Big Words start conversations and open doors to new places.
Author: anwaryusef
Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath.
Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics.
Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.
Two of the key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Starting a business is one of the most challenging endeavors one can attempt. There are certain keys to consider when starting business. The following contributed post is thus entitled, The Small Business Advice You Need.
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Resources for small business owners, leaders, and management can help them to continue to grow their businesses. Many small businesses start with a burst of creativity and commitment, but as the reality of running an SME sets in growth can plateau because owners get overwhelmed by day-to-day issues.
Many of these issues center around developing a coherent business strategy. How, for example, does a small business owner develop a credible business plan needed to access finance or loans? What responsibilities does an owner have towards staff? How does a small firm attract and retain the right people? How do SMEs cope with local skills gaps? How does a small company get access to the latest SME news to keep abreast of world developments and plan accordingly? How can efficient data management and analysis benefit companies? How does a business develop and market new products or services? What are the advantages of running promotional events? How does an SME compete in world markets? How does a small firm take advantage of the UK government apprenticeship scheme? Many business owners are not business experts, they are passionate about the product or service they provide, but many lack the knowledge or skills in management and running an SME. They need small business resources to give them tips and advice that can support them and are actionable. They need information to be in easily accessible formats made by knowledgeable stakeholders such as key government members, world business leaders, and business associations.
Learning from others
It is always good to look at how others have become successful and learn from their stories. There are many entrepreneurs that small business owners can look up to and perhaps even try to emulate. Perhaps the most well-known of them all is Sir Richard Branson. He knows exactly how to be successful in business, having built up the Virgin empire from nothing. He has bought and sold a number of companies and always seems ultimately to do well – he is renowned for his business expertise. But there are other business owners who are just as intrepid and just as good at business, even if the names might be either surprising or unknown. Justin Matthew is the owner of JMH Consulting Ltd, and is a social media pioneer – he is another successful businessman. Pete Cashmore also ranks as one of the UK’s most successful business owners. He owns and runs Mashable, a multimedia and entertainment platform. Then there is Saul Klein, founder of LocalGlobe which is a British venture capital company. And what about Michael Acton Smith who is the founder of Mind Candy, a children’s entertainment company that created Moshi Monsters? The one thing all of these people undoubtedly have in common is that they will have asked for small business advice when they needed it. Why don’t you do the same?
Sourcing effective resources
With the increase in SMEs has come a huge increase in the availability of best small business resources. But how do I as an SME owner, leader or management source the best of the available advice and tips? Are there any signs I can look for when reviewing their services?
The short answer is ‘yes’, but that’s hardly helpful! Within the business community, there is the will and motivation to help small firms to grow and reach their full potential. Whether this is for selfish reasons, for example increasing the available local supply of products or services that a big company needs, or purely philanthropic is open to some debate. However, there are some features you can look for to indicate you are getting the best advice service. Consider the format that information is presented in. Do you want a long article with a high powered author, using all the latest jargon or do you prefer having the latest SME news and other relevant information presented in bite-sized pieces in videos, interviews, and articles. Would a searchable resource be useful so you can go straight to that information about staff pensions or data analysis you need rather than going through mountains of irrelevant information. Do you need small business resources that quickly, simply and authoritatively tell you what you need to know for example about alternative funding such as equity investment or other finance options, presented by a key government member? Do you prefer an engaging, collaborative approach? Maybe you need annual report due dates or something specific? By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to narrow down your search for information successfully.
Finding the small business advice you need does not have to be difficult. Use the above details for inspiration!
One of the focuses of my blog is Career Discussions. Whether in the Public or Private sectors, there are instances where employees witness some form of corruption and must decide whether or to say something, or to simply look the other way. While it may be for the greater good, in some instances, there could be long-term ramifications for being a ‘whistleblower’. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Fighting The Corruption: How To Protect Yourself As A Whistleblower.
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Have you seen or found evidence of activity in your workplace that seems shady, unethical, or downright illegal? If your answer is yes, then you have a tough choice to make. You can either keep quiet and allow these issues to continue or voice your concerns and risk facing backlash. If you go with the latter and decide to become a whistleblower, then it’s crucial that you protect yourself from any dangers that may arise from speaking up. Here are six ways for you to do that.
1. Put Everything In Writing Once you’re certain that there’s an issue to be addressed, you should document any information that you have gathered and store it somewhere safe. Record phone conversations, keep texts, emails, and letters, and film any face-to-face discussions. Make sure that you have hard copies of all of this information, just in case you experience technical issues or ever get hacked.
2. Speak To A Professional A common response to whistleblowing is character assassination. For this reason, you should find yourself a lawyer experienced in whistleblower lawsuits. They will help you to fight this backlash, as well as support you and put forward the best case possible. Many laws provide a financial incentive for whistleblowers, so your lawyer will also help you maximize your rewards.
3. Stick To The Facts Making false claims publically can see you sued for defamation. Because of this, you need to make sure that you stick to the facts and never exaggerate any of the information that you have gathered. The more reliable and honest that you can be, the more credible you will appear. This means that you’ll have a much easier time convincing others that your claims are genuine.
4. Don’t Discuss The Situation While your case may not be quite so serious, there have been situations in the past where the whistleblower put themselves in danger by speaking up. If you think that your life or family could be at risk, it’s better to remain anonymous, at least for now. Avoid discussing the situation with anyone other than the authorities and your lawyer, including your close friends and family.
5. Keep Doing Your Job Whistleblowers tend to lose their jobs as a result of speaking up. However, until the same happens to you, it’s crucial that you keep working as normal. After all, you don’t want to give your employer a valid excuse to get rid of you. Make sure that you continue to show up on time, keep yourself productive, follow the workplace policies, and try not to make any more waves for now.
6. Prepare For The Worst Although you can hope for the best, it’s sensible to prepare for the worst. With that in mind, you should build up an emergency fund, just in case your boss decides to fire you regardless. If you think that you could be in any danger, you may also want to go and live somewhere else for a while. This could be with a trusted friend or family member or just a hotel.
Blowing the whistle means exposing the wrongdoings within a company or organization. While this is the right thing to do, it can leave you vulnerable to a number of risks. To make sure that you’re protected, follow the advice above.
Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Much of the business that occurs today, does so online via ecommerce. As such if you’re a business owner, or considering starting a business, it’s important to keep your eyes on the trends taking place. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Ecommerce Trends Dominating the Consumer Market.
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When you come up with a business concept, you want something that is timeless. Products, services, and other business concepts that revolve around the fad or trend of the moment tend to go bust pretty quickly – consumers change their minds and move on to the next thing. Sure, this could be beneficial if you’re looking for a quick money spinner. But if you’re looking for your business to make it in the long run, you’re going to have to come up with a more long lasting and classic concept to move forward with. Trends that you shouldn’t ignore, however, include trends with consumer spending. You should notice how, when, and why your consumers are spending money and capitalise on this! Here’s how!
Watch the Market
The first step that you need to take is to gather consumers’ data whenever you can – just make sure to get their permission first. Look at how they are reaching your website – are they going direct, are they arriving through PPC links, are they being redirected through social media feeds? Notice when they are buying products – do people tend to wait until payday or are they spending earlier in the month? How they are paying for them? Are they using card or merchant services like Paypal? You can learn so much through simply watching.
Make the Most of Market Research
Whether you conduct market research of your own accord, or make the use of market research that others have carried out, you need to be making use of information taken directly from consumers who have been interviewed, surveyed, or questioned in another fashion. Take a look at some of the information gathered by Trade Vitality below to get off to a perfect start!
The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and two key focus are Career Discussions and Health/Wellness. If you’re a manager in an organization or a business owner, a key consideration is keeping your employees at as low a level of stress as possible. If you can do so, you can get them to give you a consistently high level of productivity. The following contributed post is therefore entitled, Calm In The Cubicle: Encouraging Your Employees To Be Stress-Free.
What we can suffer from when we are starting out on our business journey is that the business takes priority and not necessarily anything else. You might be working to promote your business day and night, and this can be to the detriment of the most important aspect of your company, the employees. After all, if we overworked and underpaid our employees, how long are they going to stay with us? Not very long. But, if we work at improving our employees, nurturing their capabilities, but also ensuring that they are happy in our working environment, this will naturally translate to productive and efficient work. So we need to think about those employees sat in the cubicle, on their own for hours on end, are they actually being productive? Maybe it’s time to look at the more stressful aspects of work, and eradicating them for good?
What Stresses Out Your Employees? First things first, we don’t have an open door policy; we need to get this arranged. To get an open dialogue with our employees, we need to have continual contact with them, but we need to find what is making them feel bad. These days, stress and anxiety are two common components of modern living, and this naturally spills into their working lives. Sometimes their working lives are the very reason. If we can start to unravel this by having good quality communication and regular contact with our employees to ensure that we are on top of these issues, we can then put the stops in place that benefits everyone.
Fixing The Space If you have rows upon rows of cubicles, this needs to go. In addition to this, you may want to take your attitude to the workplace out of the 20th century and bring it bang up to date! To alter the space and make it an environment where employees are not just hemmed in like farmyard animals, you should take inspiration from the more modern startups and make them a talisman for what you want to achieve. There are professionals such as Vertical Interior Design that can help you to redesign your office space so you can get rid of the cubicles and the open plan, and make it a more inclusive and collaborative space. This will help your employees to feel they are in more of a collection which will actually impact their work for the better, but those office cubicles never lend themselves well to communicating with anyone. When you see those offices that are silent and almost ghostly in presence, you’d never expect the environment to be a nurturing one.
Flexibility If your employees feel that their job is the biggest source of stress in their lives, what you can do to make it easier on them is to employ a more flexible approach to their working day. For example, those busy working parents who are always rushing to get in for 9 in the morning, but always end up being late may feel that they have the Sword of Damocles hanging over their head every time they turn up a little bit late. But instead, why don’t you push the clock back a bit for them? Having a more flexible schedule will make them stress less and work better.
Sourcing The Right Stimuli Because a typical office is somewhere that’s the very embodiment of drab, or demotivation, or without the right touchstones, you can focus on these negative aspects and they can color your entire attitude to work. So if there is nothing much we can do about this, then we need to work at improving the cognition of our workers by implementing certain things that can help in the long run. The right snacks can be a godsend, especially when you look at the fact that the typical office culture celebrates sugar and greasy carbohydrates in the form of doughnuts and pizza, every time there’s a deadline that is tight or you want to reward your employees. But this only makes them sluggish in the long run. Likewise, if you have a very busy office space, and you have employees that are struggling to focus, you can make the most of various productivity tools to help your workers focus better in this stressful environment. The right noise app can drown out any office hubbub and allow your workers to focus on the task at hand. Likewise, if you’ve got a lot of work that needs doing, and a lot of typing, then voice recognition programs could cut that workload in half!
Stress in the workplace comes in many different ways, shapes, and forms. Work-related stress is very common, but there are the external aspects that can cloud their ability to work as well. If we can encourage a more relaxing environment in the workplace, this will translate to a happier person and a healthier environment.
Two of the key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In 2019 there are several ways to make money aside from working a 9-5. The following contributed post describes a couple of them and is entitled, 3 Of The Best Ways To Make Money Today.
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You will no doubt have heard plenty about different ways to make money in the past. As it happens, there are so many great ways to make money that you might even struggle to choose between them, and this is certainly not going to be helpful if you want to be able to make the most of your finances in the future. However, there are a few ways of making money which generally come out on top, and those are what we are going to focus on solely in this article. Here, we will look at some of the best ways that anyone can make money today, so long as they put the right effort in, are sensible about it, and in some cases, have a little luck on their side. Consider all of the following if you are truly keen to be able to make a lot more money than you might normally think possible.
Chances are, you have thought about betting on the foreign exchange at some point in your life, but thinking about it and actually doing it are two very different things. The truth is that if you want to make money here, you will need a few different things on your side. First of all, and probably most importantly of all, you will need to find a decent platform like KnightsBridge FX to be able to use. The platform determines not just how easy you find it to carry out the necessary actions, but also how much you are likely to stick with it, and you will want to try and find an exchange which you feel you can use in a strongly intuitive sense. With that, you will have more chance of then making real money from it – but you will also need to make sure that you are genuinely paying close attention to the markets too, otherwise you can’t expect to make any money at all.
Matched Betting
If you have never looked into matched betting before, you are about to discover something of a revelation. Matched betting is when you take advantage of free bets given out by bookmakers by laying your bet at a betting exchange, so that you always make a guaranteed profit, no matter which bet wins or which one loses. You will need to read up on this in some detail before you attempt it, so that you can make sure you are doing it right – but as long as you do that, it is a sure-fire way to make real money, and you could even make thousands a month, depending on how much you have to bankroll initially. This is a powerful and exciting way of earning money, and you should think about it seriously if that is what you want to do.
If you feel you are something of an expert on a given subject, you might want to think about writing an ebook. This can be a good way to help others with that thing, while lso actually being able to make a lot of money in the process. Writing an ebook doesn’t need to take too long, especially if you are already a good enough writer, and you will find that it is a highly rewarding means of bringing in some extra cash.
A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. The biggest investment for many people is their home. Many things effect home prices – some of which are in our control and some of which aren’t. If you can add value to your home, it’s worth the effort. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Easy Ways To Add Value To Your Home This Year.
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No matter which way you look at it, buying a home is a major investment. In fact, it’s likely to be the biggest one that you make throughout your entire life. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll stop with one house. If you plan to work your way up the property ladder and buy bigger and better houses later, then you need to make sure that your current home turns a profit. With that in mind, here are six improvements you can make to add value to your home this year.
1. Spruce Up The Garden When potential buyers arrive at your home, they may already know the asking price, and will immediately start to question whether or not it is worth the investment. For this reason, it’s vital that you make a great first impression. As the first thing buyers see, this means that your garden must be in good shape. From weeding to painting, there are lots of ways to boost curb appeal.
2. Repair The Damaged Roof Any sort of structural issue can significantly harm the value of your property, but, because it’s on show for everyone to see, a damaged roof can be an even bigger problem. When you repair this issue, you could take the opportunity to make your roof more energy efficient, by investing in Tamko shingles. As energy costs are on the rise, this can be very appealing to potential buyers.
3. Upgrade The Kitchen Area The kitchen is the heart of most homes, so, naturally, it’s a place where surveyors and home buyers pay a little more attention. With that in mind, you should look for ways you can upgrade your kitchen space. If you plan to sell your home with appliances included, then start by replacing these with new energy-efficient models. This can help you to save money in the meantime too.
4. Replace Any Old Windows Good-looking and energy efficient windows add instant appeal to your home. Not only do they look great and cut energy costs, but they can also make the house more comfortable, by trapping heat and reducing noise pollution. Because of this, you should consider replacing your old windows with double glazing. Just make sure that the finish and style are right for your home.
5. Add Extra Living Space As long as it’s in keeping with your home and done well, adding living space is always a good investment. You could add an extension or a conservatory, for example, or even convert the attic or basement. This can increase your buyers list, by making your property an option for larger families. If you don’t have the find to increase living space, try to add some extra storage instead.
6. Make The Space Lighter Increasing living space can be beneficial, but it’s also quite costly. If this is just too much for your budget to handle, then make your home lighter instead. This will give the illusion of space, which will increase your home’s value. There are a number of ways to go about this, but some of the simplest include keeping your windows clean, painting the walls white, and adding mirrors.
Whether you want to sell your home or not, improving its value can only be a benefit. Hopefully, with the advice above, you have some idea of where to start.
Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In any business, the critical aspect is its marketing. Sometimes marketing requires creativity such using gifts for potential customers. The following contributed post this therefore entitled, Marketing With Gifts.
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There are lots of different strategies that companies can employ in order to market effectively. Obviously, which one is best depends on the business themselves because every business is different and so what may work for one business may not be very effective for another.
Nevertheless, there are a few marketing strategies which seem to be widely adopted by a whole host of different types of companies in different industries. One of these strategies is the distribution of promotional gifts. This is a method which has been effective for a long period of time, which is obviously a testament to how successful it is.
However, the success of such a strategy depends on what promotional products a company decides to opt for. Therefore, bearing this in mind, this blog post aims to give businesses a helping hand by revealing some of the best promotional items and gifts and why they are so effective.
One of the most widely used promotional products is a pen. There are two main reasons as to why this is the case. The first reason is that they are relatively cheap to produce; this is especially the case in comparison to other types of promotional items. The second reason is that a pen is an item which is always needed and so the company will become ingrained in the individual’s mind that is using it. Moreover, a pen is also something which will advertise a company for many months and even years to come.
Another option which is a great idea to consider is that of promotional bags. Reusable bags are something that always comes in handy, especially when a lot of supermarkets now charge for individuals to use the plastic carrier bags. And in addition to this, more and more people are caring about the environment, so this is something that they will appreciate. A final point worth noting is that the advertising potential for this product is huge as the bag is not something that will only be seen by the person in possession of it, as all the people in which the person passes on the way home after doing their shopping will see it too.
In addition to bags and pens, another great option is to go for promotional mugs. After all, who doesn’t love a good cup of tea or coffee when they are working? Moreover, everybody else at the place of work will see the mug as well and so they will take note of the company in question.
A final product worth considering is mouse pads. Gifts such as this are unique and they appeal to consumers more because they are not something that they would expect to get from a business. Moreover, it is obviously something which will come in extremely handy as all people need one.
All in all, promotional gifts are a great way to market a business. Nevertheless, it is highly important to put some serious thought and consideration into what products to have distributed.
The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Career Discussions. The medical industry is unique in that you directly affect the lives and health of people. In this regard, even the simplest error or mistake can be fatal and costly. What kinds of errors are there? The following contributed post is entitled, Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in the Medical World.
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When you work in the big wide medical world, there isn’t much room for error. When a doctor , surgeon, researcher or nurse makes a mistake the results can be catastrophic. If you’re working in the medical industry you need to be able to minimize mistakes and keep your business running smoothly. This is not only for the sake of your patients, but your reputation will be on the line too. Every human has made a mistake at some point in their life, but it’s not often to the detriment of another life. The medical world will always be full of ups and downs, but as long as you can keep a level head, you will succeed with minimal errors.
Translation Errors
When you’re working in the medical sector you will often be faced with documentation and devices that are written in a different language. You can’t afford to look up these kind of translations on the internet so click here to find highly specialized document translation services. You can be sure that your information is specifically translated by a professional so that you minimize mistakes in your establishment.
When a patient is overlooked or misdiagnosed it can put your entire career in jeopardy. Of course, this type of thing happens all the time in hospitals and surgeries, but how can it be prevented? Make sure every single person who works for you understands each protocol for diagnosing patients. If there is any dispute or ambiguity somebody senior should step in and give their opinion on the patient’s condition. When you’re more thorough in a medical environment it helps your patients to receive the best care possible.
Failing Employees
In the medical industry there will always be a handful of employees who slip through the cracks with their skill sets. You need to make sure you never allow unqualified or dangerous people into your working environment. Thorough checks should be carried out before giving anybody a job. You could even start people on a probation period if you’re unsure. Implement training programs so that every everybody always feels supported.
Missed Opportunities
There will always be new clinical trials that your establishment wants to try out. Although they can be risky when medical treatments go wrong, it is always good to give them a try whenever possible. You will never be able to enhance your knowledge if you don’t step out of your comfort zone from time to time. Assess each situation as it arises and you will always know you did your best.
Your medical business will always be your pride and joy, so don’t allow any mistakes to slip under the cracks. Put adequate training programmes in place and hire the right people for certain jobs. Whether you’re training new interns or hiring someone to translate documents, every level of the chain is extremely important. Missing out on one important stage could cost your business and reputation. Don’t leave room for errors and you will never have to worry about picking up the pieces.
The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Career Discussions. In some instances losing our jobs is in our control and in other instances, it is beyond our control. In either case, it’s important to think about what you would do should such a circumstance arise. The following contributed post discusses this and is entitled, How Would You Cope With Losing Your Job?
The world of work has changed dramatically. In our grandparents and parents eras, you’d often get a job after leaving school or university and work that job until you retired. Industry and businesses tended to be long lasting, and job roles in general were much more secure. These days, things change quickly. The speed that technology advances means that companies have to adapt, and the roles that exist within them change to match. Companies have higher rates of failure for this reason, and so none of our jobs are quite as safe as we’d like to think. No one likes to think about being made unemployed, but if your company goes under, you get made redundant or you get sick or injured then it’s something you’ll have to face. ‘Hope for the best but plan for the worst’ is a good mindset to have here, here’s what you can do to get yourself in the best position if this were to happen.
Save and stockpile Having money saved in general is no bad thing. Often in life, big expenses will crop up from time to time, and if you have a ‘buffer’ it can prevent a situation from becoming a lot more stressful. Aim to have at least three months of rent/ mortgage, bills and other costs set aside in the bank. That way, if you do lose your job you have everything covered for a few months while you find something else. A new job won’t always come right away, so by having this money set aside you don’t risk falling into debt or arrears or even losing your home. Another thing you could do is stockpile long lasting food items, toiletries, cleaning products and other home essentials. Fill up your pantry with staple items- tins, jars, dried grains, herbs and spices and you have a number of meals you can make if you’re short on cash for a while. Fill a cupboard upstairs with kitchen and toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, soap and cleaning essentials for the home. At least that way you don’t have to struggle during leaner times, particularly if you end up losing your job. You don’t need to go mad and stock up as if the zombie apocalypse is imminent. But grab a few essentials when they’re on sale and store them away, you might be glad of it one day.
Get insured Having health, dental, home, pet and other kinds of insurances means you’re not left out of pocket if the worst were to happen. Insurance costs might seem like something you can cut out of your budget if you’ve recently lost your job, but it’s now you need them more than ever. If you do need to make a claim you’ll be so glad you had them in place.
Have an alternate source of income Having a side hustle, a way to earn some extra cash (even better if it’s from home!) can make your situation a little easier if you lose your main source of income. Whether it’s from freelancing, blogging, a Youtube channel or a home business, you at least have some cash flow coming in and can cover your basic costs. It can take some time to get a side hustle established to the point that it’s earning regular money, so don’t wait until you’re at the point that you really need it. Start today, work it in your spare time and use it as a way to boost your monthly income. That way, it’s there if you need to rely on it later down the line.
Improve your CV Improving your CV means that if you do lose your job, you’ll find it easier to get something else. Don’t just rely on the experience from your current role, there’s plenty more you can do. Why not do an online course in a subject that’s linked to your career path. You can study online, from home in your spare time so it doesn’t have to be a huge commitment. You could take up some voluntary work, or even start a hobby that would look good to employers. For example, if your chosen career requires patience and logic you could start at a chess club. If if requires teamwork, a team sport would look impressive.
Ensure you’re claiming the money you’re entitled to There are various benefit and welfare schemes out there, make sure that you’re claiming everything you’re entitled to. There are certain benefits that you don’t need to be out of work to claim, for example military spouse benefits and child benefit that you get regardless if you’re entitled. But sickness, disability and job seeking benefits could all apply to you depending on the reason you’re out of work. Be sure to check and claim the money that’s owed to you.
How would you cope if you lost your job tomorrow? Do you have any systems in place that would make the process easier?
“Even though it was 1968, a period of unrest for many blacks throughout the country, Great-grandmother – like the blue-veined crowd that she was proud to belong to – seemed, at times, to be totally divorced from the black anxiety and misery that we saw on TV news and in the papers.”
Every now and then I’ll venture into something social and political. I’ve been wanting to write something about ‘class’ in the black community for a while now, and Black History Month 2019 has finally presented me the opportunity to do so. Before I jump in, I want to acknowledge Rom Wills, a writer in the “Negro Manosphere” and a YouTube content creator who teaches black men about dating and becoming better versions of themselves. I can personally say that ‘Uncle’ Rom and his content have been critical in my evolution, in terms of manhood, and he’s helped me to better understand my journey – past, present and future. If you’re a black man, and you still feel lost in the dating world and in life in general, I recommend watching some of Uncle Rom’s content.
In his YouTube content, Rom Wills is very outspoken about the black community not acknowledging the role of ‘social class’ in dating and mating where it plays a major role, particularly in our bigger cities. He eloquently discusses what attracts black men and women together and why in some instances, some couples who don’t look like they should be together, end up doing so. He also discusses why some men and women pass over each other – potentially good mates, specifically to get to together with someone in their social class. He emphasizes men having some sort of vision, getting into the gym, and the concepts of ‘select’ and ‘non-select’ men.
Debutantes And Cotillions
I first became aware of social class in high school in my hometown of Buffalo, NY. Every spring, one of our black newspapers, the Buffalo Criterion or the Challenger, presented the ‘Debutantes’ and the ‘Cotillions’. The Debutantes were young ladies in high school, usually juniors and seniors. They were associated with one of the black sororities – probably “Alpha Kappa Alpha”. The ladies were all dressed in black dresses (and maybe pearls). They took lovely solo head shots and were presented as a group on the front page. One year, one of the girls was a classmate. There was also a formal event where these girls were ‘presented’ to the world.
I first heard of the term Cotillion in high school as well. I had a friend who played on the varsity basketball team with me when we were sophomores. He stopped playing in our junior year, and a little while later, he started going on and on about some of the other guys in his Cotillion. One night when we were at a party, they did a ‘step routine’ of some sort, showing they were also affiliated with a ‘Black Greek’ organization. I think he later pledged “Phi Beta Sigma” in college.
Black Greek Organizations, The Boule, The Links
There were two Black Greeks in my family. My eldest cousin in Georgia pledged the sorority “Sigma Gamma Rho”, and my father was a member of one of the more prominent fraternities which I’ll keep anonymous for everyone’s privacy. I interestingly have very little memory of him being active in his fraternity or regularly interacting with his ‘frat’ brothers. Later I found that there were reasons for this. I also later found out that this Black Greek world was in fact its own world within Black America.
Lawrence Otis Graham’s Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper-class periodically pops up in my writings. I read Member of The Club one summer, and then seeing him one night on Tavis Smiley’s show on BET debating Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, was a seminal moment for me. Highly criticized for celebrating America’s black upper-class, it was an important work for me personally. It let those of us who didn’t grow up in that class know that it existed – something, as a black person, you encounter and must reconcile in cities like Washington, DC, where I now reside. These people were born into the upper-class through generational wealth and inheritances, while others attempted to climb there through digging in and sacrificing throughout their lives.
While the book discusses the afore mentioned black fraternities and sororities, it also describes other clubs, groups and organizations within this upper-class such as Jack and Jill, The Boule, and The Links. The book also points out that being in the black upper-class isn’t simply a matter a of having money, as the ‘black elite’ don’t necessarily accept ‘new money’ celebrities, athletes and entertainers into their circles. Instead, there was a cultural aspect to their lives where individuals had to go to the ‘right’ schools and be a part of right clubs and families to be accepted. It might sound like a bit much to the outsider, but I find it all fascinating.
Why Does This Matter?
Why is this important? Well, as I discussed in my previous piece entitled, Who should or shouldn’t be in the African American History Museum?, there are numerous real divisions within the black race which are often overlooked. One of the big ones is social class. If you weren’t in the right circles in smaller cities like Buffalo, you didn’t really know debutantes and cotillions existed, or of the opportunities offered through participation in them. Since ascending in education and living in Washington, DC where the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference takes place every year, and attending the affluent church that I attend, you can see the delineations in social class.
And as Rom Wills, whom I discussed above states, you often see it in the dating arena. Men and women in some instances pick each other based upon their educational and social pedigrees and backgrounds. Likewise, if you’re not from those types of families with certain types of training, it’s important to understand how to socially mingle and carry yourself in certain circles when those instances arise.
Economic Class
I’m going to close this by saying that I didn’t really have a concept of ‘economic class’ until my brother commented amongst our friends when we were younger. He stated that we were ‘lower middle class’. Economic class is typically delineated by household income, healthcare and overall quality of life. Both my parents were college educated, they both worked, and I grew up in a house as opposed to the housing projects. We weren’t poor, but we also weren’t rich either and this does influence social class.
All of this is interesting to me because it suggests that we’re all different, despite being grouped together based upon skin color. It also explains much of what we see now in terms of variability in our personal natures, how we navigate the world, available opportunities for advancement and political agendas. We’re seeing many of these class divisions bubble to the surface now in politics. That said, skin color does factor in as well, and once you throw ‘Colorism’ into this discussion, this all gets further complicated.
What’s also fascinating is that we aren’t restricted by our social or economic class and don’t necessarily stay in them. There are instances where individuals in the upper-social classes have affinities for individuals in the lower classes in terms of dating and friendships. Also, individuals who have ascended into higher economic classes in terms of salary may still have the behavioral inclinations and vices from those in the lower-classes.
Modest But Privileged Beginnings
In writing this post, I am in no way complaining about my upbringing as I’m very grateful for it. One cousin recently actually told me that both my brother and myself had ‘privilege’ that she didn’t have growing up. Again, keep in mind that we weren’t rich, and we were raised by a single parent most of the year. The take home message here is that there are also delineations in privilege within a race even though we tend to think of privilege solely in terms of white vs. black.
The opening quote for this piece came from chapter one of Our Kind of People – a very fitting opening as we’re once again all different. I’m going to close by saying that social and economic class are real dynamics that affect everything from our quality of life, to dating/mating, to politics. These are just some of my thoughts on class. It’s something that I think we need to pay more attention to and acknowledge, and the sooner we do, I think the better off we’ll be.
An Important Discussion Throughout The Year
The original title for this piece was, A Black History Month discussion about race in the black community. I shortened it because this is a discussion that shouldn’t be restricted to one month. I want to thank Rom Wills and another YouTube content creator named BGS IBMOR for their work, and for helping many of us who needed these teachings to become better and wiser men.
BGS IBMOR authored the controversial “Octane Scale“, which we discussed on my original YouTube channel, Big Discussions76. It’s a concept that offends many people, but it’s a concept that I think is important nonetheless. Many of us didn’t understand the roles of social and economic class in our lives aside from the contexts of color, racism and prejudice, but they are real and they are there.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy:
For the next phase of my writing journey, I’m starting a monthly newsletter for my writing and video content creation company, the Big Words LLC. In it, I plan to share inspirational words, pieces from this blog and my first blog, and select videos from my four YouTube channels. Finally, I will share updates for my book project The Engineers: A Western New York Basketball Story. Your personal information and privacy will be protected. Click this link and register using the sign-up button at the bottom of the announcement. If there is some issue signing up using the link provided, you can also email me at bwllcnl@gmail.com . Best Regards.
