Young, Gifted and Black~

Personally, the reality that society doesn't necessarily have the highest expectations of me, a young African American man, is rather old news and is the fuel behind my ambition in life.  I've never been one to harp on the topic of "race" and the misfortune that Blacks have suffered for centuries, instead I bow my head each day, say a prayer of thanks for the hope of a bright future that I've been granted and I allow the hardships of my race's past to serve as a catalyst to propel me to positivity in my education, relationships and sense of self-worth. The 2 gentleman behind Street Etiquette, one of my favorite blogs, created the project The Black Ivy, an homage to historically Black colleges- particularly those which aim to educate young Black men- and the sense of style, culture and overall mentality that emerges among Black men within such intellectual environments.  It is a video that details all of these elements and I must say that I was utterly moved while watching it for the first time and have found a new sense of pride in being an intellectual Black man.  This idea of style, intellect and drive is in no way reserved to Black men alone but our demographic often needs positive reinforcement such as this to help us shake off the negativity that's constantly projected onto us.  Hopefully this video will inspire you just as it did me.  Be Blessed.