Holloway:
When many people think of juvenile crime, one image is usually more predominant than others. However, we want to introduce you tonight to a young man who grew up in a tough neighborhood in Durham, yet decided to overcome temptations and make something of his life. I'm Jay Holloway, join us next on Black Issues Forum, for tonight's profile of achievement.

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Holloway:
Good evening and welcome to Black Issues Forum, I'm Jay Holloway your host. Tonight, we'll find out what's going on in our high schools and what's on the minds of students, and their plans for the future. Well, at least we'll get one person's viewpoint. Our profile of achievement tonight is Balaal Salaam, a budding politician, actor, and scholar, who's goal is to go on to college. Is that right Balaal?

Salaam:
That's right, yes it is.

Holloway:
You grew up in a tough part of Durham, North Carolina, as we said in our opening, but yet you've decided that's not going to impact your success of your future. Tell us about growing up in this tough neighborhood.

Salaam:
Well, I grew up in a small part of downtown Durham called the West End, and it has sort of a bad reputation as it is. But my parents have instilled in me the right things to do, where to go with what I have, and they started from the beginning, from when I was little. They instilled in me the values and the things that I need to achieve, not only at Jordan High School, but in the world, and from the beginning it's been that way.

Holloway:
And you're now the president of the student body at Jordan High School in Durham.

Salaam:
Yes, I'm the president of Jordan High. It's a big job, I stay busy, not only with extra-curricular activities, I don't even have time for sports. I act, sing, I'm in Chorus, and that takes up lots of time. I also work, and so I stay very busy.

Holloway:
Do you think that's one of the keys for people staying focused, staying busy with so many things like that, so that you don't have time for it.

Salaam:
Yes, definitely. If I could tell, if I could speak to all middle schoolers, and tell them one thing to do when they get to high school, it's to stay involved in extra-curricular activities, because it's sort of like a chain reaction. Once you start there, you want to get your schoolwork done, and you also want to be involved in everything else, not only in the community, but all around.

Holloway:
Now, you mentioned you don't play sports. I'm a short individual, you're tall, how tall are you?

Salaam:
I'm about 6'2"-6'3."

Holloway:
So you're tall enough that people would think you play basketball. Why, I know it's got to be a lot of pressure.

Salaam:
Yeah, I get that a lot, but of course, I'm not really good first of all, and...

Holloway:
But you're trying to say not all black guys are good at basketball.

Salaam:
Yeah, and they're not, and that's the point. Basically what it is, is that I've taken what I can do, and that's singing and drama, and I've focused on that, and I think that's another good thing to do. Is to take what you have as an individual, and to use what you have at schools, and Jordan High School is a very good school as far as extra-curricular activities, and use that as a stepping stone to be successful in life.

Holloway:
You mentioned that your parents helped. Are they, your father or mother, your mentor, do you have mentors, are your parents mentors for you?

Salaam:
Yes, every teacher at Jordan High School that I've ever had would be a mentor to me, and my mother. From the beginning she's been. She's a very smart person, she went to high school for three years actually, and she went to college early, and I really admire her, and if I could be just like anyone, or as successful as anyone, it would be her.

Holloway:
Isn't that wonderful. Now, you mentioned to me before we came on the air, I was telling you about this program, and doing a lot on the issue of race relations, and you said your high school is attempting to do something about that. Could you share that with us?

Salaam:
Yes, Ms. Robinson, my principal, she ran it by me, and what she would like to happen is to start with problems that involve race, as it is, reparations, and affirmative action, and many other things, that affect high schoolers and that affect the society as a whole, and to give the knowledge to the Jordan High School students, you know, because a lot of us are pretty much politic illiterate, as it is, not only blacks, but whites also. We're politic illiterate, and so to give them the

Holloway:
Do you think that we have a race relations problem today in high schools?

Salaam:
I think that there is a problem, there at Jordan specifically, but of course, everywhere else. I think that it all depends on the individual. Like me, I'm in a class everyday, my classes, I'm the only black person in every class, because I take advanced classes. And then I would go to a not-so-advanced class and it would be full of blacks. My school is about 60% white, and 40% black. So, the classes should show that ratio, but they don't. And that's one of the big things. If we

Holloway:
Did race come into play in your being elected to president of the student government association, that you know of?

Salaam:
I think that race was a big thing, because most people, when they look on the ballots, not only at Jordan, but in the world, they think black or white, and my issues weren't the point in my being elected. Basically, the point was popularity, and the point was race, and I think if, I think that Jordan High School is really affected by the race problem. If you were to look at our cafeteria, on one side we have all blacks, and on one side we have all whites. I think it's about familia

Holloway:
So, do you think that is occurring on a wide scale, in terms of discussions across racial lines in high schools?

Salaam:
In all high schools in Durham, I would say, I think it's a very big factor. I think it is, I think that race is a major factor in all the decisions that go through, not only with the students, but with the parents, because I would say that North Carolina is not the most race-blind state there is in the Union. And I think that parents influence their children a whole lot.

Holloway:
What would you say to parents. We broadcast state-wide, what would you say to black parents and white parents? What would you say, to black parents first, about the whole racial issue?

Salaam:
To black parents, I would say to expose your children as much as possible. I being, living on the West End, I was not even supposed to go to Jordan High, but because of the re-districting in Durham, I had the opportunity, and I really think that it was the best thing that ever happened to me, because I probably would have been going to an all black school, and well, as it is, Hillside in Durham, which is an all black school, has sort of a negative reputation, and the advantages aren'

Holloway:
Now, you referred earlier to maybe not getting the kind of exposure at the predominantly black school that you did at the school where you are now. Do you think that that is a direct relationship to the resources there, on the teachers, or is it more so the mix of the races at the school? What is the issue do you think?

Salaam:
I think that it's in relation to both. I think the teachers and the race, I think that the re-districting wouldn't have been brought up at all if it wasn't a problem. I think that it sort of goes back to separate but equal. I really think that there is a difference between Hillside and Northern Durham, or Hillside and Jordan High, and I think our parents have recognized that, and I think that the children actually recognize that. I was willing to sacrifice riding a bus for 30 minu

Holloway:
Well, interesting. Well, let's move back now to you. You have some pretty strong feelings about the race thing. You now, we talked about coming out of this rough section of Durham, and not playing sports, but what you're doing now. What's the future hold for you?

Salaam:
Well, I'm applying to the University of Rochester, which is early admission, and that's a binding agreement, and so if I make it there, then that's where I'll be going.

Holloway:
To what area of study?

Salaam:
I'm undecided. I've been thinking about music a whole lot, but I'm leaning towards other things also. I'm really not sure. Being in Durham, and being under the shelter of my parents, I don't think that I've been exposed totally to the world and what is has to offer to me, and so I think that for a couple of years explore the different fields of life.

Holloway:
At what point can you remember in your life, did you realize you wanted a better life than the circumstances where you were?

Salaam:
I think that it happened from the beginning. I think that when I couldn't make the decision myself, my parents made it for me, and they were great decisions, and when I could make the decisions, my parents allowed me to have that freedom, and I made the right decisions, thankfully.

Holloway:
What other, what about spirituality? Does that play into your role?

Salaam:
Well, yes. My parents are practicing Muslims, and I'm not exactly practicing, or I don't participate in going to the mosque, but I think that any major religion is great, because it's a way of life, and that way of life is restricted to discipline, and I think that discipline is what has helped me through school, and what has helped me through life, and what will help me in the future.

Holloway:
I know that's important to a lot of people and you know, when you think about the kind of influence that, and I'm going to say Louis Farrakan, which is very controversial, has had, a couple of years ago, the Million Man March. What are your views on the kind of influence he has had on America in general, but maybe your generation, too?

Salaam:
Well, to my generation, I'm approached a lot in school and asked about Louis Farrakan, and I'm not a supporter of Louis Farrakan, but I think that he's a very smart man. I think that he's a very, very smart man, and I think that he's a politician as well as a religious figure, and I believe that he plays a major role. I think that for students, I've had people come up to me and ask me, "how do I become a Muslim?", or "how can I be converted?" And the reason why is because they saw

Holloway:
So, school politics is something you've pursued, and I guess you're alluding to the politics of Louis Farrakan as well. How do you look at politics, and how does that fit into your future? Because as a student government president, your a politician, right?

Salaam:
Politics. I think that politics are very strong, and I think that I could pursue a career being a politician, but I don't know exactly what that entails. I mean I see TV, and I've seen duplicity in everything, but I'm not exactly sure what the details are. I think that it could be part of my life, in the future, but I think really what it was, running for student body president, was to give the students more of a voice at Jordan High, and I think that that's the reason that I did i

Holloway:
You alluded to the politics of North Carolina earlier, the people here. Were you born in North Carolina? Are you a native North Carolinian?

Salaam:
I was born in New Bern, North Carolina. I lived there for two months only, and then I moved to New Jersey, and I lived there up until about sixth grade. So, coming back to North Carolina was a big change. In the future we want to do, well actually in the past, we did a thing called AIDS Day at Jordan High, and we had a big day planned with speakers, and all types of people coming in. That was when I was the Junior Class President, last year, and we weren't allowed to do any of it

Holloway:
One of the criticisms of North Carolina, in terms of the educational process, and I've heard people allude to this, is that not too many people have been exposed outside of this. You've had an opportunity, born here in North Carolina, away in New Jersey, and coming back, and you see some things that can be improved. Do you think that that's valid to why...you probably are aware that in North Carolina, that blacks disproportionally scored lower than whites, and that obviously doesn't apply to you, and these classes, yet you want to talk about that. What is the problem, do you think, at the high school level, or in North Carolina education in general, as to why there's this disparity, and you are in the minority on that.?

Salaam:
I think that the difference is within the white community, that education is emphasized really well, I think that when the white kids go home, and they associate with their white friends, they do homework for two hours, and they then go out and play or whatever. And with the black kids, they go play basketball first, they go play baseball first. I think that it's woven into their separate societies. Basically, that's the difference. If it could be instilled into the black community, and perpetuated and started, once it was started I think that it could explode into something totally different. I think that there would be a gigantic turnaround. I'm not exactly sure how that could be started.

Holloway:
I asked you to direct some comments earlier to the parents, black and white, but maybe some of the parents got this tape, or teachers got this program, they taped it and they say they want their middle school kid or elementary kid, "say listen to this guy--what do you say to the young black kids that are coming up now--who see Michael Jordan--I have a son who just thinks Michael Jordan is the greatest, too--but Grant Hill was able to balance too. What do you say to the young kids coming up?

Salaam:
I say to the young black kids, get involved, be positive, set a goal and achieve it. I think that, simply, if you start with a goal that is unreachable, you just may reach it, or being halfway there is just as positive as reaching it.

Holloway:
So, you alluded to this earlier, did you decide not to play basketball because you weren't good, or what?

Salaam:
I decided not to play basketball, not only because I wasn't good, but because there are enough basketball players, there are enough sports players. I think that young black males need a role model in another echelon of society.

Holloway:
Well, let's talk a little bit more about your future now. You also talked about acting, and you're not really sure what you're going to do, that part of it. Tell me something about why that interests you as well.

Salaam:
Well I really love being on stage. I really love expressing myself in more than one way than just being myself. I think that acting is a powerful thing because when you go on stage, you're someone totally different, you're wearing, I would say, a mask. The mask is very powerful. I think that all the arts are very positive; I think that the arts in general become a way to express yourself in a different way.

Holloway:
Do you think that you may follow, not necessarily the lead but the example of former and current congressional representatives, and even President Reagan who parlayed a movie career into politics. Is that something you might do?

Salaam:
Like you say, politics is publicity, and publicity is part of politics. I think that that would be a great start. I feel that I'm pretty good at acting, and if I could pursue a career in acting or music, that would probably be my first choice.

Holloway:
Well, what is it-just less than a few minutes now-what is it that really keeps you motivated, do you think now, to continue to achieve?

Salaam:
I think what keeps me motivated is my view on long-term goals. I think that's the difference between someone who's really successful and someone who isn't. Most of my friends have short-term goals, they have "I want this now, I want that now," you know. And I'm thinking more towards the future. I think that that's the difference, and I think that if you think more toward the future, then everything will be well-planned and well-thought out.

Holloway:
What about your more short-term goals right now? I commend you and I know a lot of people do for taking that, because it's so difficult for people your age to have that perspective, and I guess you looked at your parents as mentors and they deserve their credit.

Salaam:
I think my short-term goals are, of course, to get into the college of my choice and to have fun, and to network so that when I reach the age of graduating from college I'll have a focus and something to do.

Holloway:
I think in my opinion, what you have, and I guess I really shouldn't give my opinion, but what you've been on here today, you've offset the negative image that so many have of young black males in your category. What do you have to say to our audience about so many in your age demo, you could be walking down the street and be mistaken for someone else as you're dressed right now. Do you want to address that before we get off?

Salaam:
I have, that has happened a lot before. I have been stereotyped, and in fact, I've been close to being thrown on a car, a cop car, when I had nothing to do with any situation that was going on there, and I think that we should never stereotype. I think that stereotypes are the fall of America, and I think that if you first look at a person, you might see one thing, and if you investigate, you might see something totally different. I think that you can't read a book by its cover.

Holloway:
Well stated. Balaal Salaam, congratulations, man. Keep up the achievement, brother.

Salaam:
Thank you.

Holloway:
We wish you good luck, and we know you're going to continue to achieve.

Salaam:
Thank you very much.

Holloway:
Thank you for your words of wisdom and sharing them with our audience.

Salaam:
Thank you.

Holloway:
And also, we want to thank you for watching the program tonight, and we invite you to watch Black Issues Forum every Friday night at 11:00 on UNC-TV. Please contact us with your comments. Our telephone number is 919-549-7167. Fax us at 919-549-7168. Or write us at e-mail at bif@unctv.org, or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.unctv.org/bif. You'll find information on past episodes and additional information on issues of concern to African-Americans.

Join us again next week as we focus on concerns of the housekeeping staff at UNC-Chapel Hill, and how it may impact other low wage workers in our state. I'm Jay Holloway, join us next Friday for those details. Thank you again for watching Black Issues Forum. You have a blessed evening and a good night.

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