Walking into the headquarters of City National Bank in Newark, N.J., memories of my first bank experience with my father came to mind: a quiet, intimate setting; no fancy lighting or décor; and people who looked like me. Fast-forward to the bank around the corner today, with its video kiosks, fancy ATM machines, gifts, e-banking services, late hours and people of all shades representing Blacks, and you can’t help but wonder how City. . .

The American highway is a symbol of national progress. It’s the way west; it’s the way east. It represents mobility, freedom and speed. It also fuels an industry that is one of the pillars of our national economy, driving wealth for some and spelling poverty for others. Times are tough. Just take a look at Motor City, where, in the 1950s, the U.S. automotive industry was in full swing and Motown was just the glittering candle on the cake. . .

Hurricane Katrina appears to have signaled hip-hop’s passage from infancy to maturity. Over the years, our elders have castigated us for failing to take reasoned, decisive measures to facilitate political change. Despite voter registration drives, hip-hop conferences and Election Day slogans, we never really seemed intent on actually changing things. As a constituency, we rarely advocated for new laws and public policies. . .