Embracing Black Agency Models...

A recent social media post that I published stated that …When it comes to black led agency, it is almost expected that we should follow a “traditional model”, in order for us to be eligible for funding and or be eligible to receive any validation as a real business and or service.

I challenge any agency that is new and black led to trust the nexus of ”your model." especially if it involves an anti universal “cultural approach ” to providing services , products, and or programs to marginalized communities. We should not be supported just because we are “black”, and we have been marginalized , we should be supported because we are “black “ and ingenious in our “intellectual “ approach to business and or services. We know how to get things done differently…. Look at our models, ask us about them… they work…

Think back over the pantheon of 20thcentury corporate leaders and thinkers you learned about in business school and you’ll likely conjure up figures like Frederick Winslow Taylor, Peter Drucker, Jack Welch, or Clayton Christensen. It’s hardly a surprise that these canonical giants are largely male and white. What’s less well known is that the same century in the U.S. saw a golden age of Black business and Black business thinkers. Deeply rooted systemic prejudices meant that these individuals and their thinking were omitted from most textbooks, leadership workshops, and from public consciousness.i

Demetrius McDowell, a former drug dealer turned socialpreneur. Mr. McDowell has entered this “game”, with his own brand of “community work,” with the establishment of his non profit, Boss Not Bangers in 2022. His agency was inspired by the loss of his beloved mother; as well as by the need to tend to his own mental health; as he found himself plunging into the depths of emotional anguish; once he experienced this grievous loss.

The “emotional state of black youth” became a top priority for McDowell, and he adopted it as his number one mission. He soon realized that a lot of lethargy and anguish was connected to a lack of opportunity for local black youth who were struggling to be aspirational in a city that is wrought with stark racial segregation and poverty.

The successful Black businesses and agencies of the past and present era engender a spirit of care, meaningful dialogue, and consensus building for the benefit of employees, customers, and the community. We call this approach cooperative advantage and see its roots in African traditions of cooperation such as Ubuntu, which means “I am, because we are." iii

As we further emphasize characteristics of black led agency models, there is one thing that stands out and that is what I call the “community component.” Successful agencies with folks of color at the helm are more apt to integrate policies, structures, systems, and practices that uplift and empower marginalized individuals. These agencies act more like “change agents'' for the community, and less like entities that are only established to extract profits.

SEMAKULA: WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE A BOSS AND NOT A BANGER, AS WE LOOK AT THE BLACK LED APPROACH AND OR AGENCY MODEL?

MCDOWELL:

To be a boss,within the urban community, comes with the responsibility of possessing a certain level of morals and integrity. Being a boss can motivate youth to be successful, so that they can work on important things like money management. However, as a gang banger you will find yourself running with a pack of misfits and unfortunates. Also, as a gang banger, it doesn’t matter what you do as an individual, if one person in the crew does something wrong, then everyone goes down with the ship. Therefore it's best to think as an individual… and that’s what bosses do.

So , how do you feel about black men leading nonprofit agencies; what is your take on it?

SEMAKULA: MCDOWELL:

I think that it is a positive effect , if it is implemented by black men. The many different opinions that we have “as black men '', provides a better outlook on life; due to our varied experiences and expertise. You see, us as black men have a lot of issues when it comes to following; because we have our own visions. When we are able to establish and facilitate our own agencies (which is rare), then we are able to play out our own visions and ideas within these agencies.