By AL CALLOWAY

When most of you read this column, Donald J. Trump will have been sworn in as the 45th President of these United States of America. If you are African American and were convinced to support Hillary Clinton for President, as most were, no doubt you are depressed, angry, dismayed about “democracy” and, if nothing else, just plain sad. Tough!

Do you really think you have time for any of those negative emotions? If you are black and conscious, reality is your guide and moving forward your constant thought. Get on board, the future is readying to take off. Leave Hillary and all that failure of the so- called Democratic Party exactly where it all belongs, in the past.

Negroes will not be allowed in the future – transformation must be complete for progress to ensue. All the children have got to be taught the chronological history of Africa up to the Trans-Atlantic African Slave Trade and to this very day. There can be no positive future generation without knowledge of self. All those who, in any way, propagate otherwise are to be deemed enemies of The People.

The future, which has to be planned, designed and implemented now in inner city schools, churches and other institutions, is ever accelerating at a rapid pace and those behind can no longer be engulfed in obsolescence and mediocrity. It is the community’s people — the neighborhood’s people – that bear ultimate responsibility for all the children and the general welfare of the area’s environment.

Face the stark reality. Irrespective of the pogrom put in place to control/destroy black families and consequently black youth, we must quickly learn to positively utilize the proliferation of female heads of households and yet build a future through organization. The African American progressive army may be overwhelmingly female and may well be headed by females. So get organized!

A destructive myth has been allowed to persist that preachers and politicians are to be followed because they are knowledgeable, others don’t have the “calling,” the education. But where have most of these so-called leaders led black people? Stark reality is a clear focus, with eyes wide open that reveal churches on nearly every corner, some side by side, and rampant depression at every turn.

Sojourner Truth was not formerly so- called “educated” but became America’s most powerful abolitionist during slavery. Harriet Tubman led the Underground Railroad through true grit. Rosa Parks was a seamstress who repudiated segregation, and Fannie Lou Hamer spoke truth to power on the national political stage. Ancient African Queens and warriors led armies and nations. We must teach the right history; the truth will inspire.

While civil rights hucksters and hustlers march, rally and sit-in so that they can sit down with powerful white politicians and negotiate the new rules of engagement going forward under President Trump, neighborhood black people need to focus on municipal, school board and county governments. Local power is in neighborhood groups and associations through coalition building and mobilization.

With that power the corner preacher is advised to open the church doors for a Monday evening community meeting and the politician is required to provide the latest true information needed by the community. A coalition of neighborhood groups can join the local branch of a national civil rights organization such as the NAACP, and make it theirs, thereby becoming a county power and a player in state politics, as well.

The effort is called Community Control. Control of schools, political precincts, School Board District, Municipal District, County District, State Representative District, State Senate District, and a working relationship with the state congressional delegation. And never, ever, allow any and all state, regional or national civil rights organization or media group, to speak for the coalition. Your spokespersons are always your people.

Come on people, we’ve got to get up! We must get our children and ourselves into robotics and artificial intelligence. All future employment will be connected to these fields. Read up on the future because it is here. Fear is dangerous; do not let it motivate us as a people. We can do this; it’s all about learning. But we’ve got to bring it to our neighborhood schools, at every level.

Al_Calloway@verizon.net