum added in his discussions with Black youth in Philadelphia he found that a majority felt isolated from society and that the government is uninterested in their needs.
“I would say that I agree with leaders don’t care about them,” he said. “I understand clearly. The leadership doesn’t care about them by their actions. Black youths feel alienated from society – Black males in particular. Young folks don’t see an effort where people are looking out for their self-interest.”
As far as Black youth feeling the government treats immigrants better than Blacks, Qayyum said today’s generation does not want to do minimum-wage jobs and immigrants are more apt to do so.
“A lot of times the immigrants want to do those jobs,” he said. “Black youths, because of psychological reasons, don’t want to do the jobs.
‘I got a job washing dishes at Broad and Wallace when I was a youth, because I wanted to have money. A lot of Black youthS don’t want those jobs. They see hustling as making fast money from how they grew up.”
Sandra Dungee Glenn, a member of the School District of Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission, told The Tribune she is pleased to see that people are taking the time to talk to Black youthS, rather than talk about them.
“One of the things I am happy to hear is there are efforts to talk to and hear from Black youth,” she said. “I think we spend an enormous amount of time talking about youth instead of talking to young people to understand their perspective on the issues that are directly impacting them.”
Glenn hosts a talk show on Philadelphia’s WURD 900 AM on Thursdays and admitted she often listens to the “Youth Student Voices” show, where students comment on social issues.
“They have very sophisticated discussions, but it is refreshing to hear how they analyze information and how insightful they are,” she said.
Glenn noted that her generation of “40-somethings” often does not understand what is on the minds of young people.
“You need to hear a wake-up call,” she said. “It is encouraging to hear the intelligence and creativity that the young people share.”
The Black Youth Project survey was led by Dr. Cathy J. Cohen of the University of Chicago. She was unavailable to comment for this report. |
