Microcosm In Tomorrow's Tomorrow

The author, William Clement Stone, was quoted once to have said, “You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success -- or are they holding you back?” The problem with this quote is that it assumes that everyone has the privilege of choosing their environment. African-Americans, in particular, have not had the privilege of choosing their environment throughout history. The strength of the people in the African-American community is due to the influence of their physical and cultural environment. The physical environment of the African-American community is determined by the class …show more content…
In her book, Tomorrow’s Tomorrow, Joyce Ladner examines the role of the black female adolescent importance in the comprehension of the character of the African-American community. She said, “The total misrepresentation of the black community and the various myths that surround it can be seen in microcosm in the Black female adolescent…Thus, by understanding the nature and the process of her development [womanhood], we can also comprehend the more intricate elements that characterize the day-to-day lives of the Black masses”(Ladner, 25). The overall intersectionality of the African-American woman produces unique experiences that lend a hand to an even more unique point of view in regard to myths that surround the African-American community. By placing a spotlight on the importance of the black female; I feel that Ladner has also placed all responsibility for the good and bad of the community on black …show more content…
As professor Hunter said, “Bad boys are created”. The mass incarceration of men in America is because the United States has fostered an environment that makes men feel that their incarceration is inevitable. That mindset is due to overwhelming incarceration of African-American males. “Together, African-Americans and Hispanics compromised 58% of all prisoners in 2008, even though African-Americans and Hispanics make up approximately one quarter of the US population.”(Hunter) The statistics cannot be ignored. Therefore, blame that has been placed on Black women is misdirected. A redirection of the blame toward the US government is greatly