see page history
Overview edit
Bibliography
-
(2006)
Rap and the Eroticizing of Black Youth
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Kill Them Before They Grow: The Misdiagnosis of African American Boys in America's Classrooms
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Gas Burners for Forges, Furnaces, and Kilns
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The Conspiracy to Destroy Black Women
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Poet in the Street
Personal edit
- Legal name: Michael N. Porter
- Birthdate: 1957 (age 55)
- Birthplace: Savannah, GA, USA
- Nationality: American
- Gender: Male
- Official Website: http://www.savannahstate.edu/faculty-staff/human-resources/equity-diversity.shtml
- Genres: Psychology, Emotional Behavior Disorder, Youth Issues, African-American Welfare
Unbound edit
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Mr. Michael N. Porter was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. He spent his early years growing up in Yamacraw Village. After a few moves his family settled on the westside of the city and he graduated from Beach High School in 1975.
He attended Savannah State College (now Savannah State University) and decided to major in middle school education. At the time he was at Savannah State they were going through the period where they exchanged programs with Armstrong Atlantic State University. Since he was an education major he had to technically complete his degree at Armstrong. He was not pleased. Having spent some time at the college myself I can understand his affinity for Savannah State. There is a pride that one feels in attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU.)
After his undergraduate degree, Mike went on to receive his Masters in counseling. He also is a licensed counselor with the state of Georgia. In his practice, he gives counseling to juvenile sex offenders, sexual abuse victims, families, married couples, and children in crisis. He is often referred his clients by the Department of Family and Children Services, the Mel Blount Youth Home in Vidalia, Lutheran Ministries Services, and other individuals and organizations charged with assisting troubled youth.
Villages, Ghosts, Lovers...And Red Rice is not Mike Porter's first book. He has also written Kill Them Before They Grow: The Misdiagnosis of African American Boys in America's Classrooms and The Conspiracy to Destroy Black Women. He also is well known for his "straight from the hip" articles published weekly in the Savannah Herald.
Mike's love and concern for his African American family is evident in everything that he does. During the interview he discussed some of the prevailing problems that he comes across time and time again in his practice. He says that part of the problem is that America's youth is being "oversexualized." He explained the concept of "age compression." He described it as being the phenomenon of advertisers attempting to sell younger consumers products that are designed for much older people. You can see this in the fashion industry. Many young girls are walking around in clothing that have the upper part of their buttocks showing. The clothing is becoming more and more sexualized. This may seem unimportant to some parents but to Mike it rears it's ugly head in the attitudes and mindsets of our youth. He tries to get children to see how they have been targeted for manipulation by the advertisers. As he says, "People won't change until they question what they believe."
Even though the discussion was to be primarily about his latest book, you can't keep him from discussing his passion, which is helping to change the negative mindsets of some of our people. In fact the conversation changed to politics when we were joined by Jay Jones in the coffee house. Jay is a Savannah native who is making waves across the country as a stage actor. He told us of how he is gaining ground in the industry and about his next performance at the National Black Theater Festival coming up in August.
After Jay left we got back to business. Mike discussed what inspired him to write his latest book. He said that he was speaking with his grandmother one day and was mesmerized by the stories that she was telling him. He said to himself, "You know people need to know about this." He thought that it would make a good book.
============
Michael N. Porter is an Assistant Director/Counselor at Savannah State University and a violence prevention consultant for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. He has worked as an educational therapist with emotionally disturbed children, a child and family therapist, an advocate for at-risk youth, and as an Emotional Behavior Disordered teacher. Michael conducts a variety of workshops for youth and for the professionals that work with youth. Michael Porter holds a Master of Education in Counseling.
He attended Savannah State College (now Savannah State University) and decided to major in middle school education. At the time he was at Savannah State they were going through the period where they exchanged programs with Armstrong Atlantic State University. Since he was an education major he had to technically complete his degree at Armstrong. He was not pleased. Having spent some time at the college myself I can understand his affinity for Savannah State. There is a pride that one feels in attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU.)
After his undergraduate degree, Mike went on to receive his Masters in counseling. He also is a licensed counselor with the state of Georgia. In his practice, he gives counseling to juvenile sex offenders, sexual abuse victims, families, married couples, and children in crisis. He is often referred his clients by the Department of Family and Children Services, the Mel Blount Youth Home in Vidalia, Lutheran Ministries Services, and other individuals and organizations charged with assisting troubled youth.
Villages, Ghosts, Lovers...And Red Rice is not Mike Porter's first book. He has also written Kill Them Before They Grow: The Misdiagnosis of African American Boys in America's Classrooms and The Conspiracy to Destroy Black Women. He also is well known for his "straight from the hip" articles published weekly in the Savannah Herald.
Mike's love and concern for his African American family is evident in everything that he does. During the interview he discussed some of the prevailing problems that he comes across time and time again in his practice. He says that part of the problem is that America's youth is being "oversexualized." He explained the concept of "age compression." He described it as being the phenomenon of advertisers attempting to sell younger consumers products that are designed for much older people. You can see this in the fashion industry. Many young girls are walking around in clothing that have the upper part of their buttocks showing. The clothing is becoming more and more sexualized. This may seem unimportant to some parents but to Mike it rears it's ugly head in the attitudes and mindsets of our youth. He tries to get children to see how they have been targeted for manipulation by the advertisers. As he says, "People won't change until they question what they believe."
Even though the discussion was to be primarily about his latest book, you can't keep him from discussing his passion, which is helping to change the negative mindsets of some of our people. In fact the conversation changed to politics when we were joined by Jay Jones in the coffee house. Jay is a Savannah native who is making waves across the country as a stage actor. He told us of how he is gaining ground in the industry and about his next performance at the National Black Theater Festival coming up in August.
After Jay left we got back to business. Mike discussed what inspired him to write his latest book. He said that he was speaking with his grandmother one day and was mesmerized by the stories that she was telling him. He said to himself, "You know people need to know about this." He thought that it would make a good book.
============
Michael N. Porter is an Assistant Director/Counselor at Savannah State University and a violence prevention consultant for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. He has worked as an educational therapist with emotionally disturbed children, a child and family therapist, an advocate for at-risk youth, and as an Emotional Behavior Disordered teacher. Michael conducts a variety of workshops for youth and for the professionals that work with youth. Michael Porter holds a Master of Education in Counseling.
