A few weeks ago I read an essay, “Why I hate being a black man”. There isn’t much in it that I could relate to but there was one thing that forced me to reflect. The author gave examples of his presence as 6 ft tall black man arousing fear in people: “…I finally became cognizant of why people might fear being around me or in close proximity to me: I am a black male.” To that, I can relate. I’ve experienced exactly what Brent Staples talks about in his seminal essay, “Black Men and Public Spaces”.

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In the past couple of weeks there has been much news about racial profiling resulting in the unjust accosting and humiliation of movie star Rob Brown seeking to buy a Movado watch for his mother at Macy’s New York, and a black teen being detained under the assumption that he could not afford a high end belt from Barney’s. These instances brought me back to my teenage years in Florida where I was constantly followed and pestered. My favorite watch brand is Movado. I planned on buying myself one next year in Macy’s. Will the police be called on me? These reports ignited reflection on my brushes with prejudice both in the U.S. and Europe.

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This past Thursday through Saturday, I was fortunate enough to attend my first Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in its 43rd iteration. This was truly an informative, formative and transformational experience. I learned so much and got to meet others committed to positively impacting American society. Some of the sessions and hearings I attended included: “National Town Hall From Poverty to Prosperity: Confronting Violence, Restoring Opportunity and Investing in Our Youth”, “How to Engage and Build International Response to Local Issues: Human Trafficking, HIV/AIDS and Economic Empowerment”, “Criminal Justice Issues Forum Mandatory Minimums: Rethinking Failed Sentencing Policies and Targeting Money Laundering and Major Drug Traffickers” and “The Youth PROMISE Act: An Evidence Based Approach to Juvenile Crime Prevention”. The common theme was desperately needed criminal justice reform and its potential to positively impact the nation’s black population.

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On August 23 as I was in transit from Kingston, Jamaica to Orlando, Florida, an interview of President Obama aired on CNN’s New Day. I saw the interview on a 6 a.m flight to JFK as I was returning to Connecticut for the second year of my masters. President Obama’s remarks on the student loan crisis intrigued me. I had just spent a significant portion of my summer wrangling with my school’s financial aid office and it culminated in a $9,500 grant being replaced by loans in addition to the loans I was already taking out for the year and my previous year of graduate school. I’m by no means complaining because I’ve been fortunate where student loans are concerned. But I do know that when considering job offers after graduating in May, I will have to pay considerable attention to the salaries that are being offered because of my student loan burden. I’m planning on going the public service route, and as most people know, this is not the most monetarily rewarding of fields. It will be a challenge.

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Passed in 2003,  President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the largest monetary commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Unfortunately, many Americans here and abroad, including those who are generally well informed, know nothing about PEPFAR. When reauthorized on July 30, 2008, it seemed to be firmly ensconced as part of America’s moral and humanitarian tradition in the vein of the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlift and Peace Corps etc. But the economy had not fallen into disrepair. The question is, can it survive as is, in the absence of a political champion, bipartisanship and so many domestic fiscal challenges?

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Last spring, my mother called me sobbing. My cousin was arrested in an embarrassing and dehumanizing fashion leaving work. His crime was being brought to Florida from Jamaica at eleven years old and having the bad luck of being pulled over a few days earlier for a faulty taillight. I go into shock, and after getting off the phone, I begin to do something uncharacteristic of me. I start to cry.

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