Inspiring.

Indeed. I had the fortunate pleasure to meet this young man, as the museum I volunteer at hosted his reception in Houston this past Saturday. I was actually the person who marshalled him into his parking spot on our ramp. He is a very humble, inspirational, and encouraging person. It's not about being the youngest person, and definitely not about being the first black person to do this, but about having a dream and pursuing it. His organization is dedicated to helping underprivileged young people learn to fly and pursue careers in aviation. He's truly a class act.
 

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Aero news net, Same story. http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=d4109f8b-0edc-4c96-b822-202bb5dcff78&

Not to detract from his filght and mission, but, I find it intresting that the Aero news story calls him "African decent" and the yahoo says he's from Jamaica... I just hate PC, every dark skined inter-city person becomes "african decent" because evey other tearm has become tabo. As far as I remember Jamaica isn't even in the same hemisphear as Africa.

Edit: Ugh, he even uses "african decent" on his own website.
 
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That's because his African ancestors were taken to Jamaica as slaves, just like people of African descent who were born in the US...
 
t0r0nad0 said:
That's because his African ancestors were taken to Jamaica as slaves, just like people of African descent who were born in the US...
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Jamican natives can also be dark skined from what I know... but then I have been wrong before. And you should know having met him, it just looked like an inconsistancy. Thanks for the info... inquiring minds ask weird questions.

Missa
 
Missa said:
Jamican natives can also be dark skined from what I know... but then I have been wrong before. And you should know having met him, it just looked like an inconsistancy. Thanks for the info... inquiring minds ask weird questions.

Missa
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Before Columbus came the the indigenous prople of the West Indies were the Arawaks, Caribs, and the Ciboney. They all looked like native Americans because, well, they were. The Trans Atlantic Slave Trade brought the dark skinned Africans there. Some Chinese were brought there as well.

As for the term African Descent, it's used because most African Americans don't know what their nation of origin is but they know it's on the African continent. Does it bother you when people say they're of Italian descent or Chinese descent? Everybodys doing it. :rolleyes: I say let the yahoo call himself whatever he wants.
 
Danos said:
As for the term African Descent, it's used because most African Americans don't know what their nation of origin is but they know it's on the African continent. Does it bother you when people say they're of Italian descent or Chinese descent? Everybodys doing it. :rolleyes: I say let the yahoo call himself whatever he wants.
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The term just bugs me because the 'people of african decent' keep running though names to call themselves because whatever term they use becomes a derogtory title with time. I'm wondering what term will be used next? I also don't like the trend of being American second. I'm American, no qualifier.

I don't think this guy is a yahoo, he's really doing something cool. He sure has more ambition and more drive then I had at his age. He's a good role model and should be lifted up as one.

Missa
 
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I understand what you mean, Missa. During one of the speeches at the reception, a dignitary of European descent ;) referred to Barrington as "the first Afro-American" to do this, and two women of African descent ;) next to me muttered to each other in a way that it seemed like they were offended by it. I wanted to ask if "Afro-American" is an offensive term now, but I couldn't figure out a way to ask it that wouldn't be offensive, and I definitely didn't want to say anything that could be misconstrued as offensive with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee present! She probably would have taken measures to shut the museum down! :)
 
Missa said:
'people of african decent' keep running though names to call themselves because whatever term they use becomes a derogtory title with time. I'm wondering what term will be used next?
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This I must agree with you on. It hard for me to undersatnd as I find NONE of these terms offensive. The only problem I DO have is that lots of us are mixed with a lot of different things. Just saying African doest do the rest of it any justice. I do find herritage to be very interesting and important and have the right to hold onto it if I please.

Oh yeah! Great story by the way! VERY inspiartional. Thanks for posting!!
 
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t0r0nad0 said:
I understand what you mean, Missa. During one of the speeches at the reception, a dignitary of European descent ;) referred to Barrington as "the first Afro-American" to do this, and two women of African descent ;) next to me muttered to each other in a way that it seemed like they were offended by it.
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Maybe they were muttering about the fact that he's Jamaican... or Afro-Jamaican.. or Jamafrican
 
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