Using his powers of communication to tell more complete stories in a better way when it comes to our community, Thurston hopes to help expand the successful model of BUILD.org, the non profit on whose national board he sits. Restoring communities, is also high on his list of goals. “I want to use my platforms to more effectively join the epic and worthwhile fight to ween the United States from its devastating incarceration addiction,” says Thurston. “People like Shaka Senghor and Van Jones (of the #Cut50 initiative) or Zachary Norris and team at the Ella Baker Center in Oakland need all of us on board.”
As the vast majority of media impressions continue to make us look like terrifying, oversexed, super human criminals. Thurston understands the importance of having narratives that paint a more balanced and complete picture. “We need to tell our own stories,” says Thurston. “A BE Modern Man is a man who loves and respects himself and others, and because “modern” is part of the label, he almost certainly has a late model smartphone.”
The BlackEnterprise.com team salutes Baratunde Thurston for his ability to use humor and technology to communicate important ideas to the world while sticking to his passions.
It’s our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan.