For many Black children growing up in America, the words, "You'll have to work twice as hard to get half as far," echo in their homes as a piece of hard-earned wisdom passed down by parents and elders. These words come from a place of love, protection, and survival. They reflect the harsh reality that Black people in this country have faced (and still face) systemic barriers in education, employment, and social mobility. But what if we could take this wisdom and transform it? Instead of using this idea of working twice as hard to merely survive in a system that was never designed for our success, what if we redirected that effort toward rebuilding and empowering our own communities?

The Power of Black Communities Pre-1980s

Before the crack epidemic that destroyed hundreds of Black neighborhoods arrived in the 1980s, many of our communities were vibrant, thriving, and unified in ways that defied systemic oppression. Despite redlining, segregated schools, and institutionalized racism, Black communities found ways to build strong support networks, from Black-owned businesses to robust local activism and cultural pride (Wiese, 2004). We worked together and for each other.

But the crack epidemic, strategically introduced into our neighborhoods, dismantled much of the progress that had been made (Alexander, 2011). It wasn't just a drug crisis; it was a deliberate tool of oppression aimed at destroying the unity, economic power, and progress of Black people. Families were torn apart, entire communities were criminalized, and a generation of Black men and women were lost to mass incarceration.

Why Should We Work "Twice as Hard" for Someone Else?

In light of this history, it’s time to ask a crucial question: Why should we continue to work twice as hard for a system that has actively worked against us? The wisdom of our elders (while valuable) can be expanded upon. Working twice as hard is a strategy for survival in a white-dominated society, but what if we collectively tried to move beyond just survive? We can thrive by working for ourselves and each other. We can build a future where our hard work isn’t just a reaction to oppression but a tool for community liberation and collective empowerment.

Rebuilding Together 

Instead of encouraging the next generation to work twice as hard for acceptance or advancement in predominantly white spaces, we should be fostering a culture of working hard for Black progress, self-sufficiency, and mutual aid. This means looking back to the models of community-building that existed before external forces tried to tear us apart.

In the past, Black communities practiced cooperative economics through systems like sou-sou (a communal savings system) and Black-owned businesses that served the needs of our people (Sen, 2020). We prioritized education, not just as a path to integration into white spaces, but as a way to empower ourselves with knowledge that we could bring back to uplift our own neighborhoods (Davidson, 2024).

We can revive this spirit. Today, we have a growing awareness of systemic injustice and a renewed sense of Black pride and creativity. We can rebuild what was lost. We can support Black entrepreneurs, invest in community projects, and share resources in ways that ensure the success of future generations. This isn’t just about making it in the white-dominated corporate world. It’s about creating a world where Black success is defined on our own terms.

Changing the Narrative

Imagine if the advice, “You’ll have to work twice as hard,” wasn’t about surviving in white spaces but about the collective effort we put into building and sustaining Black excellence for ourselves. What if we worked twice as hard to support Black-owned businesses, invest in Black-led organizations, and mentor young Black children to be confident in their own cultural identity and potential?

The wisdom of our elders about hard work remains valid. However, we need to evolve it to meet the demands of our present and future. Encouraging our children to work twice as hard shouldn’t be about assimilation or surviving in a white world. It should be about reclaiming the legacy of community strength that our ancestors lived by, and redirecting our energy toward building something for us, by us.

We are stronger together than we are divided, and if history has shown us anything, it's that when we work in unity, we are unstoppable. Let's honor our elders' wisdom while also daring to transform it. Instead of working twice as hard to merely exist within a system of oppression, let’s work for each other, for our communities, and for the legacy we’re building. Let’s not just work twice as hard, but twice as smart with a new focus. We’ve done it before, and we can do it again.

References

1. Alexander, M. (2011). The New Jim Crow. New York, NY: New Press.

2. Davidson, J. (2024, September 8). Exploring the history of Freedom Schools. Civil Rights Teaching. https://www.civilrightsteaching.org/resource/exploring-freedom-schools

3. Sen, S. (2020, December 7). Everything you ever wanted to know about those sou-sou savings clubs African and caribbean women love. Essence. https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/what-is-a-sou-sou-savings-club-facts/

4. Wiese, A. (2004). Places of Their Own. University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226896267.001.0001