I could feel them staring at me asking me what color are you and I would say
me what color are you and I would say
me what color are you and I would say I’m black they would ask me what’s wrong
I’m black they would ask me what’s wrong
I’m black they would ask me what’s wrong with you and I would say nothing holding
with you and I would say nothing holding
with you and I would say nothing holding my head down trying not to be noticed
my head down trying not to be noticed
my head down trying not to be noticed became a normal for me I wasn’t aware of
became a normal for me I wasn’t aware of
became a normal for me I wasn’t aware of my signature pigment was just that
my signature pigment was just that
my signature pigment was just that powerful it was powerful enough that
powerful it was powerful enough that
powerful it was powerful enough that people stared pointed and whispered I
people stared pointed and whispered I
people stared pointed and whispered I had no idea how different I looked how
had no idea how different I looked how
had no idea how different I looked how was I supposed to know it’s only pigment
was I supposed to know it’s only pigment
was I supposed to know it’s only pigment right I’m an albino African American and
right I’m an albino African American and
right I’m an albino African American and I used my signature pigment to inspire
I used my signature pigment to inspire
I used my signature pigment to inspire my life’s passion
my life’s passion
my life’s passion let me explain albinism is a genetic
let me explain albinism is a genetic
let me explain albinism is a genetic disorder the gene is carried by one
disorder the gene is carried by one
disorder the gene is carried by one and/or both parents the result is a lack
and/or both parents the result is a lack
and/or both parents the result is a lack of pigment and skin hair and or eyes our
of pigment and skin hair and or eyes our
of pigment and skin hair and or eyes our by nose can’t maintain a normal balance
by nose can’t maintain a normal balance
by nose can’t maintain a normal balance of melanin the pigment which allows them
of melanin the pigment which allows them
of melanin the pigment which allows them to have color does pigment define who
to have color does pigment define who
to have color does pigment define who you are
you are
you are discrimination is in packaged and
discrimination is in packaged and
discrimination is in packaged and reserved for just race and religion it
reserved for just race and religion it
reserved for just race and religion it further moves towards size gender and
further moves towards size gender and
further moves towards size gender and complexion this level of ignorance
complexion this level of ignorance
complexion this level of ignorance prompted my head to be pushed into a
prompted my head to be pushed into a
prompted my head to be pushed into a brick wall and a library chair to be
brick wall and a library chair to be
brick wall and a library chair to be thrown across the room at me because my
thrown across the room at me because my
thrown across the room at me because my appearance didn’t match theirs doesn’t
appearance didn’t match theirs doesn’t
appearance didn’t match theirs doesn’t that make you feel uncomfortable but
that make you feel uncomfortable but
that make you feel uncomfortable but it’s okay because the more pigment
it’s okay because the more pigment
it’s okay because the more pigment became their crutch the more it became
became their crutch the more it became
became their crutch the more it became by triumph these are prime examples of
by triumph these are prime examples of
by triumph these are prime examples of how we view people and have we punish
how we view people and have we punish
how we view people and have we punish them for their differences and how
them for their differences and how
them for their differences and how society is confused about pigment when
society is confused about pigment when
society is confused about pigment when you remove pigment from the equation
you remove pigment from the equation
you remove pigment from the equation what do you have left a person who
what do you have left a person who
what do you have left a person who brings the same as you
brings the same as you
brings the same as you most importantly wants to be accepted
most importantly wants to be accepted
most importantly wants to be accepted for whom they are I was raised to embody
for whom they are I was raised to embody
for whom they are I was raised to embody my uniqueness and to educate others on
my uniqueness and to educate others on
my uniqueness and to educate others on albinism you see when people aren’t
albinism you see when people aren’t
albinism you see when people aren’t quite comfortable with who they are in
quite comfortable with who they are in
quite comfortable with who they are in their own skin they tend to reflect
their own skin they tend to reflect
their own skin they tend to reflect their insecurities onto you and society
their insecurities onto you and society
their insecurities onto you and society tried its hand at crippling my abilities
tried its hand at crippling my abilities
tried its hand at crippling my abilities but my parents Clyde and Carmela they
but my parents Clyde and Carmela they
but my parents Clyde and Carmela they inspired the best style I will ever wear
inspired the best style I will ever wear
inspired the best style I will ever wear being my own kind of beautiful standing
being my own kind of beautiful standing
being my own kind of beautiful standing confidently and knowing who I am and
confidently and knowing who I am and
confidently and knowing who I am and with that I fought harder pushing
with that I fought harder pushing
with that I fought harder pushing through hurt and pain to find my life’s
through hurt and pain to find my life’s
through hurt and pain to find my life’s passion I found fashion and style style
passion I found fashion and style style
passion I found fashion and style style is about self-expression reflecting that
is about self-expression reflecting that
is about self-expression reflecting that inner beauty on to the outside star goes
inner beauty on to the outside star goes
inner beauty on to the outside star goes way beyond just the clothes you wear
way beyond just the clothes you wear
way beyond just the clothes you wear it’s about the pride and the confidence
it’s about the pride and the confidence
it’s about the pride and the confidence you carry that tells the real story I
you carry that tells the real story I
you carry that tells the real story I strive to tell that story of myself
strive to tell that story of myself
strive to tell that story of myself every day I became a fashion designer a
every day I became a fashion designer a
every day I became a fashion designer a stylist and an author despite having a
stylist and an author despite having a
stylist and an author despite having a visual impairment and constantly hearing
visual impairment and constantly hearing
visual impairment and constantly hearing those whispers of you can’t and you will
those whispers of you can’t and you will
those whispers of you can’t and you will never you see Pigman became this open
never you see Pigman became this open
never you see Pigman became this open door to an opportunity to live limitless
door to an opportunity to live limitless
door to an opportunity to live limitless to conquer goals
they ask me how do you intend to thread
they ask me how do you intend to thread a sewing machine with a visual
a sewing machine with a visual
a sewing machine with a visual impairment and I said with thread in
impairment and I said with thread in
impairment and I said with thread in hand I have for more than 13 years they
hand I have for more than 13 years they
hand I have for more than 13 years they asked me how did you plan to get around
asked me how did you plan to get around
asked me how did you plan to get around you don’t drive and I said with cat bear
you don’t drive and I said with cat bear
you don’t drive and I said with cat bear in hand I have always made away even
in hand I have always made away even
in hand I have always made away even living in two major cities alone
living in two major cities alone
living in two major cities alone you see pigment became this open door to
you see pigment became this open door to
you see pigment became this open door to an opportunity to conquer goals and to
an opportunity to conquer goals and to
an opportunity to conquer goals and to prove that my boundaries were limitless
prove that my boundaries were limitless
prove that my boundaries were limitless I marched to the beat of my own drum and
I marched to the beat of my own drum and
I marched to the beat of my own drum and I said to myself if I was viewed as such
I said to myself if I was viewed as such
I said to myself if I was viewed as such a unique specimen I was going to forever
a unique specimen I was going to forever
a unique specimen I was going to forever create extraordinary things that were
create extraordinary things that were
create extraordinary things that were extensions of me
extensions of me
extensions of me I created fashion brands to exemplify my
I created fashion brands to exemplify my
I created fashion brands to exemplify my signature style simplistic and design
signature style simplistic and design
signature style simplistic and design yet unique in detail today I challenge
yet unique in detail today I challenge
yet unique in detail today I challenge you to live limitless without fear to
you to live limitless without fear to
you to live limitless without fear to embrace that signature pigment that will
embrace that signature pigment that will
embrace that signature pigment that will inspire your life’s passion embrace your
inspire your life’s passion embrace your
inspire your life’s passion embrace your unique create that signature pigment
unique create that signature pigment
unique create that signature pigment that will inspire the best style you
that will inspire the best style you
that will inspire the best style you will ever wear being your own kind of
will ever wear being your own kind of
will ever wear being your own kind of beautiful don’t accept a no or a can’t
beautiful don’t accept a no or a can’t
beautiful don’t accept a no or a can’t just look beyond the surface
just look beyond the surface
just look beyond the surface imagine your dream create your dream and
imagine your dream create your dream and
imagine your dream create your dream and then go and live your signature pigment
then go and live your signature pigment
then go and live your signature pigment [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment