"Pick a fruit. Feed a child. Plant a seed. Feed nation." 

During my years at Morehouse College, I was given an assignment by Dr. William Sheftal, then head of the Business Department, and instructor of Urban Economics Public Policy class, to seek economic solutions for the African
American community. Around this time, I
had read the book, Up From Slavery, written by Booker T. Washington, which not only inspired me to seek solutions for economic development in our community, but to also strive to make these economic improvements a reality.
I thought, if Booker T. Washington could start a school to teach people right out of slavery, then we could also educate our community right out of integration. If students from Tuskegee, right out of slavery,
could build forty buildings from their own bricks, then today, with all of our skills
and technology, we could also rebuild our
poor communities throughout this land.
The plan to make these thoughts a reality are illustrated within this Familyhood Connection’s Healthy Economics Campaign document.
When I started teaching at Castlemont High
School in East Oakland, and later at McClymonds High School in West Oakland, I gained a better understanding of the role high schools play in the lives of our children. I realized, the choices students make to either enter college, the military, or the job market, is largely based on information they gather at their high school.
In most under served communities, there are very few actual businesses that exist. And very few, if any, would enable youth from the neighborhood to train or work there. I also realized, the majority of students attending these schools, upon graduation, sought to leave their community as soon as the opportunity would
arise.

THE TUSKEGEE MODEL FOR THE
URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES