If you want to know why Dropout Nation called for the build up of school reform in Sunday’s podcast, and embrace systemic changes, Parent Power and a DIY ethic, consider what is happening in black and Latino communities throughout America. Even as the nation suffers economically because of low-quality education, blacks and Latinos struggle even more mightily. And as this nation becomes majority-minority in demographic terms, school reform is crucial to America’s future.

In this Voices of the Dropout Nation, Phillip Jackson of the Black Star Project offers a briefing on the alarming issues facing the Black America. Read, consider and take action.

Almost every economic study on labor issues, business development, capital retention, wealth creation and wealth management shows that most black people living and working in America are in serious financial trouble.  Many of us are no longer viable in the American economic system.

With gas quickly approaching $5.00 a gallon, everything that we need to survive is costing proportionally more money, including food, clothing, housing, medicine, health care, transportation, education and utilities. While all of these things cost more money, black people will lost $200 billion and $250 billion in wealth over a four-year period ending in 2012. That’s less money to pay for our survival.

According to recent studies, blacks (men especially) are still the last hired and first fired in America and will earn substantially less salary, on average and over time, compared to their white counterparts. As black wages, wealth, and net worth have declined, black unemployment rates, mortgage default rates and our dependence on credit have increased. And even as the stock market is flirting with all-time record highs, few Black Americans are benefiting because most they have little or no investment in the market.

Most black people in America cannot even afford to pay for their own funeral and the median wealth for black women is estimated to be $5.00.  As Black Americans look to others of their own race for help, we find that those of us who have very little are being exposed to economic-related violence by fellow blacks who have even less.

As a race, we are are in serious trouble!

We black people can no longer afford to have entertainers, athletes and other non-business types as our heroes and leaders. We must groom, honor and support economists, business forecasters, mathematicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists, farmers and logistics managers as our new heroes and leaders if we are to survive into the future.

The current economic plight of black people in America is the most dangerous time for Blacks since slavery!  We have got to get this right!  We have got to make a change!  We must take control of our economic future!