文/卢·范彻

康特拉·科斯塔时报

Posted: 04/21/2015 02:29:03 PM PDT

PITTSBURG -- There may be no social suffering more poignant than the current plight of black males in American society. When it comes to education, the picture blurs into pockets of supreme achievement and classrooms lacking financial resources or other foot ladders to academic and long-term success.

The 21st Gospel Community Celebration Concert at Los Medanos Recital Hall on 5月2日 aims to drive a massive, musical steamroller through societal barriers that prevent young black males from succeeding.

LMC音乐总监兼西尔维斯特·亨德森教授指挥学院合唱团。 The energetic Pleasanton resident and successful businessman has arms into real estate, academia and more. But mostly, he wraps in his embrace young males of color -- using the arts, especially music, to teach responsibility, leadership, justice and community.

"The focus (of the show) is on celebrating and supporting African-American males," Henderson says.

每年的五月音乐会总是云集了许多天才，今年也不例外。 在 addition to the choir, the LMC Chamber Chorale will perform classic African-American spirituals. Four guest artist groups will offer gospel and jazz highlights, and featured solo vocalist Lena Byrd-Miles from Oakland makes a return visit bringing a voice Henderson says "has truly been touched by God."

Expanding the program's message, the performance will for the first time introduce a keynote speaker, Dr. Tyrone Howard.

A sought-after motivational speaker and professor of education at UCLA, Howard contributes to numerous periodicals and is the author of a recently released book, "Why Race and Culture Matters in Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap in America's Classrooms."

"I like to talk about two sides of the coin: academic attainments and black males suspended disproportionately from schools," Howard says. "We must understand the gravity of the problems all across the country. 我们还必须讨论什么是可能的。”

The gravity is pronounced in light of 澳门威尼斯人网上赌场 is happening in the country, according to Howard. The most harmful ideology, he says, is the idea that black males are a threat.

“当他们遭受痛苦时，他们得不到同样多的同情。 It's an age-old mentality that plays out in larger society, including schools. The myth -- that these young men have impulse control issues and are ineducable -- it holds black men back."

Howard says people must resist the bias that says prejudice is an entirely white-on-black crime. 他说：“我的研究表明，有色人种也可能同样有罪。”

Research also reveals small charter schools finding success, but the programs don't scale to traditional education settings. Howard says "moving the needle" will require results with magnitude, perhaps an entire district demonstrating the ability to change and improve.

Athletic achievement is often where black males turn first, sometimes sacrificing academics to long hours of practice, training and competition. Howard says it's a double tragedy to emphasize only sports because many students attend school primarily for the arts opportunities that are constantly under threat of being eliminated.

“表演艺术可以对学术表现产生影响，”霍华德说。 "We have to advocate for the role the arts can and should play. Music has always been the soundtrack for black people's inclusion in this country."

Michael Burks, 25, a freshman at LMC who grew up in Richmond and Oakland and now lives in Antioch, says the greatest thing that ever happened to him is music.

“音乐是我的生命。 我做的每件事都与它有关，”伯克斯说。 "I can cry to it, I can have success through it. As African-American males, it sends a message we can't say any other way."

But as a sixth-grade student, struggling to learn, control his anger and speak clearly, Burks says teachers would just teach, but not see if he understood.

“一位六年级的老师让我觉得自己并不笨。 他可以听我说话。 He was white and he cared about me. The darkest times were when 澳门威尼斯人网上赌场 was going on in my life made me need help. Teachers would just rule me out like I had a mental disorder," he recalls.

Immersed in R&B, neo-soul, gospel and the heady aura of Henderson's instruction, Burks is beginning to see himself afresh.

Howard says materials that are socially, culturally and historically relevant to the black experience and better training for teachers will lead to improvements. Applying the same methodologies to black girls and Latinos, he says, will produce more positive narratives and prepare young people to assume leadership roles.

• 什么：第21届福音社区庆祝音乐会
• 时间：晚上7点到10点 5月2日
• 地点：洛斯梅达诺斯学院，2700 E.利兰路，匹兹堡
• 门票：提前16美元，现场18美元
• 信息:925-473-7806