Article Written By Thomas Brooks

MPN Senior Webzine Editor

Thomas@MinorityProfessionalNetwork.com

©2002 Minority Professional Network.  All Rights Reserved

If you are like me and you participated as an INROADS intern (for me, it was in Pittsburgh, 1984-1988) and graduated from a college or university in good standing, then you are considered an INROADS alumnus. The mission of INROADS is to place talented minority youth in business and industry and prepare them for corporate and community leadership.

INROADS alumni constitute the greatest single resource on which INROADS can depend. They are living examples of INROADS' success and through their achievements, ensure the continuing relevance of the INROADS mission. Alumni serve as ambassadors for INROADS in their communities, professions and workplaces thereby, increasing INROADS' visibility, reputation and marketability.

The theme of the recent National INROADS Alumni Association (NIAA) 2002 Conference in Atlanta was "What's Next?  A New Time, A New Economy, A New NIAA."  Consistent with the conference theme, featured speaker Tavis Smiley

talked about how America is at a crossroads politically, economically and socially in the light of the 9-11 attacks, the war against terrorism, and the economic downturn.  "How do we take this defining moment," asked Smiley, "and redefine what America can be, especially as it relates to African-Americans?  We must remember that, historically, every defining moment in the country was not necessarily a defining moment for Americans of African descent.  For example, the Civil War was a defining moment, but the lives of the black soldiers who fought in that war were not redefined in the aftermath of the war."

Continued Smiley, "As we win the war on terrorism, we must not forget about the war with respect to affirmative action, or drug policy.  We can't forget abut predatory lending or election reform."

Overall, the conference was exceptional.  INROADS alums can look forward to next year's conference in Dallas in 2003.

For information on INROADS and what it takes for an undergraduate student to become an intern, please visit http://www.inroads.org.

For more information on the National INROADS Alumni Association, please visit http://www.niaa.org.