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COMMENTARY: We Need Some New Farmers!

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “The New Farmers of America (NFA) began as a national organization for African-American farm youth in 1935 to promote agricultural leadership, character, thrift, scholarship, cooperation, and citizenship. This organization served its members for 30 years providing experience in leadership and education in the agricultural field.
The post COMMENTARY: We Need Some New Farmers! first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

5 years ago

March 6, 2022

Oakland Post

Quit Playin’

By Vincent L. Hall, Texas Metro News, iMessenger Media

Black History comes in chapters, but the best of it is unwritten and cultural. It has always been how we do, what we do, when forced to do it that makes the Black experience unique.

Long sentence, but you get the message!

During and before the “Modern Age,” we as a people had a footprint in two worlds. One was urban; the other was rural or agricultural. The Modern Age ushered in technological innovations, scientific discoveries, and the like. Opportunities in the city drew us from the farm.

One advantage of having a presence in two worlds was that our children were exposed to the best of everything. “Student or Foreign Exchange” programs were prevalent among privileged children, but we had our own low-budget exchange program.

We called it “Going to the country for the summer,” and it worked. That transfer program also worked for rural kids who got a chance to go to the city. The unofficial Black Exchange Program made us better. Much better.

This idea came to mind lately when I talked to a friend, Deacon Charles Johnson. He hipped me to some history I was clueless about. He told me that he had been a member of the New Farmers of America. The Indiana University Library records lend an enlightening synopsis.

“The New Farmers of America (NFA) began as a national organization for African-American farm youth in 1935 to promote agricultural leadership, character, thrift, scholarship, cooperation, and citizenship. This organization served its members for 30 years providing experience in leadership and education in the agricultural field.

Programs and contests designed for the organization awarded youth for achievement within the NFA and their community. In 1965 the NFA merged with the National FFA Organization. At the time of the merger, the NFA consisted of 1,004 chapters in 12 states and over 50,000 members.”

According to the Communities of Practice website.

“George Washington Owens, a professor at Virginia State College, and H. O. Sargent, Federal Agent for Special Populations (Negro, Hispanic, Native- Americans) provided the leadership for establishing the NFA. Owens was Black, and Sargent was white.

Owens was the first Black person to graduate from Kansas State University. His personal and professional papers are in the KSU library archives. Sargent was a graduate of Auburn University. He was killed in a car accident in 1936 in Louisiana.”

Interestingly enough, instead of sporting the cross-section of an ear of corn, like the FFA badge, the NFA used the outline of a cotton boll. Their colors were black and gold with NFA on the emblem. Although picking cotton is now seen as a duty of drudgery and discrimination, the NFA held it out as an aegis of pride.

This newfound nugget bolstered an idea that came to me 20 years ago. We need an active and viable program that encourages the exchange of 10-15-year olds and swaps the city life for the “country life” for at least a few weeks each year.

It irks me that too many children in this community have an outlook on life limited to a five square mile area near their residence. We could reduce crime and a lot of depression by broadening horizons.

Yes, lots of our kids have not been diagnosed but live with depression.

Caring for farm animals, planting crops, and learning to appreciate creation would help immeasurably. Likewise, touching diversity, visiting recreational venues, and being exposed to urban realities would help the small-town kid.

You can’t be on social media all day, dreaming about life, when you got chores and fishing to do. And nowadays, no one depends on technology as much as farmers. Rural residents learn to become their own veterinarians and mechanics. They do their own plumbing, masonry and electricity, and so much more.

The Black Exchange system I want to see would expand our knowledge base. The more we know about people, places, and possibilities, the more we enhance our outlooks, opinions, and opportunities.

We used to have a natural exchange system in place, but we have lost our sense of community, strong family ties, and a sense of adventurism.

We gotta get back to our cotton-picking minds. Recreate the New Farmers of America culture or join the FFA!

#savethechildren #blackculture

Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and an award-winning columnist.

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

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EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ

#AutoNetwork

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Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts

Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY

#AutoNetwork

The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.