US Hispanic Marketing

There are approximately thirty million who do not have a GED in this country and only a little more than half a million people earn a GED in one year. Governors, mayors, and education officials everywhere are misleading the public. Every president, governor, public official, and even civil rights' leader has been at fault, because nobody really speaks about the GED when education is spoken about. Governor Romney's office has known about me for over a year, but nobody has contacted me. What I would like is for President Bush and Governor Romney to tell the people to take the GED. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people in Massachusetts alone should earn a GED so they can place it on their resumes. The GED is needed to help us build better communities. People seem to be too absorbed with Michael Jackson's problems, J Lo's on and off again wedding, and what is going on at Fenway Park, but we can change all of that.

I started my campaign in the Haitian Community in Spring Valley, New York in 2001.

The Haitian-American community must find out what Governor Romney has done to restore the French GED to Massachusetts. Does the community know that years ago Massachusetts officials made a deal with Maine to allow residents of Massachusetts to take the GED in Maine? The people of Massachusetts deserve the same rights as people in Texas. In 2001, one person took the GED in French in Texas, but nobody could take it in Massachusetts. This is a great injustice to a hard working people. I call upon the leaders of the Haitian-American community and, in particular, on Marie St. Fleur to unite to get the French GED restored to Massachusetts. All of the people of Massachusetts should be able to take the GED in their own state and in all three official languages of the GED. I would suggest that the Haitian-Americans people seek support in other communities, instead of fighting this battle alone.

I recently attended the celebration of the bicentennial of Haitian Liberation in Randolph, Massachusetts. Some of the people now know my plans for this year. These plans include getting your governor to sign a letter that contains critical orientation about GED to be distributed to public schools and state licensed programs. This plan can be extended into a faith-based initiative with the churches. We have to convince parents who have not earned a high school diploma or GED to take the test as soon as possible and an army of teachers can impact on parents at open school meetings. In New York City, some of the parent coordinators in schools will give the official practice test for the GED in math to parents and encourage those who take it to continue on the road to the getting the GED. The Iglesia de Dios in Newburgh, New York has started a new program to bring hundreds and maybe thousands of people in each community to the church to be tested. This is a year for action and the plan is in place. This is how we improve communities. This is how more parents will set an example for their children too. This is how pastors can finally make a greater difference in the lives of members of their congregations. We can do it all with our elected officials or we can do it without them. Churches, community associations, and school parent coordinators can do the same thing in Massachusetts.

In 2003, I called for the Million Hispanic March to the GED in Hispanic publications around the United States. I believe we have millions of weapons of mass instruction waiting to be found in households all over our country. We can fight this "war" together at home and I hope that I can do much more in 2004. I would love to help millions of people all over the United States. People need economic incentives in states where the GED costs up to sixty dollars and where car service is needed to get people to the exam site. The post Civil War idea of 40 Acres and a Mule failed, but I think my plan for 50 Dollars and a GED will bring great benefits to minorities all over the United States. Large corporations, foundations, and philanthropists have donated billions upon billions for college scholarships and I think they can build a much better society by sharing some of the money intended for scholarships with people who want to get on the road to a GED.

Martin N. Danenberg can be reached by phone by calling 631-348-1341 or at GEDHOTLINE @AOL.COM. Renold Julien of the Konbit Neg Lakay in Spring Valley, New York and Dr. Eno Mondesir of the Haitian-Americans United of Massachusetts contributed to this article.

FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER.