You should also know that it has taken me over 20 years and lots of intense observation to gather and integrate the material that so simply explains how-to train ( those who really want to learn ), in an uncomplicated, straight-forward, yet effective way.

As it relates to housepainting and residential home maintenance skills and folkways. To discuss and instruct these skills without , dealing with the reality of ( folkways ) is foolish, immature and relentlessly uninformed. Regardless of how many degrees you have earned or how many people that follow your leadership.

 

Here is a short list of projects that can get you started in your block or community!

 

1.You can Set up mixed skills all day seminars in your local church.( Nothning is stopping black folks from doing just that ).A community has choices, it can talk, talk, talk or it can use it's right now resources to ( cast down your bucket where you are ).

 

  These seminars in your block, neighborhood or church should include:  Plaster repair techniques, wall / ceiling repair techniques, wood stripping tips and basic interior painting application. Setting up and getting these projects going, are simple things for those who have a sense of vision and who have not just given up on our commuinty. Far to much talk and not enough action. Quit talking and lend your support to those of us who have REALLY designed logical programs, that will lead to self-empowering skills. Knowing a skill, any honest skill, is akin to true freedom. And not having an honest skill, almost defines a person little more than a modern day slave!

 

2. Develope a group of youth ( trained by us, of course ) to paint and repair ( at a discount ) the homes of seniors and low income residents. You will train each youth in a single skill, such as drywall installation / taping, train another  in  very basic house painting procedures and the third team member will be trained to do basic wood replacement ( minor carpentry tips ). With each member switching skills after, say two weeks. After six weeks, most contractors will be delighted to consider hiring people who have been trained in basic approaches to residential home maintenance.

 

3. For those students who can or who want to learn email ( it's easy ). You will alway's be able to communicate with me. Even if we miss one another's phnoe messages. This is an important area here technology, impacts anything that you're doing these days. So take a little time to learn basic email procedures.

 

4. I have developed a lot of other innovative / creative ways to get our youth involved in the process of repairing and maintaining the black community. And it would be an easier thing if older blacks would quit trying to ignore, and resist ' this important aspect of our constant struggle for inclusion in American's and the world's future economic perspectives. Amazingly, some intelligent black person will ask me, Sy why haven't your training program been most pronounced in the commuinty over the years. At the same time, when they go about their daily activities and networks, they always fail to mention this' Project'. And that my friend is where we lose all the way around. And you know, what! All I can do is shake my head!

 

Bottomline Fact: Our community has allowed everyone except our own to benefit from repairing and maintaining the homes and buildings that we live in. I've watched and I've tried to alert the black community over the last 20 years, that we should focus on training the youth in our community. In my opinion we enmass, will do just about anything except, come together to train and employ one another. I'm talking about residential home maintenance.

 

 This has been and still is, an obvious route to any groups rise in economic status in this country. What makes US, think that we can ignore this. Bottomline, I've been trying to get your attention for years. Therefore, if anyone knows that our community has been ignoring this field, I am one of those people. Regardless of what obstacles that the larger society throws in our path. Our choosen leaders have and many are still missing the point. We must train the youth in our community!