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America is a great nation. It is a melting pot of many diverse cultures. That has been a blessing and a curse. The very thing that makes us great is the very thing that erodes us at the core.

Being a black man, I am first judged by the color of my skin. That precedes that fact that I am human and a man. This has been a great obstacle in our quest for the American dream.

Many of us has learned how to deal with racism. We see it in corporate America when we hit the "glass ceiling". We deal with it when we have no peers in the "good ole boy networks".

Oppression is as real today as it was in slavery. Today, systematic oppression still exists in the media, the judicial system, legislative system, education system, and politics.

I can only wonder what it would be like to not be first judged by my blackness. When someone sees me, my blackness conjures up negative images and certain stereotypes that preclude my intellect and abilities, before some one asks my name and holds an intelligent conversation with me.

Growing up my first challenge was, how can I become successful? I soon realized that, that challenge largely hinged on how I could and would deal with racism.

There has always been a double standard, always having to prove that you are twice as good as your competitors; Proving your self-worth is validated and not a fluke.

Some of us live in the American dream and some are living in the American nightmare. But is it really a good dream if you have to worry about things like racism, stereotyping, discrimination, and hate? The American nightmare was forced on some of us, many of which, could not overcome it.

I do see racism being overcome by "money". It is not a black vs white like it used to be, we are slowly evolving. In the future I believe that "green" will soon overtake the issue of skin color. The color of money, whether it be "plastic or paper" will soon dictate just about everything, in ways that "skin color" will be almost a non-issue.

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