Dr. Ben's Blog: Get Your Life Right

Giving back to ones community is a key to success.  2009 marks the fifth year that the Hip-Hop Summit Network (HSAN) has taken a point position in encouraging financial literacy utilizing the positive attributes of hip-hop culture fused with the best financial empowerment advice from wealth-building experts.       'Get Your Money Right' Hip-Hop Summit made financial literacy cool to tens of thousands of youth and young adults across the United States and Canada.        The truth is, as we witnessed first hand in the major urban centers and on college campuses in every region, in order to 'Get Your Money Right,' you also have to 'Get Your Mind, Family, Health, Education, Job, House, Environment, Energy, Technology and Culture Right.' In other words, 'Getting Your Life Right' involves more than doing one thing.         Given the current economic crisis, this is not the time to find yourself without a plan for self-improvement. This is where HSAN contributes to raising the consciousness of millions that change and self-empowerment are not only possible, but are necessary steps to move forward even amidst very rough and hard economic times.  Helping people help themselves is the best method of giving back.       Hip-hop is no stranger to overcoming adversity, poverty and hopelessness.  Out of the dire crucible of abject poverty in the South Bronx over 30 years ago, hip-hop sprang from the underground of the underclass as a powerful, creative, transcendent and productive cultural phenomena that today reflects the diverse aspirations of millions of young people throughout the world.        Non-profits and for-profits should be working together to meet the challenges that we all face. Democrats and Republicans should be working together for the common good.        Let's plan, organize and mobilize.  This is not the time for pessimism.  There is no question about the fact that the hip-hop vote helped to bring about the change today that President Barack Obama represents. Come work with us at HSAN.org.  Help us continue to make a difference. 'Get Your Life Right' and give back.

-Dr. Benjamin Chavis