The Joshua Generation

I was hit hard by a statement made by CNN senior political analyst and Harvard professor David Gergen that this generation is not the lost generation but "The Joshua Generation."  Barack Obama represents a new age and we all collectively represent that power going forward. This is a huge responsibility, one in which I humbly and gladly accept.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with who "Joshua" was, let me explain briefly.

Joshua is a Judeo/Christian figure of the Torah and The Bible.  He was a leader chosen by God to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land as a successor to Moses (in the books Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Joshua). Moses had liberated the people from enslavement in Egypt, laid the cultural and religious groundwork, and mapped out the plan to success. Moses had a vision and he lead the people as far as he could, right to the border, on the mountain top, where they could see into the land that they would one day inherit, but he passed away from old age before they made it.

Joshua led the tribes into Canaan's Land, The Land of Milk and Honey. Joshua was appointed by Moses to succeed him as leader of the Israelites upon his death. The first major part of his book (the book of Joshua) is when he commanded the subsequent conquest of Canaan's Land. As the Israelites came to the Jordan River, the waters parted, as they did for Moses at the Red Sea. The first major battle was in Jericho, where the walls of Jericho fell under Joshua's leadership.

Joshua also divided the conquered The Promised Land among the tribes of Israel as God had promised and instructed him to.

What a beautiful parallel. 

Martin Luther King Jr. and many others were leaders and forces who collectively led us out of Egypt and into The wilderness of Sinai. Dr. King even drew from Moses' story in Exodus in his "I Have A Dream" speech. We have toiled for the last 50 plus years in this country, after fighting for equality, and winning many civil rights, including the right to vote. Meanwhile, we seem to have fallen off track and lost our identities along the way, just as the children of Israel fell prey to Idol worship and false Gods. We have fallen prey to materialism, selfishness, greed, divisiveness and self-destructive behaviors.

Our leaders, our communities, our schools, our entertainment has fallen so off the marked path that we are divided as a community and as a country. African Americans went from freedom fighters in the 50s and 60s to fighting to survive in our own communities against threats to ourselves, drugs, gangs, HIV/AIDS and generations born into misdirection, without real goals or purpose. But now is the time to leave that old state and condition behind, to depart from the wilderness and enter into the land of promise.

On Nov 4th we saw Barack Obama and the movement of change part the waters and bring us into a promise, just like Joshua (which by the way is just another English translation for the same name as Jesus; Yahshua in Hebrew). I am not a religious person, and I am by no means attempting to deify Barack Obama or compare him to a figure so revered by Christians as to blaspheme anyone's faith, but I cannot help but be awed by the parallels.

As a part of making world history, a part of The Joshua Generation, I am faced with the task of actually doing something with the milk and honey I just inherited. Voting was not the end of my job, it was only the beginning. I cannot now sit back and expect Barack Obama to do the work alone while I bury my head in Myspace and escape back into the world of the non-thinking. Now comes the responsibility of my peer group. Now comes the work. And the hardest part of it is the change I must see in myself -- and lawd knows I can be lazy.

I must be committed to being a moving force -- which means, I take a vow to work, to fight, to secure and manifest that rightful inheritance of life, liberty, justice, equality and the pursuit of happiness for all of us. Being a part of the Joshua Generation does not mean we now get to party because we elected a Black president. Our work is not done. It means that we now must make real the promises of our forefathers. We must now make good on the hopes and dreams of this country for all Americans.

I encourage my peers (30 - 40 year olds), my mentors (40 and over), my mentees (under 30), to take this moment to ask yourself: What do I stand for? What is my contribution to the uplift of my people and of my country? I'm not telling you to become a politician, but be and remain involved, and be the best you that there is: entertainer, athlete, educator, mother, father, sister or brother. We as people of color can look to our country, to the White House, and finally see a shining example of ourselves reflected back at us after 200 years.

And to my brothers and sisters, let the world look at you and see a president, a first lady, an international figure of hope, progress and intelligence, not just a source of entertainment, a fashion statement, a good joke, a danceable groove, or a grim statistic. We no longer need the hood façade to demand respect. We can stand on the laurels of our intelligence, wisdom, creativity, and beauty. Pull up your pants, leave the gold in the ground and the diamonds in the rocks. We no longer need such adornments. It doesn't have to be "hard out here for a pimp," because you don't have to be a pimp -- never had to.

Let this moment inspire you to be the change you were seeking. Join me and make a vow to be and remain an active member of The Joshua Generation -- the only way we can insure this change.  This glorious day can end as fast as it came if we stop or slow down.  Let us move swiftly ahead with measured intent and wise leadership. I want to see us take wings and soar.