Hypothetical: What are the implications and reaction to a group called "100 White Men".
http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2013/06/airbus_exec_to_100_black_men_o.html#incart_flyout_businessAirbus exec to 100 Black Men of Mobile: 'We're creating a sustainable, skilled, educated and motivated workforce'
(Gallery by Bill Starling | bstarling@al.com)
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By Kelli Dugan | kdugan@al.com
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on June 03, 2013 at 11:24 PM
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MOBILE, Alabama – Allan McArtor knows two things after nurturing an eight-year relationship with Mobile: Its unique spirit and enthusiasm breed success, and those enduring qualities will be key to cultivating the skilled workforce of tomorrow.
“We as mentors and teachers must tell our kids why they’re studying chemistry or history, why is it important to their lives or their families going forward,†McArtor, chairman of Airbus Americas, told attendees of the 100 Black Men of Greater Mobile’s 13th Annual Gala Monday night at the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center.
Although McArtor joked that lecturing the 100 on mentoring is akin to “telling Babe Ruth how to hold a baseball bat,†he said the most successful teachers and role models are those who walk into a room prepared to answer the “so what†questions, those who are able to offer the relevance students need to see the practical applications between their studies and the real world for which they’re being prepared.
And the Mobile area, he said, exhibits a collective enthusiasm anytime it rallies around a particular event, be it Mardi Gras or the announcement and subsequent groundbreaking for a $600 million aircraft assembly plant at Brookley Aeroplex.
“(Airbus) looked very carefully for an industrial home,†McArtor said, and found no shortage of good communities or “really interested†state governments, but Mobile presented the “ideal location†as well as both the business and personal hospitality the company required to commit to its first final assembly line facility on U.S. soil.
“This community won the Airbus industrial site for the U.S. This is where we planted our flag…This is where we’re going to build our facility...It’s where we’re going to expand. This is where we're going to create that commercial magnet to draw others into this economic radius,†McArtor said.
More importantly, however, the region’s commitment to workforce development mirrors Airbus’ own unyielding standards, and that mutual respect is what makes the company’s support of the 100 Black Men of Greater Mobile and its mission such a given.
“By supporting these efforts today, we’re creating a (future) sustainable, skilled, educated and motivated workforce,…and it’s you who adds stability to that process,†he told the clapping, cheering crowd.
“It’s about having a solid influence on every kid who comes through the door, so they don’t come in the door and go right back out,†McArtor said.
“This is where we’re planting something for the next generation. We - together - can create that skilled work force. (Airbus) wants to hire the best and the brightest, and we want the best and the brightest to come from this community,†he said to thunderous applause.
The 100 Black Men of Greater Mobile’s annual gala supports and raises funding for scholarships, while heightening awareness of various community initiatives.
Nationwide, the membership of the 100 Black Men of America includes professionals, educators and civic leaders of all races who seek to serve as positive role models for young people.
The Mobile chapter was the first founded in the state and it operates the Phoenix Program, an alternative school designed to provide educational opportunities for students who are at risk of dropping out of school and face expulsion or suspension.
Under the program, students are urged to stay in school and modify their behavior. Since inception, the program has helped thousands of youngsters and awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships.
Mayor Sam Jones called the 100 a “tremendous asset for the young people of our community,†while County Commissioner Connie Hudson called the gala a “celebration and reflection of another year of successful progress.â€
The 100, she said, is “committed to providing positive role models and has successfully adopted a holistic approach that addresses the “social, emotional and cultural needs of our young people as well as their educational needs.â€
AL.com will provide the complete list of 2013 100 Black Men of Greater Mobile Inc. scholarship and award winners on Tuesday, June 4.
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