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Dear Congressmember, Enclosed is a description of a book I wrote because I believe elected officials need to be informed of some possible solutions to the problems that affect African Americans. I hope that it will provide some ideas that could be implemented to improve the lives of all Americans, not just African Americans.I believe that Democrats have always been interested in trying to improve our lives, but our problems are major and require some major actions. FDR tried with the New Deal and Lyndon Johnson tried with the War on Poverty. Obama wanted to imitate their efforts, but he had too many enemies. If Democrats regain control of the federal government and have a realistic plan, African Americans can stop filling up prisons and the foster care system.The foundation of a country is the family, but the African American family has been destroyed. The only way it can be rebuilt is to strengthen all of its members. Black families need more than pre-k programs, Boys Clubs, and accessible basketball courts. Children from single parent families need two teachers in a classroom.
About the author
Leila Jaden is a 69-year-old African American who was born and raised in Alabama during the Jim Crow Era. She rode in the back of the bus and was among the second group of black students to integrate the "white" high school. During her formative years, her non-professional parents subscribed to and read the daily local newspaper and Newsweek magazine. Other publications included Ebony and Jet Magazines. A weekly, family highlight was to thumb through Jet Magazine to find out which African Americans would be on which television programs during the next week. Her parents reared their five children with the understanding that they would graduate from college.Ms. Jaden graduated from Spelman College (psychology), Atlanta University (masters in teaching early childhood education), and earned 96 graduate hours in psychology and human development from Vanderbilt University. She retired from Alabama A&M University, a HBCU, as an assistant professor. Her belief in creating a utopia was influenced by her accompanying Home Visitors during President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty and teaching in child development centers located in public housing projects.Her retirement is consisting of visiting her two adult daughters, her 13-year-old grandson, and writing in her blog, www.oneblackwomansopinions.com. She also participates in political campaigns and watches Judge Judy with the hope that her 10, 000, 000 member audience observes the difficult lives of her litigants and how she, with a $40,000,000 dollar a year income, is unsympathetic toward people who receive small disability checks, do not have car insurance, and go through periods of being homeless.
