Changing the World: Block by Block

Excerpted from The New Urban Leaders , by Joyce Ladner. (c) 2001 The Brookings Institution. Reprinted with permission of The Brookings Institution. All rights reserved. Buy the book from Amazon.com and help support GraceOnline.

The New Urban Leaders

Few of the conditions that affect the urban poor are the result of their own conscious choices. In the case of those who are both poor and members of racial minority groups, housing, education, and employment opportunities are further limited by forces largely beyond their control.

Poverty is at least a partial explanation for problems that cause some black Americans to be labeled the black urban underclass.

While some policymakers argue that poverty is no excuse, poverty is at least a partial explanation for problems that cause some black Americans to be labeled the black urban underclass. Marginalization and isolation from the nation‰s mainstream have systematically separated them from the societal resources, opportunities, and networks that would allow them to lift themselves from their poverty. The status of the black urban underclass has been likened to that of blacks during the era of racial segregation. The demonization of this class, resulting in disproportionate rates of incarceration for black males, has been critical in maintaining its isolation from society‰s mainstream.

Among those who have not written off the black urban underclass as hopeless and helpless are the new urban leaders who are the subject of this book-heads of community-based urban organizations who have exceptional leadership ability, who inspire and motivate others of become involved in the issues, and who articulate the issues in a way that resonates with the concerns of their followers. A majority of these leaders are black; a small number are white but work with black constituents. Although these leaders have varied backgrounds, training, and perspectives on the meaning of leadership, and although their expectations of what is required to get the job done are as diverse as the African American population itself, the beliefs they have in common are greater than those that separate them. They have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what works, and why. They are committed to the long-term approach to fixing problems. They are realistic; they understand that they cannot save everyone. This fortitude, this ability to not be deterred by failure, may well be the most important characteristic of these effective leaders.

This book examines the early stages of an emerging field, that of urban community development specialists.

The direction these new leaders take represents the fusion of leadership ideologies, styles, and strategies of the Civil Rights movement and Great Society programs.

The figures discussed represent a promising type of leadership that is in the process of being defined, just as these leaders are in the process of testing workable strategies. They are presented in this analysis as the third stage of a continuum, beginning with civil rights activists and followed by leaders who honed their skills in the Great Society and antipoverty programs initiated by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The direction these new leaders take represents the fusion of leadership ideologies, styles, and strategies of the Civil Rights movement and Great Society programs.

There is not yet a critical body of theory to explain the data presented here. The field of public policy does not have definitive conceptual models on race, and studies of race largely omit the sharp public policy focus that is needed. For example, most African American national and local leaders, in both the public and private sectors, have not developed effective methods to negotiate with government officials on reducing racial disparities in such fundamental areas of human welfare as health care, education, income, and housing. This is not solely the responsibility of black leaders, who in fact have a history of focusing on human welfare issues. It is due in great measure to the lack of commitment and cooperation by the government. These leaders have done some very effective and promising work, but they would be even more effective if there were a commitment by government to develop and sustain comprehensive federal and state policies to solve the major problems of the inner city. Since a disproportionate number of inner-city residents are black, this is often perceived to be a black problem.

This is largely a descriptive study.

The intent is for readers to learn more about some of the nation‰s unsung heroes.

It allows the participants to speak in their own voices about the problems they attempt to solve on a daily basis. The intent is to understand who these leaders are, what attracted them to their work, the roles they and their organizations play in shaping solutions to critical problems, and their assessments of the major pitfalls and limitations they face. In-depth, focused interviews were conducted with the participants, who were selected though reputation, referrals, visibility, and informal networks. The interviews were taped and transcribed; they are augmented by secondary data. The case study method is used to present and analyze the data. Participants were encouraged to talk about the challenges and pressures they face, the problem-solving methods they use, the paths their careers have followed, and the way they mentor the young people in their organizations. The intent is for readers to learn more about some of the nation‰s unsung heroes, who show an unusual commitment to solving the tough issues in arenas where the pay is low and the stakes are high.