Three attributes, which are non-existent in many urban schools today, pervaded my school environment: a humanized educational environment; teachers who believed in us and expected us to learn; and punishment, which was not as a means to criminalize students for adolescent behavior.

We forget that black youth have important ideas to offer during critical discussions about issues directly affecting their lives. Black youth voices are routinely rendered invisible. It's a dilemma that the documentary Woke Up Black addresses head-on.

The lost lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School have something to say to the entire nation, but especially to black America. We'll have blood on our hands if we miss this moment to protect the lives of inner-city youth who more than most are subject to random acts of violence and death.

Dunn claims he acted in self-defense, and that he felt "threatened" before opening fire on the vehicle. His attorney argues that Dunn "acted responsibly." He is now calling on a legal hook for his view that his actions were warranted: Florida's deeply misguided "stand your ground" law.

Booze and binge drinking -- it's the stuff hip hop videos are made of, along with a disproportionate number of advertisements African-American youth a...

As the 2012 election approaches it is important to realize how young people of color are using new media to amplify their voices in the political realm. Are we prepared to embrace their innovation and support their engagement?

The young men who are groomed to epitomize hyper-superficiality have a generation of young women who are encouraged to select their mates based on what the person has financially and materially as opposed to who the person is on the inside.

I do not want focus here on what young black boys need to do to avoid incarceration, death, and poor schooling. Rather, I want to focus on what we all must learn and understand about the black male experience in order to make sure there is not another Trayvon case.

I made Woke Up Black to document what Trayvon's story tells us -- how race can influence and override many other factors in determining the futures of African-American youth.

A new report from Yale University found that beverage companies are targeting children, particularly black and Hispanic youths, in their sales campaig...

As adults, we must set the tone for the young people and provide them with more love and less hatred. They already live in bogus conditions where it is damn near impossible to find a good role model.