Darrell Davis

Like the "N" word, "Racism" to become the "R" Word

I have been wrestling with the idea of writing a guest post for a New York newspaper on the subject of racism. And as I thought about it I realized that even before I could start formulating the content of the article, I had to think about the onslaught of personal attacks I would have to endure just for bringing the topic up. Racism; Soon to be referred to as the "R" word. Something that we in America will be frowned on for mentioning or bringing up. Very difficult to discuss and address if you aren't even allowed to say it!

Sadly, racism is as ugly and devastating today as it has been in the last 50 years. And sadly, we as a nation fumble and stumble in our awkward attempts to deal with it. We do that partly because of a number of reasons: One reason is that the average person- Black or white- doesn't recognize it. If someone doesn't walk up to you and call you a ni**er or if you are not confronted with "no Blacks allowed" they just don't see it.

A second reason is that America- sub-consciously- has not embraced the humanity of African Americans. The whole culture and educational system in this country pushed the idea that black people are inferior. This was originally done to justify slavery to Judeo-Christian population. When slavery ended, no one went back and said, "you know all that stuff we taught you about Blacks being savages with no history or culture? Well, none of that is true. And so today, Americans still look at Blacks, largely, through those eyes. And as such, treat Blacks that way.

A third reason is many whites are just so defensive of any kind of criticism that says they are not perfect or that perhaps some of their success is not due only to their intelligence and hard work. I think this is partly what causes so many to always try to prove racism among Blacks or see "reverse-racism." Its like the kid who gets caught taking extra cookies and replies that his brother or sister did the same thing yesterday. They try to avoid their behavior.

There are more reasons racism is so touchy and difficult to talk about. Having said that, for me personally, I will continue to use the word racism when it fits. And, in spite of another big reason people don't use the word- the charge of pulling the "race card"- I am not going to see a duck and call it a horse.

If we are to heal this nation and move society even further along the road of democracy, we need to have honest discussion to find real solutions. The fact is racism is directly responsible for destroying millions of lives senselessly. It keeps human beings divided and blind to the real enemies of human progress- like war, corporate greed and corruption. It takes brave people to acknowledge that and a braver people to take action against it.

Peekskill Dems and Mayor Exposed as anti-poor, anti-Black party

This week Peekskill Housing Authority Director Harold Phipps was exposed as the same Harold Phipps who was fired from the Asbury Park Housing Authority in New Jersey. Phipps was called "incompetent" after HUD did an audit of the books. He was suspended by his board for three days for breaking policy. That isn't even the juicy stuff. Phipps was sued for sexually harassing one of his female employees. In one act against her, Phipps left a note on her door with his phone number telling her to fax over the viagra prescription. The housing authority settled out of court.

Now Phipps is in Peekskill harassing and disrespecting the woman and children of our community. I have documented much of it and sent emails to the mayor and council as it was going on. Several woman in the housing authority complained to me that he yells and screams at them. One Peekskill Housing Board member told me that residents don't come to the meetings anymore because they are afraid of him. Peekskill Mayor Mary Foster said she supports Phipps anyway. She said she heard he screams at residents but said that it is only residents that "try to game the system."  I guess this poor woman in New Jersey was "trying to game the system" when Phipps tried to kiss and touch her.

I guess the mayor doesn't see Phipps as gaming the system when he hid all of this to get hired in Peekskill. I think the choice of words Foster used is instructive. Apparently she thinks that only poor people and people of color "game the system."

Foster said on a tv interview that she likes Phipps because he addressed a bed bug problem in one of the buildings. Yes, he is a nasty person, yes he sexually harassed an employee, yes he is incompetent- but he beat the bed bugs! The fact is just last week a resident there opened a jar of bed bugs in the housing authority office because the residents have been living with this problem for the full tenure of Mr. Phipps.

By the way, the mayor is only supposed to appoint housing commissioners and not interfere in the running of the authority. So why is she out front pushing for this man to get a new contract? How can she close her eyes to all this ugliness? She can only do that if she doesn't care about the people being victimized, Black and poor people. And her colleagues on the council are all equally guilty. All of them, that the residents of the housing authority supported at the polls are now being told by them to accept your lot.

The housing board is going to give Phipps a new contract even though they all have this information. They are going to do it because the hypocrite, racist, democrats have made it known they want him there. And they appoint the board.

As to mayor Foster. She is the worse kind of racist. The kind that finds a Black person to do her dirty work. Yes, Phipps has Black skin. And he is being used by the Peekskill democrats to do their dirty work- gentrify!

All is not lost. These politicians all have to run again. And they need your help to get elected. If Phipps gets a new contract, we will hold the democratic party responsible for bringing this man down on the heads of the residents. I, as an activist have been down this road before. I did a lot for the democrats over the years. And no one has been a bigger supporter than African Americans. Apparently, they- the dems- have no sense of loyalty. But isn't that what racism is? Irrational?

What I learned from "Bruce Leroy"

There is a movie out there that is a cult favorite. It is "Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon." Filmed in 1985, the plot and message is basically that Bruce Leroy, a martial arts enthusiast, goes in search of "the master," who can teach him how to get to the highest level. Eventually, through many trails and tribulations, he realizes that he is that master; that the answers to all he was looking for was always right inside of him!

I am constantly giving advice to young people. And I always make sure to impress upon them this message: life is a series of ups and downs. All that you learn about positive thinking and success principles exist for you to use during the "downs."  You see, when things don't go right in life, we tend to get overwhelmed and  and seek answers elsewhere, when in fact we have the solutions right inside of us all the time. I guess I can add the Wizard of Oz as an example also :-)

I recently went in search of a solution to a problem I was struggling with. I was looking for a person to show me the way. But then I remembered Bruce Leroy and  decided to look inside for the answer. I drew  on my experience and knowledge base and not only saw the answer I was looking for, but realized that  this was the solution to many issues I was dealing with.

Somewhere in all this rambling I am doing I hope you will get the message. Don't look to others to solve your problems. When you do that, you disconnect yourself from the great power you already possess. 

Help Save the Cab Calloway Legacy

If you know anything about Jazz, and even if you don't, you probably heard of Cab Calloway. Cab owned a house in Westchester NY. That house was visited by such legends as Duke Ellington, Sammy Davis, Michael Jackson and our sister we just lost, Lena Horne.

Like many non-profits, the Cab Calloway Foundation is facing hard times. In fact, the house, which the family no longer owns, is being rented by the foundation and the foundation is in danger of eviction. If that happens, all hope of buying the house back- which is the goal- and protecting the Calloway home and legacy will be lost. We need your help!

Foundation director Michael Mills and Cab's daughter, Cee Cee Calloway are working hard to turn things around. But the situation is dire. We need donations (tax deductible) or loans. I am now acting as co-chair of the fund raising committee for the foundation. I recently reached out to a film legend for help who came through! But we need more.

Please, please give what you can. Please make checks payable to Cab Calloway Foundation Inc. You can send checks addressed to the foundation to:

The Cab Calloway Foundation, Inc.
1040 Knollwood Road, White Plains, NY  10603

In addition you can get for more information at 914-909-3985

Success and the Company You Keep

It is a well known success principle that in order to achieve the most in life, you should surround yourself with good people. "Good " meaning people having those skills and qualities that your line of business prospers from.

What is not given enough attention though is the opposite. Surrounding yourself with "bad" people can be a disaster! "Bad" meaning people possessing those skills and qualities that retard your efforts to achieve certain goals.

I think the most important type of bad guy to avoid at all costs is the negative person. The one who is always complaining about life, work or anything else. Nothing is a bigger energy zapper than having to listen to someone bitch all the time.

Also be on the lookout for those who tell you you can't do this or that. Or that you are misguided. These usually are people who have no ambition beyond the next beer or football game. You don't need their chatter in your life.

So just remember that having the right people around you definitely affects your level of success. But equally true is that having the wrong people around you has the same affect.

Meet One of the Most Respected Marketers on the Internet!

I have been working very hard to locate reputable marketers who are providing real internet money-making opportunities for you guys. I don't mind telling you that so much out there is just a plain rip-off. I know, I have been scammed many times searching for a product and/or system that I can use myself and recommend to others. I believe I now have a few of those to present to you.

The system I am going to talk about today is one of the best! It is put together by a guy named Kevin Riley who enjoys a hugely positive reputation in the Internet Marketing world. I have been looking at his products and systems for months now and in fact am using some of it myself. I strongly suggest you take a look. The range of his offers is amazing.

Everyone is not on the same level or has the same business needs. So Riley gives you an assortment of fantastic products to choose from. Take a look, I am sure you will be happy to not be getting ripped off again. And I would be much appreciative if you would go through my affiliate link to take a look. Happy shopping and go make some money!

Looking for Another Income? Almost There...

For the past several years I have been searching for ways for the average person, with little or no money, to start their own business. I think my friends, I am almost ready to share with you what I have found, and what I can suggest for different people in different situations.

For me personally, I have always had a side business going. Sometimes, that was all I had. But what worked for me to earn money, does not work for everyone. Whether you have a job or not, one source of income is risky. This blog has focused on Personal Development for the most part, and we will continue to do that. However, while I am a fan of many inspirational speakers, I was always concerned that after the speech, and while I was feeling good, I found that often I didn't know what to do next. I wasn't presented with a vehicle to progress financially or career wise. I want to change that. I want to give you real, tested methods that lead to you earning money.

Over the years I have tested many systems and been ripped-off many times. But I can tell you this right now; there are real systems out there that we can use successfully without spending a ton of money. Please sign up for my email list so I can send you updates and tips for where we are going. Talk to you soon!

Carrots Aren't Just Good For The Eyes

CAR-ROT: the nutritious, orange to yellow root of this plant, eaten raw or cooked.

I love carrots. I like them raw or cooked. And who hasn't heard the saying that "carrots are good for your eyes?" In spite of what many people think, carrots actually are good for your eyes. But I have a different use for carrots. In fact, I have a use for a different kind of carrot. A carrot on a stick. Or, in a word: motivation.

We all have those days when you just don't feel like doing something. No matter how important the task is, you still just can't get motivated enough to start and complete a project. This can quickly turn into a bad habit. So you need a tactic to break through. I get moving when I promise myself something as a reward for completing a particular task. It is like a carrot on a stick. I focus on the reward and that helps me move the task closer to completion.

What you use as a carrot depends entirely on what motivates you and how big, difficult or time consuming a job is. You won't reward yourself with a trip to the Bahamas for cleaning out the attic. I like simple things for everyday chores. I might promise myself a treat at a nice restaurant, or buy myself a new DVD.

When you find yourself staring at a task that you just aren't into, take a deep breath, think of your carrot on a stick and get to it!

Forbes' List of Tech Billionaires

The Forbes world's riches people list has come out. What is interesting is all the tech billionaires on it. This is good news for people who are looking to start their own business but have very little cash for start-up. The Forbes billionaire tech club boasts several people, such as  Bill Gates, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and venture capitalist Peter Theil.

What this means is that the internet is there, growing and ready to be exploited. Social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter make free or low cost marketing a major tactic now.  All we need to do is learn to use them and prosper. This changes the game.

Knowing NY Gov. David Paterson

The very first time I met then State Senator David Paterson it was under extremely ugly circumstances. It was in 1987 and I was in Albany NY, seeking the support of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus (as it was known then). I needed their support in my call to New York Governor Mario Cuomo for a special prosecutor to investigate a racially motivated attack on an African American man. He was attacked by a gang of white men who chased him down a Peekskill NY street with bats and pipes because he had a white girlfriend. Fortunately he escaped physical harm. Five days later, someone set his house on fire. Shortly after that, he was shot in the leg by an unknown assailant.

Around this time the Tawana Brawley case had broke and most of the politicians were rushing to that case and the TV cameras. I was scheduled on that day to meet with members of the caucus. After waiting in a big conference room for fifteen minutes and no lawmaker in sight, in walks this slightly built man in a suit that I thought looked too small. It was David Paterson. He walked in accompanied by one member of his staff. We greeted each other and both sat down.

I was there with the lawyer who was helping me and the family on this case, world renowned Attorney Lennox Hinds. I had mailed Sen. Paterson all newspaper clippings related to the case and a copy of the letter I sent to the governor.

I began by thanking the senator for finding time to meet with us. I then handed him another copy of the letter I had sent to the governor since I would be going over those issues with him. He politely handed the letter back to me and just said, "Thanks but I've memorized it."

It wasn't until later on that my attorney told me that David was legally blind! From my early interaction with him, I just didn't get it. Even more amazing was that he had in fact remembered every point I made to the governor in that letter. He would from that point on help me personally with several other issues over the years. He always took my calls, never was too busy to talk. And yet, he lived in Harlem. He didn't technically represent me. But that was to become David's legacy. He was called "the people's senator."

Over the years David Paterson stood up for the people and the grassroots. And if you know anything about New York media, you know it is very reactionary. Very hostile to Black people. And so David, long before he became governor, became an enemy of the local press. They had painted a bullseye on him. The fact is, David Paterson inherited a train wreck of a state. The press never gave him a fair deal. The same press that would draw apes depicting Black people, relentlessly tried to destroy and discredit him.

Having said that I must also say that we as a nation tend to think in terms of "right and wrong." Sometimes there is "a wrong and a wrong." I think that David Paterson fell victim to what most other politicians who are in office too long succumb to; the notion of preferential treatment. The idea that they deserve things the rest of us don't. The worse of our public officials become corrupt. The best of them lose perspective.

This domestic violence case was really the last straw for me and many others. As hard as I try, I just don't see any good reason for the state police or the governor to have had contact with this poor woman. Still, David deserves the benefit of the doubt on this. I would say wait for Cuomo's investigation but guess what? I used to work for the now State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and I can tell you this in no uncertain terms- Cuomo will cut Paterson's throat and then go get ice cream.

New Yorkers have really lost on this deal. Paterson is brilliant and given a fair chance, could have got New York back on track. He was a great legislature and his tenure as governor won't change that. Then again, I never anticipated David falling on his own sword.