"Better Black America"Symposium coming to C-Span

[Nesayem]

Building a better 'black America'
Symposium is designed to have an impact on all African-Americans


By DAVID ELLISON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

RESOURCES

STATE OF THE BLACK UNION EVENTS

• An evening of purpose and praise: 8-10 tonight

Fountain of Praise church

13950 Hillcroft

Free

• State of the Black Union 2006 Symposium: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday

St. Agnes Church

3730 South Acres

Free

• Covenant Celebration Gospel Concert: 8-10 p.m. Saturday

St. Agnes Church

3730 South Acres

$20

A self-described "nontraditional student," single mother and business owner, Tana Janelle Morehead has been using her experience to help other young black women.

At 38, she's already promoting small-business development through E-Seed ministry at her Trinity Fellowship Church. She hopes to get some inspiration and practical know-how Saturday, when she attends the seventh annual State of the Black Union Symposium in Houston.

"It would definitely be a motivating experience for me as a young black woman," Morehead said. "I want to have the ability to empower others, specifically single black women. That's who I want to talk to, as well as single men, too. But I would have more of an impact on single black women."

The symposium, moderated by radio-TV talk-show host Tavis Smiley, was designed to have an impact on blacks from all walks of life.

The event, which will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, will include panel discussions on economic empowerment, education, health care, environmental justice, housing and police accountability, among other topics. Panelists will include former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League; Nation of Islam's Minister Louis Farrakhan; entertainer and activist Harry Belafonte; and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson.

It will be held 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at St. Agnes Church. Doors open at 7 a.m.

Smiley said he started the discussions seven years ago because the president's annual State of the Union speech in January doesn't address the concerns of black people.

"I thought our community should have a deep dialogue to make black America better," Smiley said. "I believe if we make black America better, we make all of America better."

The symposium is held in a different city each year, and this will be the event's first time in Houston. Smiley said one of the reasons he chose Houston is the city's significant black population, which is about 494,496, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures.

In Atlanta last year, participants decided to draft a so-called "Covenant with Black America" to consider the issues affecting blacks and to establish a national plan to address them. A year later, with the help of surveys from hundreds of thousands of black people, a 10-chapter book, The Covenant, has been written by various people to address the top 10 issues of importance.

Each chapter discusses a particular issue and defines what each individual, the community and the political structure can do to address it. The book will be discussed on two afternoon panels Saturday.

At Texas Southern University on Wednesday, where Smiley recorded a radio show in front of an audience to commemorate the 70th birthday of the late U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan, Morehead and others said they are excited about Saturday's event.

"This weekend is definitely going to have an impact on me," said Morehead, a TSU student and owner of a public-relations and marketing business.

Others said they are interested in education, business ownership and tips on what they can do to improve the community.

"I'm concerned about the quality of education that our students are getting and how we treat our teachers," said Nannette Ransom, a teacher in the Houston Independent School District. "I want to focus on what are the real reasons for the dropout rate and how we can keep our children in school to give them more hope, more direction, more purpose. ... We feel we are losing our children."

Black leaders and business representatives in Houston also are excited about the event.

"There's a lot going on in Houston to spur economic development," said Sylvia Brooks, CEO of the Houston Area Urban League. "And I know that there is representation from Houston on the panels."