African American Families
In this article I found that the system that was and is meant to keep African American family union divided is still currently apparent. Slavery was meant to keep the families apart, by selling each member of the family to owners from different parts of the United States, without this system of slavery in place the union of the African American family would be as strong as ever even in this day and time. In order for oppression to occur one would have to keep that threat open. When the people were brought here on slave ships and coming to America, all they had was their religious beliefs and the family because everything else had been stripped from their existence. When the owners of slaves began to allow them to worship within their own comfort of the family and community, the slave owner would still have an "overseer" standing in the distance, never allowing the slaves rather freed or not out of their sight, in fear of the slaves becoming independent and becoming a strong union. Every event that comes in large numbers "Black Coalitions" are a threat to the oppressors. Until there is a change in the system beginning with the education system and political system, this will continue to effect the majority of African American families and intentionally keep the family unity apart. We as people of color have to stand by one another so that we all can prosper from what being America has to offer, we have to be willing to take that risks.
Living in a class apart
This was a really interesting article because if we have racism and prejudices within our communities and in and around our own race, how do we expect others to see us in a different light and give the respect that we deserve. Growing up in the 60's I always felt the difference between light and dark African Americans, being a darker skinned African American woman, I always wondered where we women like me in the magazines,and now so I am delighted when I see a dark skinned women in some of our popular magazines, and it makes me even more proud to be who I am. I feel we have a long way to go, to completely honest I had my own prejudices against light skinned African American women for years, there was an underlining resentment towards them. Though I do not feel that way today, I had to learn to love myself inwardly and outwardly to move past that feeling. It mentioned in the article that slave owners would sometimes put light skinned in the house and live the dark skinned slaves outside, to me that was just another for of oppression to keep the African American families down and separated. To find out that some of African American elite groups feel comfortable enough to donate to organizations such as the NAACP but feel they are too elite to socialize within the group, is a step backwards for all African Americans. One portion of the article talks about how some of the Black elites feel guilty, I feel they should not feel that way, they worked and earned what they have and we as African Americans should not make them feel guilty about what they have. As a 49 year old woman and knowing that these practices are still happening today really makes me know that is a lot of work that needs to be done within our own communities and within ourselves to make that change needed for all less fortunate.
The Impact of Welfare Reform on Black Families
It is unfortunate that people are still suffering in a welfare system that is supposed to help the family and not tear it down, is just another form of oppression. The system is supposed to give a hand up so that person can become self sufficient and independent but it seems it holds more people back, in a hole so deep that some can not seem to climb out of it. There are no proper tools to positively help those in need in the welfare system and its just a band aid that when taken off the wound has not healed. The welfare system does help some to move forward and so sometimes it may take other resources such as mentors, teachers and peers to give someone that boost to get passed that continuous need for welfare, so that it does not become generational. Making daycare affordable, changing policies in the workforce, that would have more options for parents to work day shifts with an adequate pay and be able to live without the welfare system for long periods of time. The confusing part is why would the system have a low income father pay higher proportions of their income, when it will be almost impossible to pay it and they eventually end up in jail, which is more of a cost to taxpayers. Having fathers in prison punishes the children more than anything and when these fathers are on the outside they tend to spend that time with their children, which is important for the family union. Making things affordable and reasonable can help someone get on the right track, when young African American men don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, they may give up because they feel there is no hope for a good future. 
The Subprime Swindle
It is absolutely said that this kind of practices are still occurring in this day and time even with all the laws in place, a greedy and self centered business person finds a way to make more money off the already oppressed people. I recall when this horrific situation occurred I had to go back and look at my mortgage documents, because I recall that when my husband and I wanted to look over the stacks of documents, the other people in the room were frowning and moving back and forth in their sits. We were fine but I wonder about all those people who got "swindled" out of their net worth and if and when they will recover from this mess. It is no different from the film we watched when they would imprison African Americans and then let them out so that they could work off their punishment whether they were innocent or not. These people caught up the subprime loans will have to work the rest of their lives and to have someone come in and sell it after their passing because the debt could never be fully paid off. When the oppressor feels threaten he will feed his children to the lions to keep what he has, nothing is worth losing his privileges that were handed down to him. So if that means keeping the poor in its place, their pockets empty and his fat, he will do what ever it takes and never look back. That's why I think it is so important that we as a people can depend on someone to step in and say "I don't think that is a good idea", looking at other avenues to make ends meet, owning businesses (banks) that will do the humanly deed and not swindle people out of their hard earned monies, that was not handed down to them, that they had to reach up and work for.
What's Love Got To Do With It?
Not sure about this, I would probably not marry if that person did not have a job or did not share in the same goals in life that I have or had. I would and have married for love and if something happened to where my husband lost his job and hit a low point in his life I would not leave him, I would stand right by his side. But I have some understanding for women who want to marry someone they feel could bring them both to the top and have a better financial and stable life for their children. I feel that we as society need to do what is possible to help our African American men advance in life, because so much has been stripped from them beginning with the slave ships leaving Africa. They have had to endure many obstacles in life and now to fall behind the women they protected would be another slap in the face. When society makes it hard for the Black man to succeed it is once again another form of oppression. Some white males fears of the Black man stepping up next to them or even replacing them, is something that some white males of this society is not going accept and let it happen. The education, court and political systems would have to make some drastic changes so that a man can feel equal in this society and we as a community of people can unite to make these changes for the benefit of all people, especially men of color.
Successful women who are childless
Women want success just like their male partners and if children are not in the plans, I do not see anything wrong with that decision. The subject of future off springs is very important but that can come in a form of mentoring, teaching and providing services to the off springs of others and everything will keep moving forward. Though spreading the wealth of success to your off springs is a great way to increase that unity of the African American family there are other forms of sharing success.
Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn
The focusing on educating Black men should be on the list of our societies tasks, we have too many of African American in prison, when they could be on the outside earning a honest living, becoming educated and contributing to the communities of which they came from or moved to. No one can be productive in a cell and not earning a living and being productive in society, it would cost less to educate men in comparison to imprisoned more than half of African American men.
Dark and Lovely, Michelle
Teaching our young girls of color to embrace who they are and that the darkness of their skin is a glorious blessing from God. Women of any color is a beautiful and wonderful blessing, so I just love embracing myself as a woman of color.
Race Wasn't an Issue to Him, Which Was an Issue to Me
It is hard for people to acknowledge wrong doings especially if it points the finger at someone whom that felt had no faults, people do not want to be mad at someone they loved and gave them what they have. If you pretend or block out awful actions, its like it never happened. It may come a time when white people can truly understand where we are coming from with this feelings of despair and feelings of oppression and we also have to come to terms that it may never happen. Either you will love that person and accept the fact that person is who he is and you are who you are and try to meet on common grounds, that it is what it is. They are many times I avoid the truth because I don't like the way it feels inside when I am let down. Some rather not have to carry that burden and some just can't handle the truth about what their ancestors created and the actions of those ancestors is currently still active.
Bring Me Home a Black Girl
I understand the feelings of wanting to pass down African American traditions to our off springs. You do feel more at ease when your family looks like you and you want to increase that unity of the African American culture. My biggest fear of my sons dating someone of another race, I guess the flash backs of what Black men endured in the 60's when it came to dating a white women. But I did not tell them who to date because they are interracial young men, I just said respect a women like you would respect your mother, grandmothers and so forth. Be with someone you can picture yourself with for many years to come through thick and thin and my son's choices have been women of color and I am happy for them. Their choices their lives, I can not pick and choose for them, though I would put my two cents in when needed. But I do understand "bringing home a Black girl" it is a way of keeping our race strong and alive and I agree to a certain extent.