iZania Blogs

"I forgot he was Black."  The comment by Chris Matthews simply indicates how deeply rooted racsim resides in the white psyche.  Unknowingly, Chris longs for some post-racial nirvana where we don't see race at all.  In this non-existant world, equality and fairness emerge based on the "content of one's character." The first stage in this transformation is to close one's eyes in a room full of white folks, and imagine that the Black person speaking isn't Black.  If we didn't know any better, we would think that he is just as good as us white folks.  In fact, for an hour "I forgot he was

I am quite frankly puzzled by the growing (or closing) gaps in testing that we read about among Black students.  It appears to me that someone hoodwinked many Black people into believing that we cannot perform well on tests.  We must teach our students that "life requires you to pass tests every day."

We live in the Information Age, where knowledge is power.  In this fast-paced world, you need to be who you say you are, and you must prove that you know what you say you know.  Let me give you a few examples.

If you want to be a lawyer, you must pass the Bar exam.
If you want to be an accountant

In the information age, there are many fast developing technologies that make it easier to connect with friends, followers, clients, colleagues, and fellow travelers of many sorts.  The ease of access often masks the complexity of the technology, and also can be overwhelming.

Keeping track of all these connections and managing the data associated with these relationships exposes the fast lane traveler to bumps in the road.  These bumps can slow you down -- just as potholes one encounters along the streets of many cities.  The damage inflicted can be minor delays to total disaster.  It is

The Fast Lane in the Information Age is no place for charlatans.  This is not the place to "fake it 'til you make it."  In the Information Age, you must be who you say you are, or anonymity will be permanent.  Why is this so?

In 1992, when the Internet was in its infancy, I asked a colleague to explain how this phenomenon works.  This was during the age of proprietary networks -- before open systems became a way of life.  He explained the Internet this way:

"The Internet is an amorphous blob of people, held together only by the kindness of strangers."

In fast lane, you only have one chance to

Just for today I will try to live through this day only; and not set far-reaching goals to try to overcome all my problems at once.  I know I can do something for 12 hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today I will try to be happy.  I will not dwell on thoughts that  depress me.  I will chase them out of my mind and replace them with happy thoughts.

Just for today I will adjust myself to what is.  I will face reality.  I will try to change those things I can change, and accept those things I cannot change.

Just for today I will try to improve my

Our journey through life provides each of us with a unique perspective.  We have the unique capacity to see our lives through a time-adjusted lense.  Einstein attempted to explain this with his theory of relativity.  We don't exist and see our existence only in the moment of each of our life experiences.  Everything that happens is relative to something else -- in time, motion, history.

We are able to put our journey into perspective with everything else going on around us.  Life in the fast lane provides a different perspective.  We can see the way to our goals more clearly, with fewer

 See that living off of Black business is not that much of sacrifice and has nothing to do with exclusion... it is about love, pride and enlightenment. In the Andersons' EE journey, they've supported dozens of quality Black businesses, professionals, and Black-made products that they would not have even known existed had it not been for their pledge. They have lost nothing in terms of quality or in higher prices. They've gained much in terms or knowledge and power. They live a powerful life! They spend their money in places and in ways that can contribute to their community's improvement.

As an African in America, I am always challenged to define and redefine my worldview in response to the dominant culture. Recently, Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonya Sotomayor became the latest non-white person to be placed under a microscope regarding her perspective on her ethnic minority status.

We are all aware of what happened during the Obama Presidential campaign. The short version is that this crucible of attention nearly bleached all of the color out of him as he tried to define why he chose to be viewed as a Black man. The outcome that troubles me most is the notion that he