Black Men's Group Reaches Out

By Jeanine Benca, Contra Costa Times

Robert Bogle is "almost" part of the club.

Like most of his neighbors near Danville's Hap Magee Ranch Park, he sports the telltale marks of white-collar privilege -- education, property and an apparent psychological freedom from day-to-day financial anxiety.

Bogle has worked to get here, moving from city to city as he pursued jobs in corporate America, eventually settling with his wife in Danville in 2003.

And he fits in perfectly -- as long as he's with people he knows.

"When I walk into the BART station, even though I'm in a suit, I'll still see the woman who clutches her purse a little tighter," said the sales manager at SBC Yellow Pages and current vice-chairman of the six-year-old Diablo Black Men's Group.

Bogle and other members of the tiny grassroots organization have been on a mission in recent months to reach larger numbers of local black men and to raise their profile in the community at large.

There's a need, they say, for more solidarity in their minority group, which makes up less than one percent of the population of the San Ramon Valley.

"There are certain realities to living in Northern California. When you move to (this part of) the Bay Area, you could literally go through 30 days without running into another person of color," said Bogle, who relocated from San Jose.

Prior to that, he lived in Miami where he said he felt more at ease with his Caribbean ancestry.

Every year there, he and his wife hosted a large Kwanzaa celebration for friends and family, Bogle recalled nostalgically.

Now they are the only black family in their sub-division of 200 homes.

"Yes, you do interact with people at work and at church, but ... you don't necessarily feel that same network of support." He added, "Sometimes you just feel lonely."

Started in the mid-1990's, the Diablo Black Men's Group, or DBMG, originally was intended as a social outlet for local residents.

About 50 men, including San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson, now belong to the non-profit organization, which meets once a month at the San Ramon Marriott.

The group organizes outings so that their wives and children can get to know each other. It aims to celebrate African-American culture, such as at a July cookout, where fried chicken, cobbler and other traditional foods were served.

In March, DBMG polled its members, asking them what they hoped to accomplish in the future.

"One of the things we talked about was community outreach and doing more of that," Bogle said.

This summer, the group donated about $3,000 to sponsor two students in the Oakland Airport-based Tuskegee Airmen Summer Flight Academy. The program, named after the African-American military pilot operation during World War II, introduces at-risk youth to careers in aviation by providing classes and flight instruction.

In addition, DBMG has started a public campaign to educate more black men about cancer.

Most recently, Bogle and another member, Spencer Tyrus were inducted into Leadership San Ramon Valley, a prestigious community service organization made up of local business and political leaders.

Such efforts are important, said Wilson, a 30-year San Ramon resident who will be running unopposed for mayoral reelection this fall.

"There's always negative stereotypes," Wilson said. "I think it's important that we're here in the community ... It shows that Americans of African descent can be businessmen, doctors, educators -- not just entertainers and athletes."

Bogle cites black friends and acquaintances whose children have felt targeted at times by local law enforcement.

"There's a certain insecurity you feel when you're not mainstream. There's a certain sting to it," he said.

Consequently, another goal this year is to reach even more blacks in the area.

"We know we're out there, but we sometimes feel like the only time we ever see each other is when we're filling up our cars at the gas station," Bogle said.

Current DBMG chairman Zeke Gilliam was one such resident.

A member of the San Ramon Valley community since 1968, the retired school administrator first learned about the group five years ago from a blurb in the newspaper.

Curious, he began asking around about it.

"A lot of new people move to the area and they pretty much keep to themselves," Gilliam said. "We don't want to pressure anyone, but we feel that we just should make them aware."

Wilson said more integration is needed everywhere.

"I think it's important that everyone understands the importance of everyone being Americans. It's just sharing the important parts of one's culture and how it interacts with the American culture and becomes one," he said.

"It's not for us to stand out. It's to become -- we already are -- and remain part of the community."

Back to Top