Dr Berrisford Lewis, 23 October 2024
In the poem BLACK MAN WORK by Dominic Nelson-Ashley, the black man is portrayed as someone navigating a system designed to limit his agency, confining him to roles that strip him of his full humanity. This directly connects with Professor Nelarine Cornelius’ reflection on Amartya Sen’s idea that individuals need the freedom to pursue life choices that they have reason to value. In both cases, the central theme is self-determination—the ability to flourish and thrive on one’s own terms. But this flourishing can only happen if the structures that limit the black man’s potential are dismantled, and if he is empowered to work for himself.
Nelson-Ashley’s poem speaks to the tension between two distorted images of the black man: the “man-child,” a figure manipulated by physical strength and emotional vulnerability, and the “child-man,” intellectually capable but trapped in an environment that saps his strength. These stereotypes illustrate how society refuses to allow black men the space to become “man-men,” fully realized individuals who can harness both their mental and physical strengths for their own purposes. The constant pressure to conform to roles shaped by oppression leaves the black man, as the poem suggests, broken and diminished—merely a spectacle for others.
Cornelius, quoting Sen, emphasizes the need for allyship, where conversations and actions reveal the hidden barriers that prevent individuals, especially BAME colleagues, from flourishing in the workplace. In this context, the black man must not only work within existing structures but also reclaim his agency by working for himself, setting up businesses, and creating pathways that honour his talents and aspirations. Just as allyship in organizational contexts seeks to dismantle institutional racism, black economic empowerment demands that black individuals build their own avenues of success.
What is the solution to this perplexing problem? The black man must rise above the societal constraints that seek to limit him, and, as Nelson-Ashley urges, “must do his own work, make his own plan.” Economic empowerment through black entrepreneurship is not just about survival but thriving, a process of breaking free from systems of oppression and building structures that uplift and empower. In building businesses, black men and women create economic leverage, which translates into political power and cultural influence.
The black community is rich with gifts, skills, and abilities. Now is the time to harness that power. As the poem suggests, relying on the existing system will lead to spiritual and emotional fragmentation: “he will be a broken child-child of no use to himself.” The alternative is clear: black men must become “man-men,” standing in their full potential by taking ownership of their destinies.
To reclaim your dignity, your strength, and your future, it is time to work for yourself, build your own legacy. Rise above the chains that seek to confine you. Every step you take in setting up your own business is a step towards freedom. Use your hands, your mind, and your gifts for your own empowerment. As you build, you not only change your life but also the lives of your community. Black business is black power. Start today, shape the destiny that has been denied to you. Be the force that leads your people into the future.
You were never meant to be just a man-child or a child-man—you were born to be a man-man, the master of your own fate. Embrace your potential, and let your work be the foundation for a new world where you, and your community, flourish on your own terms. It’s time to thrive, not just survive. This is based on the poem I posted on 21/10/24.
Dr Berrisford Lewis, 23 October 2024
Dominic Nelson-Ashley 