Hello, this is Black Horizons and I'm Chris Moore.

Everywhere I go, I emphasize the value of reading.

I'm going to do that today here with some folks that kno just how fundamental reading is.

We're also going to encourage you to participate in our Black Horizons 25th anniversary celebration that's coming soon to a television station near you.

Guess which one?

All of that and a preview of some coming attractions to that same station that might interest you on today's show.

First up, let's talk about the creation of wealth for the black community.

Not just about money, but intellectual capital as well.

Here is a gentleman who has a great interest in seeing that that develops.

Let me introduce you to Charles Reaves, the president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Black MBA Association.

Welcome to Black Horizons.

We're glad to have you here.

Thank you very much.

When we talk about the creation of wealth, both intellectually and monetary capital, what do you believe to be the first step that the black community needs to take toward the creation of those two forms of wealth?

Actually, the intellectual in the monetary wealth generation process kind of goes in tandem, hand in hand.

We view it as basically, a change of behavior, if you will.

There are some economists that estimate maybe as much as $300 billion a year being spent and on consumer goods and services in the United States, which would make us maybe the eighth or ninth largest gross national product in this country.

That's just by African-Americans, just by African-Americans alone.

However, some minuscule percentage of that amount is actually spent on black owned businesses.

So one of the key things that we see is, one, the formation of black owned businesses.

And two black Americans o African Americans, if you will.

Developing a consciousness and a propensity for buying and purchasing goods and services from these, these black owned businesses.

We have discussed that on this show and innumerable shows that I have produce over 20 years as a broadcaster.

Yet and still, I don't see any significant increase in, in any survey that I've ever seen of the amount of dollars that Black Americans spend with other black Americans, particularly those black American businesses.

What can be done to stimulate that kind of economic spending and growth in our community?

Well, one of the problems you talked about earlier or mentioned earlier was, the capital formation issue.

You typically find, for a lot of, minority owned businesses, the they're starting out on a shoestring with insufficient capital, to begin with.

And so many of them don't stay in business long enough to develop the credibility to, penetrate that market.

And secondly, advertising things of that nature is very expensive.

And then there's a psychological issues, psychological conditioning that needs to be addressed in black community.

That requires education, that requires, dialog consciousness raising.

Okay.

Now, the National Black MBA Association is about the business of doing that through a number of programs.

Is that correct?

That's right.

Can you tell us about some of them?

Okay.

One of the and we do a number of things in the black MBAs.

Let me just mention this.

The Pittsburgh chapter is but one chapter of 28 chapters nationwide, and we have 2500 members nationwide in all major cities.

About a third of our members are entrepreneurs.

And we actively promote, and we, we recruit and promote our, entrepreneur entrepreneurial members.

If there is, so it's not just a group of folks who have MBAs who are workin for major businesses downtown.

Absolutely.

And and very typically a career pattern for your black professional is that you you get your MBA from a top ten school, and you get a nice, corporate job, and you work for 5 or 6 or ten years, and and what do you know, you find that there's a glass ceiling or all of a sudden, your performance is becoming, a bit of a problem, or perhaps you even get caught in a downsizing.

Many of those individuals become entrepreneurs.

They've been managing 10 to $25 million revenue generating divisions in some large corporation.

And the thought is, logically, that they should be able to do the same thing on their own.

You see that type of individual, and then you also see people that are coming right out of school and basically bypassing the corporate route.

And one company was as well.

The success rate that thos folks have, is it pretty good?

Is that your understanding?

Yes.

We, we have found that of the type that we're generally in contact with, the success rate the success rate is very high.

And that's primarily because one a very strong experience base, which adds to the credibility, strong managerial training, strong support among, certain segments of the black community and just better promotion, marketing, technical skills, that sort of thing.

So if I'm a young person, you're telling m that this is a good route to go?

Sometimes, to become a entrepreneur, to get that MBA, to study the, system is it works here in America, maybe to go out into that system and actually work or even go directly in as an entrepreneur.

That is correct.

And this is not to criticize those that have chosen the corporate route.

But we we view this as a viable investment alternative, and we strongly encourage it.

And we provide services, programs to assist those sorts of individuals.

We do a lot of networking with other organizations in the city that do the same thing also.

We try to, provide, workshops, training sessions for our members, accounting, finance, strategic planning, that sort of thing.

So you have a person with an MBA in marketing may not be that strong in finance and accounting.

You have those types of an organization, and we can provide support for them.

Do you hope to see a change in the way that, we as African Americans spend our money so that we will support those businesses that we own within our communities and without?

Absolutely.

There are a number of very deserving businesse out there that, really very much deserve to be supported b the African American community.

And I'm well, it's often very surprising to, to, to to know the obvious that that's not occurring.

That gets bac to those psychological things.

It goes back to the you hav some programs you talked about.

One of them is called MECA?.

Yes.

MECA is a, a new program that we are now developing.

Feasibility study for MECA stands for the Minority Entrepreneuria Consulting Assistance Program.

And this is our attempt to, institutionalize a consulting practice with the Pittsburgh chapter.

We feel that we have some of the best trained professionals in the area.

We have individuals that have been bankers and strategic planners marketers, that sort of thing.

And they're they're doing these these sorts of functions for large corporations and we think that, we'd like to pull this talent and aim it at black owned businesses in the black community, provide this service, that serves two purposes.

One, it's going to it's goin to assist the black community.

It's going to assist these small entrepreneurs that are trying to grow, say, a person that knows how to make ice cream cones but doesn't know anything about bookkeeping.

This is the sort of thing that we can, we, we would like to provide support in.

Or somebody that needs to have a business plan develop for, to, to get $1 million loan or to have investors to participate in some project.

There are individuals in our groups that, that, that do that frequently.

And we'd like to harness that energy and aim it in that direction.

The second part of it is that it it sponsors and it increases consciousness of entrepreneurship among our members, particularly the corporate types, and that they begin to gain a greater, greater appreciation of, this route as an alternative.

And you bringing young people along also.

Absolutely.

We work a lot with graduate students, and, 38% of the membership of the Pittsburgh chapter, student members.

That's pretty good.

How about the local college?

You really reaching back to help those young folks and show them, a career path that they can take?

Absolutely.

And that kind of ties into the intellectual wealth development as well.

Each year, the, the national body and the Pittsburgh chapter sponsors a number of fellowship and scholarship programs for undergraduate, MBA and PhD candidates.

Financial support based on essays, their grade point average, and their performance in interviews.

This year alone, the Pittsburgh chapter has awarded $4,000 in graduate and undergraduat scholarships to four students, three of which have becom student members of organization.

The topic, the essay topic was, developing a strategy for the economic empowerment for the black community.

So we kind of use this a an intelligentsia to get ideas.

And you're getting, as a member, a very highly motivated individual that would not only write about it, but more than likel would want to see this project carry it through to its fruition.

That's good in terms of long term development and creating that kind of intellectual, as well as monetary capital.

You have something else coming up called, destination MBA.

Right.

Destination MBA is a, a joint program.

It was, started in 1986.

Sponsored by the graduat management admissions Council, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs and the National Black MBA Association.

And the purpose of this free seminar is to raise the awareness of those individuals that have been underrepresented in management ranks native Americans, Africa African-Americans and Hispanics, to raise their consciousness a to opportunities for achieving some sort of graduate managemen degree and management careers.

This year it's going to be held in ten cities throughout the United States, in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh chapter is going to be hosting this for the first time in its eight year history.

We're very excited about it.

And, we we vie this as a, as a really positive move to, kind of get the juice flowing here in the community.

You say it's free.

Who is it open to?

It is open to the public.

So I don't have to have my MBA or even be in the, business arena if I have some dreams, some wishes, some desires, and want to know how I might, connect them to American business, then I might learn something by attending.

Absolutely.

And specifically we're looking for people that, person with an English degree or finance degree, someone who's in the television business or, a person who's an engineer or or any sort of non business, so-calle non business professional that, might want to promote himself in the management ranks of his company, his or her company or, develop the skills to strike out on their own.

Oh, maybe I could learn something about management around here and how to get promoted in this company.

You imagine, and then you have all types.

You have all types.

Getting MBAs.

And I can tell you from my experience, I got my MBA at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and, the top guy in my finance class, one of my finance class was an actor.

His undergraduate degree was in fine arts.

And so, you have all types being attracted to this discipline and, literally all types.

Okay.

And it looks like it's going to be open to anybody.

All types are attracted and you can learn a lot.

One of ten cities around the nation.

That's correct.

That's going to be doing this.

That's correct.

Now we are once again targeting the thos that have been underrepresented.

But, the public is certainly welcome.

And, this is going to be held on September 18th at the Westin William Penn Hotel.

We will have, an all day series of workshops and seminars, one, two morning sessions on preparing to go to graduate school, and another on opportunities and management careers and an afternoon session on, the graduate management admissions test, how to do well on it, ho to prepare all that here for it.

Sample questions that you might encounter.

Okay.

Things of that nature.

All right.

Well, thank you, Mr.

Reaves, for being here.

We appreciate it.

Well, thank you very much for having me.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the National Black MBA Association presents “Destination MBA” at the William Western Penn Hotel, September 18th.

For more information, you can simply pick up your phone and dial 393-6221.

That number again is 393-6221.

The Black Horizon's 25th anniversary special is coming up soo and we want you to get involved.

Here's me to tell you more.

Hello, I'm Chris Moore.

This year, Black Horizon celebrates its 25th year.

1968 was a year of change here in Pittsburgh.

On April 4th, Doctor King was assassinated.

And here in the city, riots soon followed.

Later that month, Black Horizons began.

It seems like a long time ago, but most of you remember 1968 all too vividly.

We're asking yo to help recall memories of 68.

Now, along wit the aid of your video cameras.

Just gather up some old photos and tape them and send them along with you on camera, recounting your favorite memory of 68.

Each week during our silver anniversary well air one of your memories of 1968.

It'll make you eligible for special prizes that will be offering.

And later this year, you'll be invited to our big 25th anniversary celebration bash.

So come on, get out those video cameras and those old photographs, and send along your favorite memory of 68 to memories of 68 in care of Black Horizons.

4802 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

All you have to do to enter is to remember when and recreate your favorite memory of 68.

Every time we show that, People roll their eyes when they see those old pictures of me from 1968.

But I can' wait to see the ones from you.

So I hope that you will get out your VCR and start taping.

We want to see the results of what you've done and how good your memories are.

It's going to be a big, fun, celebration.

We're going to have it righ here in the studio on the set.

We're inviting a whole lot of people, and we want you to participate.

So please, get out your VCR and send, those memories of 68 along to us.

Keep them down to a minute.

We can't wait to show you a video.

Well, we told you at the top of our show that we would show yo some coming attractions for QED.

There is an interesting travel show that has come to our fair station called Rough Guide.

They travel to exciting vacation spots that for some people, are not normally considered when making vacation plans.

One of the place that they're going is a country I'd like to visit called Zimbabwe on the next Rough Guide, a walk on the Wild side in Zimbabwe on safari at Hwange National Park, rafting the raging Zambezi.

Trekking through the biggest bar in Africa.

Trust, a theater group raising awareness about Aids, and a look at the custom of buying your bride for a few cows.

This is travel with an attitude.

On the next rough guide.

Rough Guide i Monday, August 2nd at 10 p.m.. Travel with an attitude indeed.

Well, I mentioned as we began the show that I talk about the value of reading wherever I go.

I know that many of you share that same joy and value system you are reading, thinking, creative people.

So are the fine folk at the Martin Luther King Reading Center, and they've come aboard today to talk about what the center is doing in the lives of Hill District Youth.

Here are Johnette Webb and, John Henry Redwood.

Miss Webb.

Welcome to our program, Mr.

Redwood.

Same to you.

Glad to have you both back.

They tell me so much about you two people that I just don't know where to start.

Miss.

Webb, I am told that you are a driving force and irresistible force.

As a matter of fact, that jus doesn't take no for an answer.

And, you have inspired so many people to become involve and to build on a vision that, gets to so many people and let them share that joy of reading.

How do you respond to that?

Modestly, I'll bet.

Well, yes.

However, in terms of doing that, we it's more than just the reading.

We are more in depth to not only the reading but the full gamut of culture.

And for which that's one of our reasons for being here today is to to further that interest in the, black cultural, interest throughout the, what, southwest Pennsylvania area.

How do you do that?

Through the cultural center?

Well, we have we've had we just within the last year, there have been a number of kinds of things that we have done, that, and, and, and some of them been we had a community award celebration, which, it's a modest because it really is just happened to be that person who was chosen t to be to receive the war award.

But at that particular award, celebration.

John Henry performed.

And by doing some reading from Paul, Paul, Laurence Dunbar and we had, a reading from a performance in conjunction with, John, doctor Vernell Lillie, who assisted him in it.

That something that we could bring into the community that's not available, just ordinarily in the Hill district and specifically.

Well, lets talk about Mr.

Reedwood first of all, your name.

You got the best nam did anybody could ever have John Henry to begin with?

And then Redwood.

And then I look at that body and you look like a big redwood tree.

Or you could be the fictional John Henry himself.

You got the voice and everything that goes along with it.

And you must be a strong deep within your heart.

When I talk about what people tell me about the two of you, about how you drive back and forth, about how you write and perform plays and how you use that as a vehicle, sometimes to heighten people's cultural awareness.

And I know you're going t modestly respond to this, too, but everywhere I go, people talk about, your, your heart, your heart for the community and how you use your work to, to lift all boats.

So to speak.

How do you respond to those kinds of descriptions of you?

Well, I probably think it's over exaggerated, but no, I don't know how many miles of you got out of your car.

Well, yeah.

Okay.

But, first of all, I like driving.

Well, that's that's no big problem.

But, having been here in Pittsburgh specifically and, I've got in touch with a lot of people, and I find is a wonderful city, and the people are wonderful people.

And when the opportunity came about to do some work with the Martin Luther King Cultural Center, I was very glad to do it, because, there's a strong sense of commitment from the people that are involved in this particular project.

They worked very hard and, they are I can see where it can make a difference in not only in the lives of children, but in the lives of the adults of the community.

And as it grows, I would I could see it making a difference in Pittsburgh in general, I get an opportunit to move throughout the country with theater and film and writing.

And I find that in our major cities, there are very few places that have such a center.

And hopefully this would come up here.

And, so anything you could do to strengthen tha or anything to do, oh, anything.

Let's see.

I know your commitment goes beyond that because a number of time on the radio program that I do, we read the, PSA about the play that you had written about, inspired by your mother, about breast cancer.

Oh, yeah.

And how that inspired many women who normally do not have access to that kind of health care to visit the mobile mammography unit when it came to town.

So you committed to a lot of these kinds of things?

Yes.

I try to be I mean, I think, I think there are a lot of people who are I just I'm just more fortunate to have done some things here that will kind of jus push me off in the public side.

But there are a lot of people right here in Pittsburgh who are very committed.

And this particular, project that we're involved in, is a commitment not only by the Martin Luther King Junior, the board of the Martin Luther King Junior Cultural Center.

But then there is also, people like, Meredith Myers and Sandy Neville of the Carnegie Mellon and, Neely Abrahams and, and a lot of the other people around the cit who are volunteering their time to who helped us fro various ways to make sure.

Yeah.

So there's a lot of commitment here.

It's not just mine.

Okay.

Oh, what's going to happen?

What are some of the big advancements with the one that we are really working extremely hard for right now is that, we are going to present, play, at the, the, Craftmans Manchester Craftmans Guild on August the 20th, 21st and 22nd of, of August.

And which John is going to start with and two other persons who will be assisting him.

But that is our main thrust right now.

And we we are doing that because we want to, to coin a word, we are on want to do, we want to raise some funds, but however we want to raise some friends.

So I and economic and for the kind of project, that we are projecting and this is largest this is our first really large performance that we have had.

We've had a numbe of more many types of projects.

And with all this money, because I know everybody's going to turn out of the 20th to the 22nd at the Manchester Craftsman's Guild to see this production.

What are you going to be able to do at the Cultural Center?

Well, we are this is this project.

The cultural center itself has not been constructed.

This is the reading center is the first phase of a three phase project that was started in 1987.

And the cultural center is, is, is to be built yet and this is for us.

That is this is a continuation of the dream, a continuation of it's never completed.

I yes.

Right now, so that we are doing this so that we can get, get to people not just in the immediate community, but we want to make friends and gain friends throughout the community, to the larger community to, participat and come and enjoy this program.

And then beyond that, to become friends.

And I do mean participating friends.

Okay, I think we get your drift.

I see some of that forest cover.

Yeah.

Johnny Redwood, what is the play going to be about?

What are we going to say?

Well, it's about Paul Robeson, and, it takes his life from the time he goes off to Rutgers in 1950 until, he's an old man.

And throughout the play, he moves in and out as being an old man.

And there's a lot of regulations.

And, as his life goes on a chance to learn a lot about, one of the great figures in our history who stood up in a very unpopular cause at the time, but knew he was righ well, and also stood up alone.

We we forget that, I mean, and I'm not taken away from them.

So you always have to preface that.

But, Malcolm and Martin, they had organizations.

This man was out there by himself, you know, and he made a move.

It was on his own.

And he, you know, he suffered the consequences.

And I think it caught u with him at the end of his life.

What?

Five letter man?

He was a singer, an actor an athlete, a lawyer, a lawyer.

Oh, gee, he he you talk about a Renaissance man.

Paul Robeson was a Renaissance man in those times.

You know, in those times when you consider all humanitarian work again and humanitarian, or are you happy that all of this is coming together, Miss Webb?

Yes, we are elated.

However, we will be much more so when we see those of the, not only those who are, but, the vast majority more.

But I, I'd like to kind of emphasize the and put some emphasis on the, the difference in the two and the three, performances quickly.

The one, the first one is the black tie performance that is on on the 20th.

And the second one we are we ar attempting to get a number of, senior citizens and older persons in church to go and get them for that group.

And on on Sunday afternoon, we want to emphasize as many youth as we can get.

And if people want tickets, is there a phone number that they can call?

They can call.

268-8177.

Would you repeat that, please?

268-817 and I'll ask for Sandy Neville.

Okay.

And she'll be glad to help them and process their ticket orders, donations, volunteer time, anything else that they want to donate to fo the continuation of the dream.

One other thing is, is that any do it for their group rates for fo But we can't mention the rates.

But Sandyll tell them all of us.

Okay.

All right.

Thanks for being here.

We appreciate it.

And we hope the event on August 20th through the 22nd is a grand one.

And it is a great economic and fun of all.

A friend, a friend.

Anomic.

Excuse me, that's wrap for another Black Horizons.

And we are certainly glad that you joined us.

Don't forget, I can also be heard on WCHA 15:50 on your radio weekdays from 7 to 10 a.m.. I host Black Talk.

I hope to see you, here next week, but if I don't maybe I'll hear you there bye.