In this episode of CURE America with Donald Eason, we focus on what really builds strong communities: personal responsibility, solid families, and a renewed sense of culture and purpose.
We start with a thoughtful conversation with Ian Rowe, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Ian founded Vertex Partnership Academies, a high school in the Bronx built around virtues and the International Baccalaureate program, and he’s the author of “Agency: The Four Point Plan to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative.”
Coming from Jamaican immigrant parents, Ian shares his own path and explains the “success sequence” in clear terms: finish high school, get a full-time job, and get married before having children. The data shows that people who follow these steps have about a 97 percent chance of staying out of poverty, no matter their race or background. He talks about bringing this message into schools, addressing the pushback from those (like some at Harvard) who emphasize government programs over individual choices, and the progress he’s seen in places like Ohio and Tennessee where it’s starting to be taught.
Next, we feature a direct and insightful talk from Delano Squires, who looks at the long-term changes in the black family going back to the 1960s. He connects the dots between welfare policies that often sidelined fathers, cultural shifts from feminism that prioritized independence over partnership, and changes in some black churches moving away from biblical teachings on family toward more political focuses, influenced by ideas from thinkers like James Cone and responses to reports like Moynihan’s.
Delano makes a straightforward case for turning things around: put children’s well-being first, get churches running practical marriage and family workshops, bring in support from HBCUs and media voices, and push back against influences like certain feminist ideas, LGBT advocacy, and organizations such as Planned Parenthood. He stresses that stable marriages are essential for healthy communities and for passing on a strong legacy to the next generation.
Join us for this honest look at taking back control of our lives, strengthening families, and rebuilding communities the right way.
