A Problem that threatens the foundation of the family structure in the black community is that of Teen Pregnancy-or unprepared motherhood, or perhaps absentee parenthood. Poverty, lack of skills and training, and lack of education are all avenues back to slavery. A teenage mother who is unemployable has no means for gathering the resources necessary to raise children. They are often abandoned by their partners in sexual adventure when they are found with child, and the support of the child and the mother is left to government, grandparents and others. The role of the Black male in preventing this abomination upon mankind is clear. Alpha Phi Alpha has taken a position of leadership in making our young people aware of the awesome responsibility that accrues to parenthood An infant is an involuntary arrival to this world--but once here has an inalienable right to an abundant life. If the young Black male is to be responsible, he must give respect to his blackness. The institution of the family is paramount in building a strong and viable background from which one can grow. The glaring and inescapable statistics, that is a millstone about the necks of Black Americans, is that over half of the Black babies born are born to teenagers. Babies so born have two strikes against them. Alpha Phi Alpha, must continue to educate, advocate and do what ever is necessary to enlighten our youth to the consequences which we perpetuate upon ourselves.
One of the most important
health issues of our time,
is the sexual behavior
of our youth. The result
of this increased
behavior is Sexually
Transmitted diseases,
Human Immunodefcency(HIV)
and unwanted pregnancies.
Satistics in the May 26,
1997 issue stated that fewer
teens are now having sex.
The article pointed out that
for the first time in more than
two decades, the teen sex rate
has decreased.
The following
statistics from 1995 show that:
50% of females ages 15-19 have
had sexual Intercourse
Down from 55% in 1990.
55% of males ages 15-19
have had sexual intercourse
Down from 60% in 1990.
Experts attribute the
decrease to the following factors.
We focus on the above factors in particular, while emphasizing the long-term effects that a teen pregnancy can have on the road to success. By focusing on teenage pregnancy prevention and by placing special emphasis on the male's role and responsibilities. We hope that this increased awareness can serve as a catalyst to increase the quality of life for our youth. Hopefully this will go along way in giving them back their childhood and becoming successful citizens.
Traditional Education on
Teenage Pregnancy Prevention
has primarily focused on
the Female. It is the
desire of our program to
focus on both the Male and
Female. Yet place special
emphasis on the male partner,
and his role in preventing
teenage pregnancies. We would like
to educate our youth on their role and
responsibilities in regards to the
prevention of teen pregnancies.
The program targets youth in
the CSRA, ages 8 - 18, who have
been recommended by their school,
church or social organization.
Young people who have not been recommended
and who would like to take part in the
program will also be encouraged to
participate. Young people
taking part in the program
will receive information on
the Medical, Psychological and
Legal problems associated with
teenage pregnancy.
Providing information on
the medical consequences
of teenage pregnancy, in
addition to information
that would help our youth make
more responsible decisions
about child bearing, is just
one step in the right direction.
The most critical step lies in
the responsibility of those who
have been educated, trained
and fortunate enough to have made
it, to lend our time and
talents to help teens make
the right choices. By showing
that we care, the problem
may not go away, but we may be
able to make a sizable dent
in the alarming statistics that
we read about and see.