By Agyei Tyehimba©2012

Black Youth & The “Wonderful Wizard” of Oz

How to Save Our Babies:

Problems Confronting our Youth• Teenage Pregnancy and Promiscuity• Violence/Gangs• Incarceration• Lack of internal/external respect• Using/Selling Drugs• Poor School Performance/Dropping Out• Little connection to history and culture• Lack of motivation and initiative

Why?

How Can We Understand and Change These Dynamics?

The Wizard of Oz?

• Not just another children’s movie• Provides symbols, actions, and

truths we can use to understand the problems our youth face in society

• This presentation will provide a framework we can use to empower our youth

• Let’s summarize the characters and plot of the movie to see how they relate to our youth

SUMMARY

• Dorothy finds herself in a new and strange place far away from her home

• She meets up with three main characters who like her, have a problem

• They are told to follow the yellow-brick road to “Oz” where they will find the all-powerful and wise “Wonderful Wizard” who will solve their problems

• The “Wicked Witch of the West”, threatened by their unity and quest for empowerment, sends several traps/obstacles their way to sabotage their progress

• They eventually meet the Wizard and the story concludes

•In the clip you’re about to see, notice how the “Wicked Witch of the West”, observes the actions of our characters from a great distance.

•How can she do this? She uses a crystal ball, today’s “wicked witches” use cameras, satellites, and surveillance devices.

•Pay close attention to the obstacle she introduces to our characters!

Poppy Fields?

•The Wicked Witch of the West, looking to sabotage the empowerment of these characters, sends them through Poppy fields, causing most of them to fall asleep.

•What narcotic drugs are produced from Poppy plants?

The Wizard is a Fake!

•Our misinformed and misled characters have discovered that the “wizard” is nothing but an ordinary man.

•He has no special powers at all; he has deceived people into obeying and fearing him through the skillful use of gadgets and propaganda.

•In the next clip, notice how he gives them symbols of the things they seek, and admits that he has no power to give them what they already had the whole time!

Confronting the “Wizard”

Bringing it Together

• This society and its institutions work to turn our youth into The Lion (no courage or self-esteem), The Scarecrow (no intelligence or capability), and The Tin Man (Insensitive, impolite, dangerous). When you add all of these qualities together you have Dorothy (someone who is lost, confused, and disconnected from God and culture)

• Our youth are often steered into “poppy fields” to sabotage their progress (drugs, incarceration, gangs, dropping out of school, etc.)

• Our youth are taught to believe not in the authority of God, or themselves,but of men and women who set themselves up as gods

What We Must Do

• Provide our children with a strong spiritual foundation so they don’t bow to false gods, or become afraid of wicked witches!

• Create opportunities for our children to develop a sense of achievement and accomplishment

• Imbue our children with knowledge of their ancestors, culture, and history (“There’s no place like home”)

• Teach our children to be leaders and problem-solvers; create opportunities for them to develop and utilize these skills

• Teach that education and self-improvement are non-negotiable and mandatory in your household

• Connect them to good “witches,” or mentors

If you’d like to contact me with questions or comments, feel free to email me at truself143@gmail.com

I also encourage you to visit my website:http://truself143.wix.com/tyeconsulting