This documentary went a long way to lay out the big picture of what life is like for many blacks in America -- the joy, the pain, the sheer frustration felt by even those who have "made it."  This documentary was an exposure of a wide variety of perspectives that may have raised as many questions as it answered. It was enlightening for some, raised the awareness of many who may not have been paying attention, and for others, a revisit of issues that we are all too familiar with.

Where do we go from here?  Amy Alexander at TheRoot.com observes, "Certainly, the show shines a spotlight on the scope of blackness. But will black viewers see or learn anything that improves their daily lives or inspires new thinking or action? And will viewers unfamiliar with "the black experience" learn anything that will expand or positively inform their opinions of blacks, or—more to the point—spur them to reach out to blacks?"

I believe that this documentary kept coming back to a central theme, even though it may not have intended to.  For every issue that was raised, there was an example of solutions that come from within our own community -- recovering addicts, gang members who changed course, families who celebrate their roots and support future advances for their children, creative initiatives to improve performance in schools, upwardly mobile Blacks focusing on improving relationships.  Often, the ideas and solutions are right bfore our eyes.  The question is whether we can summon the collective will to improve schools and reduce dropout rates in our communities, or reduce out of wedlock births, or become more responsible fathers?

There are some questions raised by this documentary for me.  I believe that most Blacks in America want to be a part of the solutions to the woes that beset us.  I am interested in what the members of this community think about where we go from here.  How do we galvanize our thinking and identify initiatives in local communities all over the country?  I encourage you to share your input.

Here are five key questions that come to mind for me. 

1. Did you see or learn anything that improves our daily lives or inspires new thinking or action?
2. It's time to stop thinking in the old way and start thinking in the new way.  What are some new ways of thinking?
3. Are there  education intiatives, health-care proposals and new technology efforts underway to reverse some of the long-standing pathologies affecting millions of black Americans?
4. Will the increasing global popularity of Barack Obama positively affect the lives and experiences of real, regular, walking-around-trying-to-make-a-living black folks?
5. What actions can do the most to restore the Black family as the central factor in improving the lives of Blacks  in America -- Jobs, Education, Government Programs, Social Services Organizations?

 What do you think?