What I learned at the White House
On Tuesday, I visited the White House with the Generational Alliance, representing LYVEF at a Youth Roundtable on Jobs and the Economy. Representing the White House were Valarie Jarrett, Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Inter-governmental Affairs and Public Engagement; Brian Deese, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; Christina “Tina” Chen, the president-elect’s director of public liaisons; and Harold and Kumar actor Kal Penn, who serves as the Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement.
Right now, the House and Senate are debating the Miller Jobs bill which will provide funding to prevent job loss in communities, create job training programs, and support public sector jobs. Christina Hollenback, Executive Director of the Generational Alliance gave stats about the Joblessness for 16-24 year old black males which has reached Great depression proportions of 34.5 percent in October, more than three times the rate for the General population. The Jobless rate for young black men and women is 30.5 percent. It was a powerful meeting discussing next steps for our organizations and communities that we represent.
Sitting at the table I could see the faces of Jasmine Owens, Sasha Carter, Larry Jenkins, Sean Bell, Oscar Grant, Harry Belafonte, Dr. King, Diane Nash, and Ceasar Chavez. I could hear their voices feel their presence in the room and so I spoke. I asked that we remember the young adults across the country who are dying, incarcerated, and forgotten. I asked that we remember our responsibility to provide tools and resources to our youth so that they become productive citizens. We must be the moral authority to the House and Senate who do not see our children dying in these streets as an Emergency.
Yesterday after our meeting at the White House, Kal Penn was robbed at gunpoint in D.C. Thankfully he is ok. The robber only took his cell phones, wallet, and not his life! Jobs, violence, black, white, rich, poor, hood, or the White House we are all 1! Don’t wait until something happens to you or a loved one before you start paying attention. It was truly an honor and a privilege to be invited representing my community and The League of young Voters Education Fund. We are the ones we have always been waiting for.
Now lets get back to WORK! Organize, Strategize, and hold our elected officials accountable!
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