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PolicyBridge casts critical eye on local black leadership

PolicyBridge, the nonpartisan, black-led research and advocacy organization that conducts research and reports on public policy issues of import to Cleveland’s African American

Report and Analysis

 New report asks: “where are the leaders in the African American community?”

By R. T. Andrews, EDITOR

PolicyBridge, the nonpartisan, black-led research and advocacy organization that conducts research and reports on public policy issues of import to Cleveland’s African American community, has stepped into the deep end with its most recent report, released just this past week, on the parlous state of black leadership.

The report, written by PolicyBridge co-founder and board chair Randell McShepard, identifies four categories of leadership and identifies seven traits that should form a litmus test for emerging community and civic leaders.

One of the seven traits is courage, and McShepard must be credited with that for putting a bullseye on his back with the issuance of the report, which can be found online here.

The strength of the report lies in part in the questions it asks and what those questions imply without actually stating, which dampens their incendiary nature. For example, the introductory section asks, “Where are the leaders of the African American community and what tactics might they employ to win the respect and confidence of their peers?”

A fair inference from that question is that there is a large leadership void in the black community and that those who might be considered among the leaders do not have sufficient respect and confidence of their peers.

 “No surprise, Sherlock,” might be the response. The critical deficiencies implied by the question are an open secret in the black community. But few dare say it publicly. Some fear offending thin-skinned politicians, others consider it airing dirty linen, and still others are just resigned to how things are in the belief that change is unlikely.

Truth is, many people outside the black community observe the same absence of effective local black leadership. Further, they understand the drag force that places upon our community and region. Of course, many of those same outside observers act on the regular to mitigate against the development of authentic black community leadership. Typically, they seek first to suppress, gently at first, forcefully if necessary.

If authentic black leadership emerges nonetheless, the next steps are cooptation and management via designated gatekeepers.

Those true black leaders who make it through that crucible while maintaining their identity and integrity without sacrificing the interests of those they set out to represent — Carl Stokes remains the best though by no means the only example — emerge with the respect of those they had to fight all the way to the table.

The PolicyBridge report, aptly named “Missing in Action”, usefully considers the issue of black leadership in four categories: Political Leadership, Business Leadership, Community Leadership, and Civic Leadership. The chief difference between the latter two categories is one of scale. Community refers to the neighborhood or affinity groups or associations, churches, and the like. Civic looks to the larger arena, where money, power, and establishment norms generally hold sway.

Throughout his discussion, McShepard is gently pointing out the dearth of young or emerging black leadership, the implied fault of older established black leaders. In part he is no doubt channeling the lessons learned and battles fought in his own rise to a position of prominence. After all, he was once audacious enough to start PolicyBridge without kissing a bunch of political rings.

His report identifies essential ingredients of would be leaders as earned credibility, subject matter expertise, a track record of success, courage and autonomy as core desirable elements for emerging leaders.

We commend McShepard and PolicyBridge for the report. It is clearly past time for the black community to address the issues he identifies. But in doing so, the oft-quoted adage of Frederick Douglass is as much a factor inside the black community as without: “Power concedes nothing without demand.” Black elders are no more likely to step aside for their successors than white power wielders are eager to give way to black ones.

The true challenge for Cleveland’s black community is to develop a culture that looks to be inclusive as opposed to “I got mine”. There are literally thousands of black people in our community who routinely lend a helping hand to their fellows, but they do so against a backdrop that is often hostile to such instincts. When we as a community develop a culture that embraces collective advancement and rewards those Nguzo Saba principles all 365 days and not just during Kwanzaa, stifling emergent leadership will cease to be a major issue.

To a significant degree, the problems that retard growth and development in Cleveland’s black community mirror the problems in Greater Cleveland’s inner sanctums of corporate, business, political, civic, and philanthropic communities. To an unfortunate but predictable and even intentional degree, Cleveland’s black community wades in a kiddie pool that mimics the closed, top-down hierarchical structure that controls and retards Northeast Ohio.

That is why some most of the report’s recommendations unfortunately misplace reliance upon [some] “area philanthropic organizations, the Greater Cleveland Partnership and the Mayor’s Office …”.

Mandela’s guards did not free him. He freed himself, and then he freed his guards. Then they let him loose.

So, who wants to continue this discussion? We offer this space.

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Randell McShepard black leadership PolicyBridge