30 things you must do to gain empowerment now.

The editors of Black Enterprise identify the steps African Americans must take to gain Wealth, power and freedom in the 21st century.

BLACK ENTERPRISE IS CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF PUBLISHING, and I've served as a member of the editorial staff for nearly half of the magazine's life the past five years as its chief editor. Over the years, I've concluded that we are far more than a magazine. We are a consulting firm for African Americans who are serious about success in business and, ultimately, in life.

As such, we see you not only as readers and subscribers but also as valued customers and clients. Our success is measured by the degree you are better off than you were before you became a subscriber to our magazine. In fact, our mission is not only to ensure that you achieve your goals but also to give you a true competitive advantage--whether you're an investor, a professional, an entrepreneur, or all of the above--over your peers who do not read BE. Our job, each month, each issue, is simple: to provide solutions, and to empower you to act on them.

In the spirit of our 30th anniversary issue, we present the "30 Things You Must Do to Gain Empowerment Now." In the pages that follow, our editors identify five action steps in each of six areas--politics and policy, wealth building, small business management, technology, career development, and consumer issues--to increase our personal and collective power as African Americans facing the first decades of a new century. As a bonus, we provide guest commentaries, from the likes of the Rev. Al Sharpton, Busta Rhymes, Star Jones, Magic Johnson, and Tavis Smiley, on what they see as the keys to power and progress for African Americans over the next 30 years.

Technology. The "browning" of America. Globalization. The need for individual initiative and activism. These themes are echoed by our editors and our guest contributors throughout this package, as these will be the forces that will shape our world for better or worse.

There is no shortage of experts on the problems facing African Americans. In fact, to the degree that the mainstream media pays any attention to us at all, highlighting our problems has always been a peculiar specialty of an institution in which African Americans, and minorities in general, are (to put it mildly) underrepresented. We remain committed to focusing our expertise and our pages on offering you solutions.

Everybody--from politicians and preachers to pundits and teachers--talks about empowerment. And we all agree that African Americans, regardless of their politics or station in life, need to unite in support of a common agenda. Well, here is that agenda. Now, it's up to you.

the black enterprise 30 keys to personal empowerment

Politics and Power

1 Leverage the power you have.
2 Use the "browning" of America to your advantage.
3 Become globally aware.
4 To be a player, know the players.
5 Be a news junkie.

Wealth Building

6 Join the BE Black Wealth Initiative.
7 Embrace online investing.
8 Focus on technology, healthcare, and globalization.
9 Treat yourself as a valuable commodity.
10 Engage in cooperative economics and collective wealth building.

Entrepreneurship

11 Use technology to embrace business-to-business opportunities.
12 Position your business to attract capital.
13 Form entrepreneurial rainbow coalitions.
14 Seek out opportunities in the global marketplace.
15 Use political activism to further your business objectives.

Mastering Technology

16 Understand and embrace new technology.
17 Be an active participant in closing the digital divide.
18 Prepare the next generation of Black Digerati.
19 Build profitable e-commerce companies.
20 Join online communities.

Professional Success

21 Pursue continuing education to avoid becoming obsolete.
22 Find your motivation--and stick to it.
23 Brand yourself.
24 Know your worth--and work it.
25 Don't make work your life.

Consumer Empowerment

26 Get rid of credit card debt.
27 Use the Web for comparison shopping.
28 Safeguard your privacy.
29 Protect yourself from scams.
30 Teach savvy purchasing habits to your children.

ALFRED A. EDMOND JR. SENIOR V.P., EDITOR-IN-CHIEF