One of the most devastating blows to ever strike the Black community was the crack epidemic which was prevalent between 1983 through 1990. It ran rampant through inner-city neighborhoods and the impact left a catastrophic aftermath. But yet another epidemic for African-Americans have always been the extreme high rates of unemployment.

Employment for Black men has not increased and with the on going recession, chances are, it will not increase any time soon. Like the epidemics of crack, unemployment has hit the Black community very hard with lasting effects, specifically for our Black men.

The parallels are stunning. Crack led to the destruction of families and communities; the murder rate soared because of warring gangs fighting over turfs, ravishing Black communities. The lingering effects of the drug were homelessness, addiction, theft, robbery and imprisonment. It left a lasting legacy. Some suggest the CIA contributed to the rise of the epidemic, knowingly allowing cocaine to be shipped into major cities and ports.

HOUSTON- What we adorn our bodies with sends a powerful message. Fashion expresses attitudes, beliefs and interests. It can even symbolize where we come from and where we are going in our lives. And for Damien McKelton, 36, his clothing line, “From the bottom to the Top” or “BT3” is literally based on a true story.
McKelton was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and raised in Lake Charles. As a result of his parents’ divorce when he was only two, he grew up in a single parent household.