National Conference of African American Thought Leaders

African American Thought Leaders

Creative ideas
From the Brightest Minds

NAATL OVERVIEW

As a result of a 2010 White House Briefing for African American Leadership and President Obama’s “Call to Action”, Board Members of the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan returned from Washington and organized the Michigan African American Thought Leaders State Action Council.

Since its inception, “The Council” has helped vertically communicate, advocate and debate policy concerns relevant to the White House’s agenda, as well as the quality of life needs of Michigan’s African American Community. In 2022 “the table” for these annual policy discussions expanded beyond Michigan participants, to intellectuals from around the country and evolved to include representatives of several State Action Councils which now comprise “The Conference”.

Planning Meetings

Attendees

Years Of Advocacy

Awards Won

Our Priorities

1) TO FOSTER

To foster the idea of “creating a stronger America via creation of a stronger African American”.

2) TO EXPOSE

To expose communities to methods to combat inner city poverty through use of the stabilization and growth template provided in the African American Commerce Initiative.

3) TO ADVOCATE

To advocate for public and private use of “Best Value Contracting & First Source Hiring” policies as a means to drive improvements in local tax base growth, local business expansion, local workforce development and job creation.

4) TO PURSUE

To pursue the development, funding and extension of life quality models like the Early Cancer Detection, Elder Surgery Pain Prevention, Adolescent SUD, ATOD and CVI interventions in inner-city communities.

5) TO DEVELOP

To develop domestic infrastructure construction, maintenance expertise, partnerships and capital that can be exported for economic development use in Africa.

6) TO PROMOTE

To promote the use of “strength-based” language and references in Black Communities that advance a culture of excellence, resilience, personal and societal responsibility with reverence for “ourstory”.

7) TO CREATE

To create a nexus vehicle for increased “equity investment relationships” between successful African American professionals and businesses.

8) TO LEGISLATE

To Legislate the introduction of “Constitution Week” in K-12 school systems commemorating the signing of the U.S. Constitution, the 14th and 15th Amendments, and educating children on the right and benefits of American citizenship, the use of civility, respect for the rule of law, and obligations of civic responsibility.

9) TO ORIGINATE

To originate an African-African American Collective grounded in a borderless entrepreneurial and investment mindset driven by a desire for a free and self-reliant African world.

10) TO FIGHT

To FIGHT by Flying in Gods’ Holy Truth

TESTIMONIALS ABOUT...

The African American Commerce Initiative

The African American Commerce Initiative is a very broad, cogent and creative strategy for organizing and implementing a much-needed response to achieve a greater involvement of African Americans in Detroit’s economic base and to address the need for more self-determination in policy and its implementation. I was impressed by the cogent understanding and analysis of the fundamental issues, the processes at work and some of the underlying data quantifying the magnitude of the problems.”

Dr. Karl D. Gregory

Economist & Distinguished Professor Emeritus; Oakland University

I very much like the emphasis the African American Commerce Initiative places on building human capital, social capita, community and business opportunities. While building capacity at the individual, family and
community level something the requires many years, in my opinion this is and absolutely essential feature for rebuilding community, neighborhoods and the city. I also like the basic frameworks for thinking about how to encourage home ownership and I agree that there is a big disconnect happening with “investor” or non homestead property tax delinquency.

Dr. Mark Skidmore

Professor of Economics; Michigan State University

The African American Commerce Initiative constitutes a sensible strategy for revitalizing Detroit. It articulates a coherent and feasible strategy for catalyzing the necessary investment and entrepreneurial activity required for sustainable economic growth in Detroit. I wholeheartedly endorse it.

Dr. Gregory N. Price

Professor of Economics, Morehouse College; Dean, School of Business; Langston University

I have found from my research that home ownership is key for strong and healthy neighborhoods and the African American Commerce Initiative prominently and adequately included action items aimed at addressing this area. As I teach my students in my Urban Economics class...strong neighbors make for strong neighborhoods.

Dr. Gary A. Hoover

Professor of Economics, Culverhouse College of Commerce; University of Alabama

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