User:Keishorne

'''The One More Black Man Project By: Keishorne Scott'''

Who is Keishorne Scott? A man who appreciates the value of an education for black men. This business management graduate reigns from Brooklyn, New York with a vision. Being an educated black man himself, he strongly believes that “without the proper education, you’re lost. Education gives us knowledge of the world around us which develops in us a perspective of looking at life and building our own opinions.” Scott’s wide spectrum of mantras and philosophies are all focused around the central concept that “education opens doors.” As of April of this year, he has been working a project to stress these ideas.

The “One More Black Man” project is a culmination of his belief that “there’s always one more educated black man out there with a dream, a goal, or a passion to be successful…That there’s always one more educated black man out there to set an example, make a difference, and be successful,” And if, “One more educated black man can go through the struggle and make it, the next one can.”

The objective of this project is to advocate the importance of education to black men through the medium of fashion. As he has matriculated through a university, he now knows that it is a possible thing to do. Now that he is enriched from his experience, he wants to pass on the lesson that “we all have the ability to be great and do great things to obtain a better future. No one should tell us what we can or cannot do if we educate ourselves and go after our dreams in a positive manner.”

I totally agree with Scott. I believe that the mind is like a freshly mined rough ore and each piece of knowledge learned is like a cut in its surface. Whenever the knowledge is a positive advancement for your tomorrow, it’s the equivalency of a skillful engraving. And whenever the mind obtains information geared towards its detriment, such as drug addiction, it’s the equivalency of an amateur slash into the rough. Going about life learning only poor edifications will lead to a shallow cut gem-of-a-mind. The light traveling through it will be lost, giving the gem a lifeless quality. Or the cuts will be too deep, causing the light to escape from the sides, darkening the resilience of the stone. This is what happens to minds that are unable bounce back from obstacles in their life, such as discrimination.

On the other hand, the skillful engravings of knowledge will lead to a sharp, symmetrical mind. Through years of systematic instruction, the rough of the ore will gradually shave away revealing a lovely gem beneath. And it won’t stop there. Each class, a cut. Networking options, more cuts. Internships, organizations, scholarships; all deeper cuts.

Finally, on graduation day, your mind will be the ideal cut of a well-polished diamond. Your mind will be a stone with such depth and width that its proportions that it will control brilliance, and durability with an air-like breeze. The light traveling through it will scintillate through the top of the stone, with the dazzling brilliance of a fireworks display.

Just as a good cut is essential to the beauty of a diamond, a fine education is essential to the betterment of one’s mind. Or as Scott puts it, “education teaches us the right behavior, but it’s up to us to choose.” There is a long list of educated black men who made it to the top through the world of academia; Dr. Ben Carson, Dr. Charles R. Drew, and even the very President of the United States Barack Obama. There are even famous faces of the media who made it to the top with a degree under their belt--such as the rapper Ludacris who graduated Suma Cum Laude from Georgia State University where he studied music management. Imagine where all of these people would be today if they had neglected the chance at receiving a higher education.

The “One More Educated Black Man” project is one that I am personally taking an interest in and I hope that other black men like me will as well. Listen, I’m just going to keep it real with you. There is nothing in the streets except just that, nothing. Do not waste your future on corners and alleyways, get an education and take yourself to the top! This is something that I’m sure Mr. Scott would agree with me on.

- Written By Ryan Kinney, 04/25/2010