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Keynote speaker Forrest Parker points out progress made by African Americans in economic enterprise activities.
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‘‘The History of Black Economic Empowerment” was the theme for the National African American History Month Observance held Feb. 19 at the Aegis Training and Readiness Center auditorium.
‘‘We are proud of the uniformed and civilian African Americans that have served in the Navy since its beginnings, providing valuable skills, services and perspectives,” NSWC Dahlgren Commander Capt. Sheila Patterson said. ‘‘They continue to distinguish themselves ashore, on ships, in the air and on submarines in support of our defense against manmade and natural disasters.”
Keynote speaker Forrest Parker, an expert in multicultural affairs, cultural diversity in the workplace, race and human relations, and team building, said that education, mentoring, multiculturalism and ‘‘raising the expectation level” will positively impact youth and economic empowerment among minorities.
‘‘There has been a lot of progress in different areas,” Parker said in regard to economic improvement and education in addition to home and business ownership in the African-American community. ‘‘Blacks historically have done very well in government — especially in the armed forces — but we still have a long way to go. African Americans are currently underrepresented in government and employment.”
Economic empowerment among blacks and other minorities will advance as Americans realize the importance of diversity and embrace multiculturalism, said Parker, president and chief executive of FAP Consultants and Associates.
‘‘We need to go beyond our comfort zones and see the added value that everyone brings to an organization,” Parker said as he reviewed the history of black economic empowerment from preslavery and emancipation to the great migration when a new generation of powerful African-American political leaders and organizations came to the fore.
For example, between 1941 and 1970, more than 5 million African Americans moved to cities in northern, midwestern and western states such as California, where many skilled jobs in the defense industry were available.
Parker emphasized that higher education, an entrepreneurial spirit, and ‘‘strong values instilled in young African-American boys and girls” will foster economic empowerment in 2010 and beyond.
‘‘Economic opportunity alone will not solve all problems, of course, but it is the essential ground for other constructive developments,” Parker said, quoting an excerpt from the Economic Empowerment Strategies for the New Millennium — Revisiting the Washington-du Bois Dialectic, 42 Howard Law Journal.
The motivational speaker recommended the following practical steps to challenge cultural isolation while encouraging diversity:
Understand and respect individuality.
Keep an open mind when working in a diverse workplace.
Use assertive communication techniques to explain how you want to be treated.
Ask questions and listen to discover how others want to be treated.
Act as a ‘‘force for change” to address diversity.
Insist on appropriate behavior in the workplace.
Patterson read two excerpts from President Barack Obama’s Proclamation on National African-American History Month issued on Feb. 1:
‘‘This year’s theme, ‘The History of Black Economic Empowerment,’ calls upon us to honor the African Americans who overcame injustice and inequality to achieve financial independence and the security of self-empowerment that comes with it.”
‘‘This month, we recognize the courage and tenacity of so many hard-working Americans whose legacies are woven into the fabric of our nation. We are heirs to their extraordinary progress. Racial prejudice is no longer the steepest barrier to opportunity for most African Americans, yet substantial obstacles remain the remnants of past discrimination. Structural inequalities — from disparities in education and health care to the vicious cycle of poverty — still pose enormous hurdles for black communities across America.”
‘‘The U.S. Navy is committed to overcoming those hurdles,” Patterson said. ‘‘Since the 1960s and 1970s, blacks have commanded ships, submarines and shore establishments. In 1974, the Navy issued its first Navy Equal Opportunity Manual, and two years later, issued its first Navy Affirmative Action Plan.
‘‘This prompted the employment of many top-performing Sailors and civilians whose diverse backgrounds, experiences and skills have supported our mission,” she said. ‘‘As in previous decades, today’s black officers and enlisted personnel are among the Navy’s best in 2010.”
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