Comedian Bill Cosby spreads his message for Black families through town hall meetings, social networking Web sites and hip-hop.
Dr. Bill Cosby has long used his comedic genius to shed light on American culture. When he launched “The Cosby Show” 25 years ago, he single-handedly changed the way African-Americans were portrayed on television.
But today, the 72-year-old Philadelphia native doesn’t find anything funny about the large number of Black children who drop out of school ill-prepared to enter a global work force. He’s also troubled by the increase in Black-on-Black crime and the lack of fathers in the home.
Despite criticism, the actor and philanthropist refuses to remain silent, barnstorming the country to talk to anyone who wants to listen about the problems that impact Black children and families, all the while encouraging an ethic of personal responsibility.
“I am very, very optimistic,” Cosby told Diverse in an interview in which he reflected on his activism over the past few years. “I just want people to go and get past being embarrassed. I want people to believe that it is possible for mothers and fathers to not care about their kids, but I also want people to believe that a child still needs an honest grown-up in their life.”
Cosby’s tough talk has been echoed in packed town hall meetings across the nation where activists and educators gather to strategize on how best to solve the many problems that beset Black children.
But his work hasn’t stopped there.
