Black caucus weekend focuses on helping today's youth

Jet, Oct 10, 1994

After 24 years, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's (CBCF) Legislative Weekend has become more than just another trendy affair. It has developed into a staple in the political arena that attracts everyone from local politicians to heads of state.

This year in particular, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) addressed a pressing national issue-today's beleaguered Black youth-and aptly titled this year's conference "Embracing Our Youth For A New Tomorrow."

Relating his own triumph over the same pitfalls facing Black youth today, such as early parenthood and frustration with society, CBC Chairman Kweisi Mfume said just as he was able to turn his life around to become a miracle, he knows there are other Black youth "waiting in turn to be miracles also. We hold high...our youth. Our youth, biologically or not, they all belong to us."

New Jersey Congressman Donald Payne said a significant part of meeting the challenge of embracing Black youth is preparing the next generation for leadership. That is why the caucus chose to stress "the importance of mentoring and serving as role models for young people." The need for mentoring programs is made all too clear, said Payne, who chaired the event, when looking at the changes in the traditional family structure which "have left too many children without the guidance they need to grow into responsible, successful members of their communities. I want our annual legislative conference to be a clarion call for action, a strong signal to African-American adults that their positive influence is desperately needed, to make a difference in the lives of children in every part of the nation."

Focusing on youth throughout the five-day event, legislators sponsored braintrusts and forums on Capitol Hill featuring a town hall meeting on "Generation X," a mock congress, a mentor luncheon for 200 high school students, a leadership forum for young adults, and standing-room-only open dialogue on the effects of rap music, which featured rappers Parrish Smith, Yo Yo, KRS-One, and California Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

In explaining the reason for the braintrust on the genre, Waters related simply, "We do not need to support censorship. This standing-room-only crowd learned an awful lot about the art form, about who hip-hop artists are and what they care about. The audience left with a better understanding. The artists left feeling they had been heard. This will go a long way toward ridding us of distrust."

The braintrust, said rapper Parrish Smith, provided young people with the opportunity to express themselve. "I'm grateful to Congresswoman Maxine Waters for working with us toward educating people that hip-hop is not only an important art form, but a business being seriously conducted by some of the race's brightest young Black people."

As always, the highlight of the conference was the annual dinner, which President Clinton addressed for the second straight year. The President also attended the CBC Awards for African-American Veterans of World War II, which was sponsored by New York congressman Charles Rangel.

Obviously somber because of the Haiti situation, which had not been resolved at the time, Clinton thanked the caucus for its continued efforts to affect constructive change in American politics.

"We need all our people, and we do not have a person to waste," Clinton told the 5,000 attendees. "And yes, we can do better. We must and we will. But it is important to know that democracy is on the move in this country, in no small measure because of the contribution of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus."

Honored at the dinner for their individual achievements were: poet Dr. Maya Angelou; Congressman Mfume; former chief Judge Emeritus of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr.; Duke University student Shavar D. Jeffries; Congressman Louis Stokes and Spelman College President Johnnetta Cole, who was not in attendance.

In addition to the CBC members, among those present were: civil rights matriarch Rosa Parks; Chairman of the African Development Foundation Ernest Green; current Democratic candidate for D.C. Mayor Marion Barry; Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown; Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy; Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liaison Alexis Herman; Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs Reta Lewis; Assistant White House Press Secretary Dawn Alexander; former Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder; Malcolm X's widow Dr. Betty Shabazz; author Terry McMillan; actress Lynn Whitfield; Coretta Scott King and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Following the dinner was a gala farewell reception for CBC Executive Director Amelia Parker, who after 10 years service to the caucus is leaving to join the Executive Leadership Council as its new executive director and administrator of its foundation. The council is composed of Black officers and managers of Fortune 500 companies.