Years ago, I became a Registered Republican. Many in the Black community uttered dirty remarks. It is refreshing to see that some Black celebrities now realize the “Way Forward”. This is the change that should be embraced by the Black community. For too long the leadership held to the Civil Rights platform apparently not recognizing that Era is over. It is time to move forward and stop complaining, fighting, and marching.

To effect change and bring about your ideals you must be in the room. You must sit at the table. You must articulate the issues and needs. You must have a Road Map and be ready and able to implement plans and solutions.

The Democratic Party is not your conduit or path to solutions. The situations and conditions that ail the Neighborhood will not leave via the assistance of the Democratic Party. The only thing leaving the Hood from the assistance of the Democratic Party, are the “so called” Senators and Representatives. In fact, the Democratic Party added insult to injury with the installation of the previous Executive Branch of Government. The previous Administration was ineffective. What was accomplished was not meaningful and what would have been meaningful was not accomplished.

For too long the Black community placed their eggs in the basket of the Democratic Party. They waited decades for the chickens to hatch. Finally, there is an epiphany. Those who thought the ideology of the Democratic Party would bring forth progress and salvation have realized they were WRONG. In the past eight years, there was a Democratic Party administration in the White House and the Black Community received nothing. Chicago and other inner city neighborhoods are rapidly approaching war zone status. The President in office was  presumably from Chicago yet the community looks the same. In fact, I would argue that Chicago looks worse than it did in 2008.

Setting expectations, the Black Community should not count their chickens before they are hatched in interaction with the current Administration but anything is better than nothing. However, my bet is the Black community will get attention and assistance to begin moving forward.

The Democratic Party is all about Hand-outs, keeping you poor and in pursuit but never attaining. The Republican Party is about ideas and Puritan Work Ethic. Look around you, everything you see was once an idea.

If the current leaders of the “Way Forward” are looking for prominent Republican Party members to contribute, they should invite Alan Keyes and Colin Powell. There is work to be done and enough glory to go around. Here are keys to the success of the “Way Forward”:

• Empower and encourage young Black people to become Entrepreneurs

• Train them to be computer literate

• Encourage them to focus on developing Industries missing from our infrastructure

• Encourage them to “Think” and improve on existing Industries

• Encourage them to look at Manufacturing and Farming and not relegate themselves to Services

• Encourage them to utilize and promote their own talents and not be copycats

• Instill in them that not everyone is Academically inclined. There are roads, buildings, bridges, and other important segments of our infrastructure that need attention.

• Encourage them to research George Washington Carver, Uncle Ben, and persons of that Ilk so that they can aspire to creativity and ingenuity

The NAACP and Urban League is in need of an attitude and focus adjustment. The Way Forward is not about complaining, fighting, and marching. The “Way Forward” is not about Jobs, corporate sit-ins, or Internship. Jobs are initial but short-term solutions. Entrepreneurship is long-term solution and the “Way Forward”. If you need something done, be willing and able to do it yourself with the necessary business support.

You must be in the room where ideas are discussed and decisions made. You must sit at the table. You must articulate the needs and issues. You must have a Road Map and be ready and able to implement plans and solutions. I am excited. Are you?