About the Journey Thru Black America
The black community is facing a crisis of epidemic proportion. Despite the “progress” we have seemingly made over the years, marked by the election of the first black man as President of the United States, our community continues to suffer disproportionately in almost EVERY social ill in this country: The high school graduation rate of our young males is the lowest of any group, our children are reading at levels way below their counterparts, unemployment rates for black people is higher than any other group, 75% of our children grow up in single parent homes. I can go on to talk about teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS rates, poverty, incarceration… you name it. If it’s a bad stat, most likely black people are disproportionately represented. Not to mention the image and perception portrayed of our community in the main stream media. Recently, I’ve been inspired by something that I first heard from Louis Farrakhan, but has been uttered by so many of our leaders throughout history. “Why does the black community continually wait for others to do for us what we can do for ourselves?”
What I am calling the “Journey Through Black America,” is my personal attempt to start a dialogue that results in the black community coming together to make a better future for ourselves. I will be traveling throughout the country by foot and bike, uncovering wonderful stories within the black community. The public, in particular, the black community will be encouraged to experience the journey with me through several social media outlets including. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube as well as our website www.journeythrublackamerica.weebly.com. I will be facebooking, tweeting, blogging, videotaping and taking pictures the entire time.
The objectives of this journey…
How To Follow
What I am calling the “Journey Through Black America,” is my personal attempt to start a dialogue that results in the black community coming together to make a better future for ourselves. I will be traveling throughout the country by foot and bike, uncovering wonderful stories within the black community. The public, in particular, the black community will be encouraged to experience the journey with me through several social media outlets including. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube as well as our website www.journeythrublackamerica.weebly.com. I will be facebooking, tweeting, blogging, videotaping and taking pictures the entire time.
The objectives of this journey…
- Highlight great POSITIVE stories in the black community
- Highlight black businesses
- Raise money for “It Takes a Village, To Save A Village” Scholarship (Ideally get 1,000,000 donors to pledge at least $20 per year for 5 years) http://togetherasonefoundation.org
- Discuss issues facing the black community with people throughout my journey and work to create concrete solutions to address these issues.
How To Follow
- Facebok Pages
- Journey Through Black America (http://facebook.com/journeythrublackamerica )
- Together AsOne (http://facebook.com/togetherasoneus)
- Baron Hilliard (http://facebook.com/baron.hilliard)
- Together AsOne Foundation (http://facebook.com/togetherasonefoundation )
- http://twitter.com/jtBlackAmerica
- http://twitter.com/togetherasonefd (Together AsOne Foundation)
- Website
- Journeythrublackamerica@gmail.com (Official Journey Email)
- info@togetherasonefoundation.org (Foundation emaill)
Who's Baron?
Personal Mission: To be a resource that connects people, businesses and opportunities for the empowerment of my community. (Addendum... to encourage as many LOL's, LMAO's, ROTFL, and :-)'s as possible!)
Boring Bio: Baron Hilliard is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Together AsOne. His company is focused on providing effective, “grass roots” marketing solutions for small black owned businesses. Baron is very knowledgeable in utilizing social media to increase exposure for businesses and events. Baron has also worked for several non-profit organizations including the Three Doctors Foundation and the Greater Newark Business Development Consortium.
Baron is very passionate about exploring solutions to empower the black community and identifies himself as a social entrepreneur. This passion is evidenced by the creation and launch of the Together AsOne Foundation that envisions a black community that is empowered and self-reliant. He firmly believes in the idea expressed by Carter G. Woodson that the black community should not wait for others to do for it, that which the black community can do for itself.
Baron is a graduate of Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and is a lifelong resident of Plainfield N.J.,
The Fun Stuff:
Nicknames: B, B-Luv, The Caramel Sensation (stripper name), Byron (My Jamaican name courtesy of Elma's Kitchen), Snoopy Cakes (Courtesy of my Boo Love)
Favorite Foods: Fried Chicken/Fried Fish, Jerk Chicken, Chipotle
Favorite TV Show: Martin, 24, The Wire, The Office
Favorite Movie: Harlem Nights, Life, Lady Sings the Blues, Top Gun
Favorite Book: The Autobiography of Malcolm X, The Mis-education of the Negro
Favorite Songs: The Butt, Wanna Be Starting Somethin', All I Do, I Ain't No Joke
Favorite Quote: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and "Why wait for others to do for our community that which we can do for ourselves."
Person I Admire the Most: My dad
Hobbies: Laughing and doing anything fun as long as I have good company. (Is it odd that riding bikes is not on here...hmmm)
Boring Bio: Baron Hilliard is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Together AsOne. His company is focused on providing effective, “grass roots” marketing solutions for small black owned businesses. Baron is very knowledgeable in utilizing social media to increase exposure for businesses and events. Baron has also worked for several non-profit organizations including the Three Doctors Foundation and the Greater Newark Business Development Consortium.
Baron is very passionate about exploring solutions to empower the black community and identifies himself as a social entrepreneur. This passion is evidenced by the creation and launch of the Together AsOne Foundation that envisions a black community that is empowered and self-reliant. He firmly believes in the idea expressed by Carter G. Woodson that the black community should not wait for others to do for it, that which the black community can do for itself.
Baron is a graduate of Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and is a lifelong resident of Plainfield N.J.,
The Fun Stuff:
Nicknames: B, B-Luv, The Caramel Sensation (stripper name), Byron (My Jamaican name courtesy of Elma's Kitchen), Snoopy Cakes (Courtesy of my Boo Love)
Favorite Foods: Fried Chicken/Fried Fish, Jerk Chicken, Chipotle
Favorite TV Show: Martin, 24, The Wire, The Office
Favorite Movie: Harlem Nights, Life, Lady Sings the Blues, Top Gun
Favorite Book: The Autobiography of Malcolm X, The Mis-education of the Negro
Favorite Songs: The Butt, Wanna Be Starting Somethin', All I Do, I Ain't No Joke
Favorite Quote: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and "Why wait for others to do for our community that which we can do for ourselves."
Person I Admire the Most: My dad
Hobbies: Laughing and doing anything fun as long as I have good company. (Is it odd that riding bikes is not on here...hmmm)
