Where are the Role Models?

In Unearthing Hidden Literacy, Smith told the roles and places of elders in our society during the cotton-picking days, “The elders helped everyone with tasks, shared stories, and encouraged others to deal with whatever problems life presented. The elders also took responsibility for teaching the youngsters, making sure we stayed safe, keeping us out of trouble, and sharing with us.” These elders could be looked at as friends, teachers, and positive role models, but where are these elders today? With an estimated 510,000 children in foster care and 44% of the illiterate population as black women, how are we going to get out of the current situation we are in? Who is going to give the leading hand we need or advice to keep us on track? In the cotton fields, we had people to keep us going with encouraging words but, we need to have someone now to tell us that we need to make a change. We need more people to volunteer in after school programs or mentor children with incarcerated parents. Our black children need help. It is our responsibility to make sure that by the time they become adults they have the skills needed to succeed in the world. If we want to change the startling number of children in foster care system, and make sure our woman are literate, we have to begin with or children.

-Courtney Stewart