(Now before you read on, it is important that you realized I am speaking from my perspective on various issues. I do NOT imply that I am speaking for all black youth in the world, once again from my perspective only).

It is highly imperative that a human being should know their identity. When a large group of people find their identity they become one. We as descendents of black Afrikans that were once Kings and Queens and then enslaved, we may have some problems with the identity aspect of the search.

In a world that has governments using the media to brainwash the public, a proclaimed "trend" for everything that is done in a certain manner, and the usage of the once revolutionary and now dull and predictable Hip-Hop music to make some money by the media, and sex seen in every aspect of the media itself, it would seem to the "media lover" that we as young people can only be gangsters, thugs, drug pushers, pimps, rappers, and prostitutes. That is far from the truth.

We are very distracted by the media and sports, so I have produced some possible methods that may be useful to you on your way to opening the door inside yourself, they worked for me, so you may want to try them:

1) Drastically cut down the time you watch TV. If you constantly expose yourself to BET, MTV, or any station that is only geared towards entertainment always cite the flaws in the programming that is presented. When a program comes on that you have marked on your list, either turn it off or turn the channel.

Do not watch more than 2 and 1/2 hours of TV a week. Watching the news may not count into the total, even though they lie as well, you may learn how to discern those lies based on independent research.

2) Go to the library and do research on your lineage. Depending on your family's origin you may be able to find European slave records that tell of how many were taken to specific places and how many were not. If you have the $$$, you can get your DNA tested.

When you go to the library do not disregard any book that is not relevant to your search, read about things like law, medicine, etc. Also, read books written by men like John Henrik Clarke and Yosef Ben-Jochannan, there are many other black historians of Afrika and the Diaspora as well as some white historians.

3) Try to learn an Afrikan language or/and contact someone that is familiar with, or related to, the Gullah and/or Geechee. You may be able to find some software on languages of Afrika, but it will cost some $$$. Another basic way is plain research into the continents life, which includes its politics, kingdoms (other than KEMET {Egypt), etc.

4) If you are not already there, make a long-term goal for a trip to Afrika; be aware that it is not all milk and cookies. World politics has ruined, in an economic sense, much of the continent. Some of the people will welcome you; others will be indifferent, just as others may not like you.

Also, respect the culture. Some who live in huts are not "primitive" since they may live in huts (not all of them do, MANY live in "modern homes"). Lastly, do not think they are dumb since they do not have the "formal education". Do your research on the Dogon of Mali and you will find out they know things that scientist cannot explain.

If those things work for you than that is great, if they do not than you as a person need to develop your own personal method since the one above is my method. The journey may never be complete, but what will happen is that the journey's outcome will be presented the day you are laid to rest.

If a certain process is taken (that is for the same or/and a similar purpose) than we as people may not have that "me, myself, and I" attitude that DIVIDES instead of unites. That will be the death of individualism

© March 2006 By Afromerica