To Be a Man - In Relationship to Himself
Copyright © 2006 by Baruti K. Kafele

  1. A man reads regularly – he is a life-long learner.
  2. A man is in life-long pursuit of his history.
  3. A man strives to diversify his knowledge and experiences.
  4. A man has high standards and expectations for himself.
  5. A man is goal-oriented.
  6. A man sets goals and develops strategies to achieve them.
  7. A man aligns himself with positive, goal-oriented people.
  8. A man believes in his ability to achieve his goals.
  9. A man defines his purpose in life.
  10. A man is driven by his purpose.
  11. A man understands his obligation to achieve his goals.
  12. A man is determined to achieve his goals.
  13. A man develops a vision for achieving his goals.
  14. A man engages in self-reflection and self-assessment daily.
  15. A man doesn't overindulge in meaningless recreational activities.
  16. A man is constantly searching for creative new ways to solve old problems.
  17. A man is proud of who he is as a Black or Latino man and pleased with who he is as a man.
  18. A man demonstrates proper decorum in all situations.
  19. A man is conscious of his appearance as a man.
  20. A man is not afraid to take a stand for what's right - he has courage.
  21. A man demands to be heard.
  22. A man is able to endure and overcome adversity from his adversaries.
  23. A man does not allow himself to be defeated by the obstacles and challenges of his adversaries.
  24. A man does not allow himself to be defeated by the obstacles and challenges of life.
  25. A man turns his obstacles and challenges into opportunities for success.
  26. A man is able to bounce back from setbacks.
  27. A man maintains a positive attitude.
  28. A man is not a quitter - he is a fighter.
  29. A man strives to maintain employment or start his own business.
  30. A man strives to provide for himself – to be self-sufficient.
  31. A man doesn't settle for mediocrity for himself.
  32. A man will not accept failure for himself.
  33. A man doesn't abuse his body and mind with alcohol and narcotics.
  34. A man does not see himself as nor refer to himself by the “N” word.
  35. A man eats foods that are healthy while shying away from foods that are harmful.
  36. A man loves, appreciates, respects and feels a sense of responsibility for his people.
  37. A man makes wise decisions which keep him out of the criminal justice system – he is not a law breaker.
  38. A man doesn't see other Black and Latino men as his enemy - he sees other Black and Latino men as his brothers and allies.
  39. A man respects, values, appreciates and strives to get along with other Black and Latino men.
  40. A man is conscious of how his words / actions may impact the feelings of others.
  41. A man resolves his conflicts peacefully.
  42. A man does not resort to violence towards resolving conflict with others.
  43. A man understands that he is his brother's keeper.
  44. A man is a positive role model and mentor to other men – particularly the youth.
  45. A man engages in community work while maintaining a relationship with his community – despite whatever successes or failures he may have experienced.
  46. A man loves God.
  47. A man is connected to God.
  48. A man prays to God.
  49. A man praises God.
  50. A man strives to do God's will regularly.