Purified Water | Me’Kel Williams and Marquis Davis | TEDxYouth@RVA

all right tonight we came here to talk

all right tonight we came here to talk to you a little bit about out here fried

to you a little bit about out here fried

to you a little bit about out here fried water bro what are you talking about

water bro what are you talking about

water bro what are you talking about marques this is actually time there’s an

marques this is actually time there’s an

marques this is actually time there’s an act an actual clock ticking oh I’ll

act an actual clock ticking oh I’ll

act an actual clock ticking oh I’ll explain later I’m sorry okay anyway what

explain later I’m sorry okay anyway what

explain later I’m sorry okay anyway what we really came here to talk to you about

we really came here to talk to you about

we really came here to talk to you about is how we’ve been able to use hip-hop as

is how we’ve been able to use hip-hop as

is how we’ve been able to use hip-hop as our vehicle to express ourselves and

our vehicle to express ourselves and

our vehicle to express ourselves and encourage young people around the nation

encourage young people around the nation

encourage young people around the nation to do the same we’ve been able to take

to do the same we’ve been able to take

to do the same we’ve been able to take something like hip hop that typically

something like hip hop that typically

something like hip hop that typically has a general negative connotation with

has a general negative connotation with

has a general negative connotation with it and we’ve been able to spread a

it and we’ve been able to spread a

it and we’ve been able to spread a message a positive message of hope all

message a positive message of hope all

message a positive message of hope all across the country and what we came here

across the country and what we came here

across the country and what we came here to do today is they courage you to find

to do today is they courage you to find

to do today is they courage you to find whatever your vehicle is to use that to

whatever your vehicle is to use that to

whatever your vehicle is to use that to encourage other people essentially I

encourage other people essentially I

encourage other people essentially I guess you could say we came here to

guess you could say we came here to

guess you could say we came here to encourage you to encourage or inspire

encourage you to encourage or inspire

encourage you to encourage or inspire don’t wait for the right opportunity

don’t wait for the right opportunity

don’t wait for the right opportunity create it by George Bernard Shaw but

create it by George Bernard Shaw but

create it by George Bernard Shaw but what is the right opportunity where is

what is the right opportunity where is

what is the right opportunity where is it or how can it be found

it or how can it be found

it or how can it be found first let me ask you this question do we

first let me ask you this question do we

first let me ask you this question do we all have 24 hours in a day I know it

all have 24 hours in a day I know it

all have 24 hours in a day I know it sounds crazy but when you’re as busy as

sounds crazy but when you’re as busy as

sounds crazy but when you’re as busy as we are sometimes I feel like you don’t

we are sometimes I feel like you don’t

we are sometimes I feel like you don’t and I know all my parents can relate to

and I know all my parents can relate to

and I know all my parents can relate to that but really we do so if I asked you

that but really we do so if I asked you

that but really we do so if I asked you to look at your last 24 hours would you

to look at your last 24 hours would you

to look at your last 24 hours would you be able to identify all of the right

be able to identify all of the right

be able to identify all of the right opportunities that you had could you say

opportunities that you had could you say

opportunities that you had could you say that you took advantage of them or can

that you took advantage of them or can

that you took advantage of them or can we all be honest and said that maybe we

we all be honest and said that maybe we

we all be honest and said that maybe we missed some opportunities so what makes

missed some opportunities so what makes

missed some opportunities so what makes it so special well it is that one

it so special well it is that one

it so special well it is that one special word opportunity see we all have

special word opportunity see we all have

special word opportunity see we all have the opportunity to give we all have the

the opportunity to give we all have the

the opportunity to give we all have the opportunity to serve we all have the

opportunity to serve we all have the

opportunity to serve we all have the opportunity to network and that is

opportunity to network and that is

opportunity to network and that is something that we should all strive to

something that we should all strive to

something that we should all strive to do is take advantage of the right

do is take advantage of the right

do is take advantage of the right opportunity now let’s be honest

opportunity now let’s be honest

opportunity now let’s be honest sometimes things don’t go as planned and

sometimes things don’t go as planned and

sometimes things don’t go as planned and that’s okay because even when they don’t

that’s okay because even when they don’t

that’s okay because even when they don’t go as planned we believe that in that

go as planned we believe that in that

go as planned we believe that in that moment it’s still

moment it’s still

moment it’s still the right opportunity to learn we learn

the right opportunity to learn we learn

the right opportunity to learn we learn we grow we so we reap we inspire to

we grow we so we reap we inspire to

we grow we so we reap we inspire to inspire exactly

inspire exactly

inspire exactly now to tell you a little bit about what

now to tell you a little bit about what

now to tell you a little bit about what we do we actually have the opportunity

we do we actually have the opportunity

we do we actually have the opportunity to work with some great organizations

to work with some great organizations

to work with some great organizations here in Richmond and our main goal is to

here in Richmond and our main goal is to

here in Richmond and our main goal is to provide a platform or opportunities for

provide a platform or opportunities for

provide a platform or opportunities for people who may not have it so we get a

people who may not have it so we get a

people who may not have it so we get a partner with other nonprofits and other

partner with other nonprofits and other

partner with other nonprofits and other organizations and our main focus is to

organizations and our main focus is to

organizations and our main focus is to create a platform for people we using

create a platform for people we using

create a platform for people we using our talents so we take the

our talents so we take the

our talents so we take the professionalism of a dance studio in the

professionalism of a dance studio in the

professionalism of a dance studio in the classes that you would get in a dance

classes that you would get in a dance

classes that you would get in a dance studio and mix it with that raw talent

studio and mix it with that raw talent

studio and mix it with that raw talent and passion that you get from street

and passion that you get from street

and passion that you get from street style dance and then we partner with

style dance and then we partner with

style dance and then we partner with organizations so we’re able to provide

organizations so we’re able to provide

organizations so we’re able to provide those in underserved communities so now

those in underserved communities so now

those in underserved communities so now we’re creating that platform for

we’re creating that platform for

we’re creating that platform for somebody else see growing up I was one

somebody else see growing up I was one

somebody else see growing up I was one of those kids that grew up in one of

of those kids that grew up in one of

of those kids that grew up in one of those underserved communities I did not

those underserved communities I did not

those underserved communities I did not have a platform to share my talent I

have a platform to share my talent I

have a platform to share my talent I didn’t have a platform to express myself

didn’t have a platform to express myself

didn’t have a platform to express myself until somebody came in and bridged that

until somebody came in and bridged that

until somebody came in and bridged that gap for me and that’s all we’re trying

gap for me and that’s all we’re trying

gap for me and that’s all we’re trying to do we’re trying to bridge gaps and

to do we’re trying to bridge gaps and

to do we’re trying to bridge gaps and today I really want you to examine

today I really want you to examine

today I really want you to examine yourself and figure out what bridge it

yourself and figure out what bridge it

yourself and figure out what bridge it is that you can get for somebody else

is that you can get for somebody else

is that you can get for somebody else what is it that you have to offer that

what is it that you have to offer that

what is it that you have to offer that can help somebody else express

can help somebody else express

can help somebody else express themselves or create an opportunity or a

themselves or create an opportunity or a

themselves or create an opportunity or a platform for somebody else to inspire

platform for somebody else to inspire

platform for somebody else to inspire somebody is essentially once again

somebody is essentially once again

somebody is essentially once again inspire somebody to be an inspiration

inspire somebody to be an inspiration

inspire somebody to be an inspiration yeah exactly just like purified water

yeah exactly just like purified water

yeah exactly just like purified water yeah no dude what are you talking about

yeah no dude what are you talking about

yeah no dude what are you talking about bro like that doesn’t make sense

bro like that doesn’t make sense

bro like that doesn’t make sense alright here we go here we go matter of

alright here we go here we go matter of

alright here we go here we go matter of fact come together circle time okay

fact come together circle time okay

fact come together circle time okay circle time got it nice circle we’re got

circle time got it nice circle we’re got

circle time got it nice circle we’re got it

it

it so cuz I’m listening now if I showed you

so cuz I’m listening now if I showed you

so cuz I’m listening now if I showed you purified water in a bottle what’s the

purified water in a bottle what’s the

purified water in a bottle what’s the first thing you think of well we’ve been

first thing you think of well we’ve been

first thing you think of well we’ve been talking a minute it looks thirst

talking a minute it looks thirst

talking a minute it looks thirst quenching I’m kind of thirsty my mouse a

quenching I’m kind of thirsty my mouse a

quenching I’m kind of thirsty my mouse a little drama little parched do not I

little drama little parched do not I

little drama little parched do not I don’t know it’s a bottle of water I

don’t know it’s a bottle of water I

don’t know it’s a bottle of water I don’t know what you’re asking

don’t know what you’re asking

don’t know what you’re asking exactly I’m sure the first thing you

exactly I’m sure the first thing you

exactly I’m sure the first thing you would say is it’s simply just a water

would say is it’s simply just a water

would say is it’s simply just a water bottle duh well let me tell you what I

bottle duh well let me tell you what I

bottle duh well let me tell you what I see see I see the bottle it’s finite it

see see I see the bottle it’s finite it

see see I see the bottle it’s finite it won’t change its form its greater for

won’t change its form its greater for

won’t change its form its greater for one purpose

one purpose

one purpose one purpose only simple to contain and

one purpose only simple to contain and

one purpose only simple to contain and hold in an object all right now you can

hold in an object all right now you can

hold in an object all right now you can be the bottle but I encourage you to be

be the bottle but I encourage you to be

be the bottle but I encourage you to be the water flowing ever-changing

the water flowing ever-changing

the water flowing ever-changing limitless yes you can contain the water

limitless yes you can contain the water

limitless yes you can contain the water in the bottle but when it’s released its

in the bottle but when it’s released its

in the bottle but when it’s released its potential is limitless now think about

potential is limitless now think about

potential is limitless now think about this since it’s circle time one small

this since it’s circle time one small

this since it’s circle time one small puddle of water could lead to a creek

puddle of water could lead to a creek

puddle of water could lead to a creek okay a creek could lead to a stream okay

okay a creek could lead to a stream okay

okay a creek could lead to a stream okay a stream to a lake a lake to a ponds

a stream to a lake a lake to a ponds

a stream to a lake a lake to a ponds here we go upon to a river okay now but

here we go upon to a river okay now but

here we go upon to a river okay now but with the right opportunity it could all

with the right opportunity it could all

with the right opportunity it could all lead to the ocean okay

lead to the ocean okay

lead to the ocean okay so I asked you which would be the bottle

so I asked you which would be the bottle

so I asked you which would be the bottle or the water alright so that was good

or the water alright so that was good

or the water alright so that was good all right we can give him a hand for

all right we can give him a hand for

all right we can give him a hand for that one that was good thank you

that one that was good thank you

that one that was good thank you circle time has commenced hi so on that

circle time has commenced hi so on that

circle time has commenced hi so on that note what we did today is we kind of

note what we did today is we kind of

note what we did today is we kind of prepared something to show you how we

prepared something to show you how we

prepared something to show you how we use hip-hop as our vehicle we’ve taken

use hip-hop as our vehicle we’ve taken

use hip-hop as our vehicle we’ve taken one of our original songs that we wrote

one of our original songs that we wrote

one of our original songs that we wrote and we put some choreography to it we

and we put some choreography to it we

and we put some choreography to it we also brought some very talented young

also brought some very talented young

also brought some very talented young friends with us because we both have old

friends with us because we both have old

friends with us because we both have old lakes so sometimes you got to bring the

lakes so sometimes you got to bring the

lakes so sometimes you got to bring the young folks in to do some fun stuff we

young folks in to do some fun stuff we

young folks in to do some fun stuff we put together a little performance for

put together a little performance for

put together a little performance for you I hope you enjoy it and I hope it

you I hope you enjoy it and I hope it

you I hope you enjoy it and I hope it inspires you thank you

my life is like a puzzle like this be

my life is like a puzzle like this be anyway outfitted I’m thankful for the

anyway outfitted I’m thankful for the

anyway outfitted I’m thankful for the blessings in that great said I’ve been

blessings in that great said I’ve been

blessings in that great said I’ve been given said I’m gonna preach the gospel

given said I’m gonna preach the gospel

given said I’m gonna preach the gospel even if nobody listening it’s wartime

even if nobody listening it’s wartime

even if nobody listening it’s wartime I’m gonna take a stage better for me

I’m gonna take a stage better for me

I’m gonna take a stage better for me follow his commands no skills required

follow his commands no skills required

follow his commands no skills required do the best he can said I can’t do it

do the best he can said I can’t do it

do the best he can said I can’t do it alone yet it tells us just a man yeah

alone yet it tells us just a man yeah

alone yet it tells us just a man yeah you know in French when I step up in the

you know in French when I step up in the

you know in French when I step up in the battle they thought I was falling no but

battle they thought I was falling no but

battle they thought I was falling no but now we’re back in the saddle so we try

now we’re back in the saddle so we try

now we’re back in the saddle so we try to share

to share

to share standing in the shadow when we do a

standing in the shadow when we do a

standing in the shadow when we do a little more than making you Trump rattle

Thomas was happy called shoes in a

Thomas was happy called shoes in a lace-up boots cause it no we own a bride

lace-up boots cause it no we own a bride

lace-up boots cause it no we own a bride I said it’s wartime go down onto the

I said it’s wartime go down onto the

I said it’s wartime go down onto the back ticket to step forward and no steps

back ticket to step forward and no steps

back ticket to step forward and no steps back I said its wartime crimes no step

back I said its wartime crimes no step

back I said its wartime crimes no step back