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ОглавлениеAuthor's Note
Why I Wrote This Book
The late, great Toni Morrison, once said, "If there is a book you want to read and it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." For more than five years, I carried the conceptual framework for this book in both my heart and my head, with the idea that someone, anyone, should author a comprehensive narrative on the challenges impacting Black Males in America, particularly in the wake of a more awakened populace who, through the proliferation of cameras and social media technology, have more recently discovered what African-Americans already know: racism, discrimination and disparate treatment, based on conscious and unconscious bias does, indeed, exist and is played out repeatedly in law enforcement interactions between minorities and the police each and every day.
While this book is, in no way the answer to the greatest challenges facing our country, the challenges examined herein, and the prescriptions for progress proposed, make up what portends to be the beginnings of a meaningful national dialogue on one of the most pressing sociodemographic issues of our time: the perilous prognosis facing African-American men and boys.
Offensive Language Warning
Please be advised that this book contains discussions of race, culture and stereotypes and, when contextually relevant, uses the "n-word" in its historical application. The purpose of this book is to explore mischaracterizations and epithets, including the un-redacted use of the "n-word", with the goal of bringing greater understanding around the use of this and other pejoratives, their origins, applications and impact upon African-Americans and other individuals of color. Historically in the United States, the term "nigger" (also known as the "n-word") was first used as a racial epithet in the early nineteenth century. Today, however, while usage of the word within the African-American community is complex in that it is used interchangeably as a term of endearment, as a political descriptor or as an insult, it is still considered an abusive slur when used by whites.
Survey Methodology
To complete this most-important research component for this book, I partnered with an experienced third-party vendor, Pollfish*, and utilized proprietary technology that natively integrated with partner apps, to randomize the delivery of our survey to real consumers, in targeted demographics, while they were organically engaged with the apps on their devices. This survey's audience consisted of actual and real consumers like you and I, who were selected automatically through a vast network of partner smartphone apps and websites. The survey methodology deployed is based on a revolutionary way of targeting audiences and collecting data, through the use of proprietary and third-party mobile phone applications. Additionally, our research process applied several safeguards, like weighting adjustments, which provided fast and reliable data, whilst keeping selection and/or non-response bias under control. Furthermore, to ensure our data's integrity, we utilized a set of automated techniques and algorithms to ensure that this project received only legitimate responses. Some of those processes took into account Unique Device I.D., IP, proxy, device type, location, and more. Just as importantly, as a researcher, because I understand that, without quality, the data that we have painstakingly gathered means nothing, we implemented a number of technical measures to ensure the integrity of our results, by injecting quality questions, avoiding pitfalls such as speeding through surveys and checking on the survey results to ensure accuracy, reliability and validity.
Finally, it should be noted that all of the demographic data we provide on each of our respondents is first-hand information, gathered through comprehensive questionnaires completed by each of our survey's respondents prior to their participation.
Survey Demographics
As a key component of this book, we conducted a survey of 400 Americans from various walks of life, to gauge their opinions, attitudes and perspectives on the various issues discussed in this work. we aimed to have a research sample that was reflective of the current demographic makeup of country, to as great an extent as possible, based on the statistical findings from the 2010 United States Census. Additionally, the poll's population size was 321,646,250 individuals; hailing from all U.S. States except, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota. Furthermore, with a confidence level of 95%, the poll's overall margin of error is (+/- 5%). An acceptable margin of error used by most survey researchers typically falls between 4% and 8%. Our calculations used a normal distribution (50%) to determine our optimum margin of error. To that end, the following data-points are critical to understanding the demographic composition of our research population, to include the following demographics:
50% - Male Respondents
50% - Female Respondents
11.75% - 18 to 24 Years Old
34.25% - 25 to 34 Years Old
24.50% - 35 to 44 Years Old
10.75% - 45 to 55 Years Old
18.75% - 55 Years and Older
Ethnicity
Racial Demographics of Respondents
Other - 2.00%
Multiracial - 2.00%
Hispanic - 18.00%
Black - 13.00%
Asian - 5.00%
White - 60.00%
Career
Jobs/Professional Services Represented
Information Services and Data - 2.25%
Retail - 1.75%
Real Estate Rental or Leasing - 1.00%
Legal Services - 2.00%
Transportation and Warehousing - 2.25%
Homemaker - 2.25%
Science or Technical Services - 1.00%
Unemployed - 24.50%
Telecommunications - 0.75%
Software - 4.75%
Arts, Entertainment or Recreation - 4.00%
Education - 5.00%
Retired - 1.25%
Hotel and Food Services - 5.50%
Manufacturing, Computer and Electronics - 3.25%
Military - 0.25%
Finance and Insurance - 4.75%
Manufacturing (Other) - 3.00%
Other - 14.25%
Construction - 4.00%
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing or Hunting - 0.50%
Healthcare and Social Assistance - 7.00%
Student - 1.00%
Information (Other) - 0.25%
Government and Public Administration - 2.25%
Wholesale - 1.25%
Education
Highest Academic Level Completed
High School - 30.25%
Middle School - 1.50%
Elementary School - 0.08%
Post Graduate - 12.28%
Vocational Technical College - 7.77%
University - 48.12%
Income
Annual Income of Respondents
High I (Between $100,000 - $124,999) - 4.75%
High II (Between $125,000 - $149,999) - 5.75%
High III ($150,000 and More) - 3.50%
Prefer Not to Say - 5.75%
Lower Level II (Between $25,000 - $49,999) - 30.75%
Middle I (Between $50,000 - $74,999) - 16.00%
Middle II (Between $75,000 - $99,999) - 8.75%
Lower Level I (Under $25,000) - 24.75%
Employment Status
Source of Respondent's Income
Student - 6.25%
Self-Employed - 11.25%
Unemployed Not Looking - 1.75%
Homemaker - 7.75%
Employed for Wages - 48.50%
Retired - 8.00%
Unable to Work - 5.75%
Unemployed but Looking - 8.50%
Other - 1.75%
Military - 0.50%
Marital Status
Relationship Status of Respondents
Separated - 1.50%
Prefer Not to Say - 1.25%
Single - 38.25%
Living with Partner - 10.25%
Divorced - 6.25%
Married - 41.00%
Widowed - 1.50%
Parental Status
Respondent's Number of Children
Two - 16.00%
Six or More - 1.50%
Four - 4.50%
Zero - 48.75%
Three - 9.25%
Prefer Not to Say - 0.25%
Five - 1.75%
One - 18.00%
*All survey results displayed above are represented by the overall percentage of survey respondents. To review raw survey results, visit: http://bit.ly/stillinvisiblesurvey.
Special Thanks & Final Thoughts
And finally, a note of appreciation to my trusted research partners, Kendall Finlay, Tyler Brown and Joseph Garrett, who helped to keep the vision of this project alive until it was finished. Without your contributions this work would not have been completed.
Over the course of an extended period of time, recorded interviews were conducted and then transcribed with each chapter's leading subjects. Our goal, in telling each of their stories, was to accurately reflect their expressions in a way that did not detract from the substance of their sentiments. When necessary, however, some of the subject's words or phrases may have been changed, but only to provide clarity, brevity or context. Further, from a stylistic perspective, I have chosen to capitalize the word "Black" when referencing the African-American experience or identity. While it may not necessarily be grammatically correct (depending upon when and how it is being used), I do so because Black people in America are often marginalized and overlooked in society. In the pages of this book, however, they are very much seen, heard and appreciated, thus the capitalization. Additionally, please note that any conclusions made in this book, to the extent that there are any, are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the subjects of this work or those who may have offered endorsements of this work.
Finally, this book was created as a tool to be used to further promote understanding, while simultaneously debunking false narratives, misperceptions, and racist tropes, with verifiable facts and workable solutions aimed at helping the United States of America to achieve a "more perfect union". Please feel free to share with me, and others, your thoughts and ideas, by tweeting, texting, posting and chatting about your take on the issues discussed herein. I would love to hear your opinion and please know that I am grateful that you "thought it not robbery" to read this work and add to what I pray will be a substantive conversation about how, together, we can help make America better, using the hashtag: #StillInvisible.
In the spirit of high idealism, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Elvin J. Dowling
(Elvin J. Dowling: Author, Activist & Architect of Change)
