George Fraser Speaks at Delta Air Lines African-American Employment Network Celebration

Written by Gloria Lee

Atlanta, GA (February 9, 2001). “What is black history month? Why do we celebrate it?” A poised and graceful Jill Pemberton of the Delta Air Lines team captures the attention of the 500+ guests at this elegant black tie event with these questions. Is it simply a collection or record of historical facts and figures, or much more? Delta’s 2002 annual African American Employee Network (AAEN) addresses this question at its Black History Month Banquet Celebration. The celebration was held in the ballroom of the Sheridan Gateway Hotel Atlanta Airport. With guest speaker George C. Fraser

(author of the critically bestseller, Success Runs in Our Race:…), news anchor Amanda Davis as mistress of ceremony, and the Delta Choir, the night was full of enlightenment and entertainment.

The triumph over slavery, several noted inventers, and several noted leaders are only a few reasons to celebrate black history. There is also the history we are making every day that is worth celebrating. So, how do you tell a body of people they are wealthy but poor-minded? How do you show them they are full of talent but demonstrating no skills? George C. Fraser served up the answers in small doses of bitter truth, a teaspoon of well-timed jokes, and a handful of solutions. Fraser discussed celebrating our nearly $500 Billion annual capital power as a people, and the need to recycle more than 5% of that capital back into the African-American community and our pockets. He also touched heavily on the need for economic and financial empowerment through networking.

George C. Fraser yells, “If you think you think you have it tough now then you’re a whimp! Slavery was hard and today is much easier than the past. So what really matters now? Be nice to people”, says Mr. Fraser. No one can make it alone and this is why networking is so important. Finally, Mr. Fraser leaves us with this thought – we will make it. It may have taken us several years to gain our freedom, to implement affirmative action, and to gain more capital empowerment, but we succeeded. Everything we have fought for as a people, we have won. Therefore, another reason to celebrate black history month would be for the success we shall surely have in the future.