the reader is always right.

Your priorities shape our agenda. Here's what you had to say about what our priorities should be in the new century.

PASSING OUR WEALTH TO OUR CHILDREN IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. EMPOWERING OURSELVES FOR them in the new century is an important agenda, and our readers say we must start on the road today. The results of the BLACK ENTERPRISE 2000 reader survey, which covered a wide range of economic, political, and social issues, indicate that we have once again put our fingers on the pulse of our community. We're doing this survey in honor of our 30th anniversary. And to help us better understand, we also spoke to a selected group of readers who represent a cross section of our audience.

Creating wealth for our community is not only a major concern but a necessary challenge if we are to our children a head start. Timothy T. Mahone, president and CEO of Lakeshore Health & Wellness Centers, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and a participant in our survey, says a mandatory first step toward creating wealth is to cultivate economic strength within our communities, within our churches, within our neighborhood centers, and among our leaders. Building an economic base allows us to shape the political and corporate agenda that allows us to solve our problems. We have to do it for the next generation.

"The survey revolved around looking and reaching back into our community an d capitalizing on our own intellectual commodity," says Mahone. "It's important to reach back to our youth and teach them the basics of finance. To me, it revolves around trusting each other more. That's how we improve the quality of life, reduce crime, and build our wealth."

Julie Gordon White, chairman and CEO of She-EO.com, a dotcom media company providing information and inspiration for women business owners, says economic self-sufficiency is the key to everything. "Creating our own business is the key to building wealth. We can build through investment, but you have to have money to do that. I believe politics is involved, but money talks. Politics is definitely a major supporting factor, but he who controls the money controls the power."

And Matthew B. Murphy III, director of planning and business development at Mays Chemical Co., in Indianapolis, says the survey is a healthy tool. "But in addition to wealth building, societal issues like the drug epidemic, the crime that's plaguing us, and our concern for the quality of education rank equally as important. The combination of these three things, as far as the black experience is in America. is really what plagues us the most."

The respondents to our reader survey, especially the selected group of people we talked to, offered many good suggestions, some of which we'll examine. Some 1,200 online readers responded to the survey, which was posted on www.blackenterprise.com during the month of June. We wanted to hear your ideas and strategies for empowerment in the 21st century. The gender split was 56.5% female and 43.5% male. The average age was 36, and the median age was 34. The majority of respondents (60.8%) subscribe to BLACK ENTERPRISE. Participants responded to 26 questions in six categories, including the basic identifiers: age, gender, and affiliation to the magazine.

The following is a brief review of those findings.

Politics & Power

* What do you feel will be the biggest issue facing African Americans in the 21st century?

More than a third (35.4%) of the sample feels that building wealth is the biggest issue facing African Americans in the 21st century. Educating our youth (29.7%) and improving the of life (16.3%) followed respectively. Leaning away from the majority opinion, some respondents pointed to our community's inability to coalesce around issues as a serious stumbling block.

Another survey participant, Andrew Carr, CEO of A.L. Carr Group, a business-planning service company, believes building wealth will always be the No. 1 priority for our community in the 21st century. "Building wealth is one of the biggest issues facing the African American community in the New Economy. However, we must ensure that our community has the skills to compete, or building wealth will just be another term whispered [by] those who want to appear to be in the know."

* Do you feel that the problems facing the black community can be solved through political means?

Nearly six out of every 10 respondent (58.8%) feel that the problems facing the black community cannot be solved through political means.

Nilda Glenn Thomas, president of Ample Business Solutions, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, an online company (www.amplebiz.com) which provides business and technology solutions through online computer training courses, says, "Politics may drive our country, but we need to be able to articulate as a community what our needs are to the people who have the authority to make those decisions that help us in the fight. Besides, we need more African Americans in politics in order for us to have a voice."

However, like a few of those responding to the survey, Carr believes many of the problems facing our community can be solved through political means, but only to the extent that our leaders place these issues at the forefront of their own, personal agendas.

Murphy says that any progress made comes on the back of our political advancements. "I don't think it's the sole solution for us as a people, because economic empowerment has to go hand-in-hand with political empowerment, but politics plays a huge role in where we have to go. And when we lose the ability to make affirmative action happen in politics, then it cuts into the ability to make things happen on the economic front."

* Do you believe relations between black and white Americans (and black and Latino Americans) will improve over the next 10 years?

All in all, our respondents are confident that race relations between black and white Americans will improve over the next 10 years (63.6%). And a larger percent, 82.4%, feel that black and Latino Americans will improve their race relations over the same period of time.

Dana M. Lewis, an American Express financial advisor in Orlando, Florida, says that though we can solve our problems through political means, we must be collectively responsible for solving issues within our community. "As we start to interact with other people from other cultures, races, and religions, we will all have a greater level of understanding and compassion for achieving an improved relationship with both whites and Latinos.

"Coalitions with other races are absolutely necessary," Lewis explains. "We are all people, and we're responsible for each other. Collectively, we have an obligation to make sure no one else goes hungry regardless of what race they are. We all have to be our brother's keeper."

Thomas adds, "I think we've come a long way, yet we still have a long way to go. A lot of people should have diversity training in order to have better relations. It's good for business."

But Mahone made a good point about our relationships improving once we create a unified agenda to leverage black spending power back into our neighborhoods and schools. "The [continued growth of] the Latino population should create a sense of urgency for our black and Latino leadership to develop strategic partnerships for a global economic agenda." Think of the slogan: "Think globally, but act locally."

Wealthy/Personal Finance

* How do you define wealth? What is the best strategy to build personal wealth? And do you invest?

Among our respondents, wealth was defined as a combination of financial security (77.3%) and spiritual/personal fulfillment (70.8%). Respondents feel that investing (37.4%) is the No. 1 strategy to build wealth followed by business ownership (29.3%). The majority of respondents are active investors (88.4%). Eighty-five percent of female respondents invest versus 92.4% of males. The overwhelming majority of the sample takes advantage of employer investment plans (83.6%), Stocks and mutual funds follow, with 57.4% and 53.5%, respectively. Many of those responding to our survey had more spiritual or metaphysical definitions of wealth, like peace of mind, believing in God, having a solid family and professional relationships, or just plain happiness. Very few attached a dollar value to the concept of wealth.

Mahone says that as individuals, we all need to understand money and we can do that by investing in mutual funds, retirement funds, money markets, and high-tech stocks, "We need to do more personal investing," he says. "Your income is important, but as it relates to net worth and spiritual fulfillment, a strong mind breeds good character. And if you're not a strong character, then financial wealth is harder to achieve. Personal wealth doesn't mean anything if we can't pass it back to our young."

Lewis believes empowering our community for the century is possible, but warns it's a long-term process, We first have to know what we want, then we begin to save and invest toward that goal. "Have a game plan," she says. "Just like planning a wedding or your career, write down what you plan to accomplish and revisit that plan when you start to stray off course. You're more likely to accomplish that goal, as opposed to just shooting from the hip."

And like Mahone, Lewis agrees that it's important we understand fiscal management in our personal lives. "We seriously lag behind our counterparts in education, savings, retirement savings, cash reserve, and insurance. Education and economic power leads to political power."

Thomas, who recently became a charter member of an investment club in her area, also weighed in on its importance. "We, as a people, have to be educated in the stock market. That's how we create wealth. We need to take advantage of those opportunities and resources. People need to get involved in investment clubs. You're learning together, and everyone has something to bring to the table."

And White adds. "We, all have the power to create our own economic self-sufficiency, By taking care of our family first, we contribute to the community."

Murphy adds that a good strategy is educating our youth across a number of different disciplines and fine arts. "Passing the legacy to our kids is a lost art. If we're going to be a strong force, we have to take our role as parents more seriously than we have been. Teaching our kids financial strategy and understanding money is paramount to understanding how to retain wealth."

Technology

* Has technology improved your life? How knowledgeable do you think you are about new technology (tech-savvy) compared to the average person?

Nearly the entire audience agrees that technology has improved their lives (97.3%), which makes it no surprise that over 97% categorize themselves as either very or somewhat tech-savvy. Unsurprisingly, nearly the entire sample reports to have Web surfed and sent or received e-mail within the past three months. Additionally, over 70% have bought a product or service online, with a little more than 21% having bought stocks online. Of those, 28.3%, are male versus 16.3% female. Similarly, there is a slight disparity between the sexes for Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) usage. Nearly a third of the entire sample routinely uses them. However, usage for males is slightly higher, 34.9%, versus 28.4% for women.

While respondents are highly tech-savvy, a majority (64.1%) do not feel that technology has invaded their personal privacy.

Thomas, who owns an online company and understands technology well, says that with the last century, there are a lot of challenges that African Americans have had to face, and it's going to be a difficult journey, "Technology is important for African Americans. If we don't embrace it as a people, we're going to be left behind. A lot of company positions are being replaced by robots, so we need to embrace [technology] and be afforded the opportunities to take advantage of the way we learn technology in order to become more marketable in the workforce. We, as African Americans, can obtain wealth through technology and businesses in technology. A lot of companies are looking for solutions, and if you're a minority business and can provide solutions that have to do with technology in some way or fashion, it means you're able to make it."

White also agrees that technology is key. "It's the great equalizer for those who have access and knowledge. A Website shows no color."

But technology has its challenges too. "Small black businesses need access to nonfinancial resources such as technology to compete for more profitable clients and assignments. In the 1990s, forming strategic alliances was considered the best strategy for small businesses to compete for larger contracts and larger clients. This strategy has worked for some small businesses, but not for all. But for the majority of small black businesses to compete, there needs to be some portal or vehicle which connects the resources of other small businesses and removes some of the barriers that have not facilitated a more strategic alliance among small businesses, such as geographical location or current business structure."

Carr adds, "Instead of investing limited financial resources in technological resources, which may not be in their long-term business strategies, small businesses can create virtual partnerships or virtual teams, temporary relationships facilitated through technology (video conferencing, Website hosting of collaborations on projects) to compete on a short-term basis for certain projects. Limited financial and technological resources will require small businesses to create virtual partnerships to compete."

As Murphy explains, "We can't be afraid of technology. There's a tremendous opportunity, a new horizon for entering into the world of business and commerce, and every company across America has or will have a need for talented people who have a background in technology."

Entrepreneurship/Career

* Do you plan to start a business within the next year? Where do you think the greatest business opportunities for African Americans lie?

About half of the respondents plan to start a business within the next year. The greatest business opportunities for African Americans are thought: to lie in the field of technology (75.4%), followed by professional service (65.3%). Automotive (16.1%) and manufacturing (18.4%) are thought to have the fewest opportunities.

Both male and female respondents agree that acquiring financing (58.2%) is the biggest problem facing small black businesses, followed by planning and goal setting (19.1%). The majority of the sample (88%) is confident that it will see a black woman leading a Fortune 500 firm within the next 10 years. In terms of advancement opportunities, 82.9% feel that race and gender are major hindrances, and 75.1.% feel that, affirmative action will be necessary for career advancement 10 years from now.

"Owning our own businesses is something else that is very important," said Thomas. "It's not for everyone, but it's definitely a good thing. If you have the drive to own your own company, then you can ease into it gradually. It's a good strategy for creating wealth."

"Entrepreneurship is important," says Lewis, "but it's not for everyone. It's a tough road, but if you have the skill, the heart, and you have the financial backing, then you can begin to build wealth. And don't be afraid to fail. Sometimes you might have to fail several times to succeed, but you [should] never give up."

And White reminds us that women and minorities are the fastest growing segment to start their own businesses. And she says we should start our own businesses so that we have something to pass to our children. "That's how wealth is built over years. We shouldn't have to start and reinvent ourselves, or start our own business, with each generation. Wealth is accumulated over generations."

White adds. "Economic self-sufficiency is the key to our success and economic power drives equality and it begins with entrepreneurship.

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