so when I was 27 I threw myself a huge party riseling San Francisco it’s got a
party riseling San Francisco it’s got a
party riseling San Francisco it’s got a college a few years before I’d moved San
college a few years before I’d moved San
college a few years before I’d moved San Cisco couple years before and I throw
Cisco couple years before and I throw
Cisco couple years before and I throw myself a party you know big shindig
myself a party you know big shindig
myself a party you know big shindig drinks we raised all night but my
drinks we raised all night but my
drinks we raised all night but my roommate made a cape that actually
roommate made a cape that actually
roommate made a cape that actually looked like me so imagine this big
looked like me so imagine this big
looked like me so imagine this big chocolate cake on table and I threw
chocolate cake on table and I threw
chocolate cake on table and I threw myself a party when someone asked
myself a party when someone asked
myself a party when someone asked they’re like well why are you throwing
they’re like well why are you throwing
they’re like well why are you throwing self a party I said you know I’m
self a party I said you know I’m
self a party I said you know I’m throwing this party because I’m alive
throwing this party because I’m alive
throwing this party because I’m alive and I hadn’t lived through cancer and I
and I hadn’t lived through cancer and I
and I hadn’t lived through cancer and I hadn’t lived through a natural disaster
hadn’t lived through a natural disaster
hadn’t lived through a natural disaster as you might think from San Francisco
as you might think from San Francisco
as you might think from San Francisco but at the time I’d heard a statistic
but at the time I’d heard a statistic
but at the time I’d heard a statistic that the average life expectancy for a
that the average life expectancy for a
that the average life expectancy for a young black man in the city in an inner
young black man in the city in an inner
young black man in the city in an inner city was 27 so it’s about 1995 right and
city was 27 so it’s about 1995 right and
city was 27 so it’s about 1995 right and I’m thinking I just aged myself but it’s
I’m thinking I just aged myself but it’s
I’m thinking I just aged myself but it’s about 1995 and I thought to myself I was
about 1995 and I thought to myself I was
about 1995 and I thought to myself I was I forgot that part there is me age 27
I forgot that part there is me age 27
I forgot that part there is me age 27 and I thought to myself I’m alive and
and I thought to myself I’m alive and
and I thought to myself I’m alive and you just throw myself a party I didn’t
you just throw myself a party I didn’t
you just throw myself a party I didn’t expect to be alive how did that happen
expect to be alive how did that happen
expect to be alive how did that happen happen because of this one so I was
happen because of this one so I was
happen because of this one so I was raised by my grandmother in Harlem and
raised by my grandmother in Harlem and
raised by my grandmother in Harlem and she was determined that I wouldn’t be a
she was determined that I wouldn’t be a
she was determined that I wouldn’t be a statistic right that I was gonna go to
statistic right that I was gonna go to
statistic right that I was gonna go to college I was going to graduate from
college I was going to graduate from
college I was going to graduate from high school I was going to live my life
high school I was going to live my life
high school I was going to live my life and be happy and so she made sure I went
and be happy and so she made sure I went
and be happy and so she made sure I went to school I got a scholarship to a
to school I got a scholarship to a
to school I got a scholarship to a private school in Manhattan went to a
private school in Manhattan went to a
private school in Manhattan went to a high school graduated went off to
high school graduated went off to
high school graduated went off to college and then mood San Francisco
college and then mood San Francisco
college and then mood San Francisco there was a film major in college so my
there was a film major in college so my
there was a film major in college so my college friends are here and I lived my
college friends are here and I lived my
college friends are here and I lived my life and it was great and so by the time
life and it was great and so by the time
life and it was great and so by the time I got to 27 I was like yeah it was
I got to 27 I was like yeah it was
I got to 27 I was like yeah it was great she was right all right and you
great she was right all right and you
great she was right all right and you would think at this point in time right
would think at this point in time right
would think at this point in time right I would decide you know you should share
I would decide you know you should share
I would decide you know you should share this story you’ve done this work you
this story you’ve done this work you
this story you’ve done this work you should share it with other people share
should share it with other people share
should share it with other people share with other young black kids share it
with other young black kids share it
with other young black kids share it with the community but for me at that
with the community but for me at that
with the community but for me at that time I was like I have no urge right I
time I was like I have no urge right I
time I was like I have no urge right I didn’t want to be a role model I’ve been
didn’t want to be a role model I’ve been
didn’t want to be a role model I’ve been hearing I was supposed to be a role
hearing I was supposed to be a role
hearing I was supposed to be a role model from the time I was 14
model from the time I was 14
model from the time I was 14 and when you hear that at a time you’re
and when you hear that at a time you’re
and when you hear that at a time you’re 14 you run the other way right you do
14 you run the other way right you do
14 you run the other way right you do everything the opposite of what it is to
everything the opposite of what it is to
everything the opposite of what it is to be a role model so by the time I got to
be a role model so by the time I got to
be a role model so by the time I got to 27 I was like definitely I didn’t want a
27 I was like definitely I didn’t want a
27 I was like definitely I didn’t want a role model right I was just living life
role model right I was just living life
role model right I was just living life I was going on as doing my stuff but the
I was going on as doing my stuff but the
I was going on as doing my stuff but the universe has her way and you become a
universe has her way and you become a
universe has her way and you become a role model whether you want to or not
role model whether you want to or not
role model whether you want to or not you also become a role model because
you also become a role model because
you also become a role model because that’s what we want you to be one so
that’s what we want you to be one so
that’s what we want you to be one so that’s right so so I had moved and went
that’s right so so I had moved and went
that’s right so so I had moved and went to grad school I had moved to Chicago
to grad school I had moved to Chicago
to grad school I had moved to Chicago and I was working in high school in
and I was working in high school in
and I was working in high school in Chicago is working for an odd youth
Chicago is working for an odd youth
Chicago is working for an odd youth development nonprofit in Chicago and we
development nonprofit in Chicago and we
development nonprofit in Chicago and we went into high schools and we wrote
went into high schools and we wrote
went into high schools and we wrote reports about the high school experience
reports about the high school experience
reports about the high school experience and it’s the first time I’ve been to a
and it’s the first time I’ve been to a
and it’s the first time I’ve been to a high school I haven’t been in a public
high school I haven’t been in a public
high school I haven’t been in a public high school in 20 years no idea what it
high school in 20 years no idea what it
high school in 20 years no idea what it was like I got to a really cushy private
was like I got to a really cushy private
was like I got to a really cushy private school well friends drove cars I had no
school well friends drove cars I had no
school well friends drove cars I had no idea what’s going on and suddenly I was
idea what’s going on and suddenly I was
idea what’s going on and suddenly I was walking through a metal detector and the
walking through a metal detector and the
walking through a metal detector and the police offer armed guards in a high
police offer armed guards in a high
police offer armed guards in a high school and they were searching my bag
school and they were searching my bag
school and they were searching my bag and I was like well how do you learn it
and I was like well how do you learn it
and I was like well how do you learn it was like a prison how do you learn in
was like a prison how do you learn in
was like a prison how do you learn in this sort of environment how do you get
this sort of environment how do you get
this sort of environment how do you get anything out of being in that
anything out of being in that
anything out of being in that environment
environment
environment what are you being told your worth is in
what are you being told your worth is in
what are you being told your worth is in that type of high school environment so
that type of high school environment so
that type of high school environment so this thing started pondering and working
this thing started pondering and working
this thing started pondering and working in my mind and then moved to San
in my mind and then moved to San
in my mind and then moved to San Francisco I went to another youth
Francisco I went to another youth
Francisco I went to another youth development organization and by some
development organization and by some
development organization and by some lucky chance I became the executive
lucky chance I became the executive
lucky chance I became the executive director of the organization and we were
director of the organization and we were
director of the organization and we were in a school in Oakland and I was sitting
in a school in Oakland and I was sitting
in a school in Oakland and I was sitting there and the teacher came and I went
there and the teacher came and I went
there and the teacher came and I went just to talk and meet the class and the
just to talk and meet the class and the
just to talk and meet the class and the teacher says hey this is actually the
teacher says hey this is actually the
teacher says hey this is actually the guy that runs the organization and the
guy that runs the organization and the
guy that runs the organization and the students in the class looked at me one
students in the class looked at me one
students in the class looked at me one of the mixer was like are you for real
of the mixer was like are you for real
of the mixer was like are you for real you don’t run this thing that’s like yes
you don’t run this thing that’s like yes
you don’t run this thing that’s like yes I did and that’s why I was realizing I
I did and that’s why I was realizing I
I did and that’s why I was realizing I was like I was I need to be a role model
was like I was I need to be a role model
was like I was I need to be a role model out of necessity what was I doing with
out of necessity what was I doing with
out of necessity what was I doing with my life if I was living why was I not
my life if I was living why was I not
my life if I was living why was I not living for others why was I not doing
living for others why was I not doing
living for others why was I not doing what I was supposed to be doing so I
what I was supposed to be doing so I
what I was supposed to be doing so I took some more stock I started in that
took some more stock I started in that
took some more stock I started in that at that time I went to my organization I
at that time I went to my organization I
at that time I went to my organization I started going the classes when teachers
started going the classes when teachers
started going the classes when teachers would ask me to come I would talk about
would ask me to come I would talk about
would ask me to come I would talk about my experience talk about moving from
my experience talk about moving from
my experience talk about moving from Harlem and living in Los Angeles for
Harlem and living in Los Angeles for
Harlem and living in Los Angeles for while and living in San Francisco I talk
while and living in San Francisco I talk
while and living in San Francisco I talk about traveling I talk about these
about traveling I talk about these
about traveling I talk about these things and for many of the students
things and for many of the students
things and for many of the students they’d never seen a successful black man
they’d never seen a successful black man
they’d never seen a successful black man they didn’t know what that meant
they didn’t know what that meant
they didn’t know what that meant and here I was I traveled I actually
and here I was I traveled I actually
and here I was I traveled I actually been to Europe a couple times and
been to Europe a couple times and
been to Europe a couple times and they’re like you’ve actually been on a
they’re like you’ve actually been on a
they’re like you’ve actually been on a plane so I was sharing that experience
plane so I was sharing that experience
plane so I was sharing that experience and it was really important to me to do
and it was really important to me to do
and it was really important to me to do that so I started doing a lot of that
that so I started doing a lot of that
that so I started doing a lot of that and sharing that experience currently I
and sharing that experience currently I
and sharing that experience currently I run an organization is called eight to
run an organization is called eight to
run an organization is called eight to six national and we’re a network of
six national and we’re a network of
six national and we’re a network of creative writing and after-school
creative writing and after-school
creative writing and after-school tutoring programs we’re located in seven
tutoring programs we’re located in seven
tutoring programs we’re located in seven cities we work with about 30,000 kids
cities we work with about 30,000 kids
cities we work with about 30,000 kids every year and our goal is to get kids
every year and our goal is to get kids
every year and our goal is to get kids really excited about writing and
really excited about writing and
really excited about writing and understanding that writing is a pathway
understanding that writing is a pathway
understanding that writing is a pathway to future success so they can write
to future success so they can write
to future success so they can write their own paths forward we work and we
their own paths forward we work and we
their own paths forward we work and we do this with about 5,000 volunteers who
do this with about 5,000 volunteers who
do this with about 5,000 volunteers who work with us every year so these
work with us every year so these
work with us every year so these volunteers are coming and spending in
volunteers are coming and spending in
volunteers are coming and spending in hours sometimes more than an hour on a
hours sometimes more than an hour on a
hours sometimes more than an hour on a daily basis with our students and our
daily basis with our students and our
daily basis with our students and our volunteers are coming from over there
volunteers are coming from over there
volunteers are coming from over there every race every gender their teachers
every race every gender their teachers
every race every gender their teachers their doctors they are mathematicians
their doctors they are mathematicians
their doctors they are mathematicians they’re everything we will take if you
they’re everything we will take if you
they’re everything we will take if you have a couple hours to donate to us to
have a couple hours to donate to us to
have a couple hours to donate to us to work with our kids we will take it
work with our kids we will take it
work with our kids we will take it because the kids need to see role models
because the kids need to see role models
because the kids need to see role models they need to see change engines they
they need to see change engines they
they need to see change engines they need to see people who are willing to
need to see people who are willing to
need to see people who are willing to work with them and be really invested in
work with them and be really invested in
work with them and be really invested in their success one of our signature
their success one of our signature
their success one of our signature programs is called the young authors
programs is called the young authors
programs is called the young authors book project and so we publish
book project and so we publish
book project and so we publish everything the students write so with
everything the students write so with
everything the students write so with this project the students will work with
this project the students will work with
this project the students will work with their volunteer on its topic it might be
their volunteer on its topic it might be
their volunteer on its topic it might be about something about their lives some
about something about their lives some
about something about their lives some triumphs that’s happening a tragedy we
triumphs that’s happening a tragedy we
triumphs that’s happening a tragedy we wrote a book lash it was what is the
wrote a book lash it was what is the
wrote a book lash it was what is the ideal high school look like but we write
ideal high school look like but we write
ideal high school look like but we write this book the students work on it with
this book the students work on it with
this book the students work on it with their volunteers the volunteers are
their volunteers the volunteers are
their volunteers the volunteers are sharing their expertise they’re working
sharing their expertise they’re working
sharing their expertise they’re working with the students and it becomes
with the students and it becomes
with the students and it becomes published in this beautifully bound book
published in this beautifully bound book
published in this beautifully bound book that becomes a testament to this work of
that becomes a testament to this work of
that becomes a testament to this work of this bond that the volunteers and the
this bond that the volunteers and the
this bond that the volunteers and the students do together and they learn
students do together and they learn
students do together and they learn together from it and we hear all the
together from it and we hear all the
together from it and we hear all the time that the volunteers will say you
time that the volunteers will say you
time that the volunteers will say you know I get so much more out of this I
know I get so much more out of this I
know I get so much more out of this I think than the students do but I think
think than the students do but I think
think than the students do but I think it’s actually a joint it’s both of them
it’s actually a joint it’s both of them
it’s actually a joint it’s both of them are getting as much as they can from the
are getting as much as they can from the
are getting as much as they can from the six
six
six it’s showing the strength of the
it’s showing the strength of the
it’s showing the strength of the partnership so I ignored from my life
partnership so I ignored from my life
partnership so I ignored from my life you know
you know
you know for years I ignored being a role model
for years I ignored being a role model
for years I ignored being a role model because really it was so much weight to
because really it was so much weight to
because really it was so much weight to me there was too much pressure right but
me there was too much pressure right but
me there was too much pressure right but really what it was it wasn’t pressure it
really what it was it wasn’t pressure it
really what it was it wasn’t pressure it was fear right it was fear that I
was fear right it was fear that I
was fear right it was fear that I actually what was I actually offering to
actually what was I actually offering to
actually what was I actually offering to anybody what was my experience going to
anybody what was my experience going to
anybody what was my experience going to do was my experience going to be and
do was my experience going to be and
do was my experience going to be and instead it was thinking about it’s not
instead it was thinking about it’s not
instead it was thinking about it’s not about doing for myself or thinking about
about doing for myself or thinking about
about doing for myself or thinking about myself it was about doing for others so
myself it was about doing for others so
myself it was about doing for others so my goal for this day to you is to get
my goal for this day to you is to get
my goal for this day to you is to get you to think about what your life is
you to think about what your life is
you to think about what your life is like what experience usually experiences
like what experience usually experiences
like what experience usually experiences you have and how you can share those
you have and how you can share those
you have and how you can share those with young people right so many people
with young people right so many people
with young people right so many people don’t volunteer because they don’t think
don’t volunteer because they don’t think
don’t volunteer because they don’t think that what they have or their skills are
that what they have or their skills are
that what they have or their skills are good enough but to know what they’re
good enough but to know what they’re
good enough but to know what they’re good enough we’ve got young people who
good enough we’ve got young people who
good enough we’ve got young people who are dying on the streets but really
are dying on the streets but really
are dying on the streets but really wanting to have people to talk to to
wanting to have people to talk to to
wanting to have people to talk to to have people that look like me that
have people that look like me that
have people that look like me that people look like us to just have people
people look like us to just have people
people look like us to just have people to spend time with them and you don’t
to spend time with them and you don’t
to spend time with them and you don’t have to be specially skilled you don’t
have to be specially skilled you don’t
have to be specially skilled you don’t have to be a mathematician you have to
have to be a mathematician you have to
have to be a mathematician you have to be an artist you just have to have the
be an artist you just have to have the
be an artist you just have to have the time and the inclination and the
time and the inclination and the
time and the inclination and the understanding that who you are and what
understanding that who you are and what
understanding that who you are and what you do has worth and has value
so my call to action to you is to find
so my call to action to you is to find the organization that moves you find the
the organization that moves you find the
the organization that moves you find the school that moves you go out spend some
school that moves you go out spend some
school that moves you go out spend some time talk to a teacher talk to Karen
time talk to a teacher talk to Karen
time talk to a teacher talk to Karen volunteer your time spend your time and
volunteer your time spend your time and
volunteer your time spend your time and sit there with young people
sit there with young people
sit there with young people it’s an hour two hours three hours you
it’s an hour two hours three hours you
it’s an hour two hours three hours you do it one hour I guarantee you you will
do it one hour I guarantee you you will
do it one hour I guarantee you you will want to do it more because the young
want to do it more because the young
want to do it more because the young people especially nowadays need role
people especially nowadays need role
people especially nowadays need role models they need people to show them the
models they need people to show them the
models they need people to show them the way to give them the future to lead them
way to give them the future to lead them
way to give them the future to lead them towards a better path right I didn’t
towards a better path right I didn’t
towards a better path right I didn’t realize until much later my grandma’s
realize until much later my grandma’s
realize until much later my grandma’s passed away in 1994 that this was my
passed away in 1994 that this was my
passed away in 1994 that this was my best role model she had the most amazing
best role model she had the most amazing
best role model she had the most amazing work ethic of anyone I still have yet to
work ethic of anyone I still have yet to
work ethic of anyone I still have yet to meet she raised four kids and then she
meet she raised four kids and then she
meet she raised four kids and then she decided to raise her daughters grandson
decided to raise her daughters grandson
decided to raise her daughters grandson her daughter’s son and send him off the
her daughter’s son and send him off the
her daughter’s son and send him off the college that’s a role model so just
college that’s a role model so just
college that’s a role model so just think about what you have to offer what
think about what you have to offer what
think about what you have to offer what you can do and be that role model it
you can do and be that role model it
you can do and be that role model it will change your life and it will change
will change your life and it will change
will change your life and it will change the life of the kids in your community
the life of the kids in your community
the life of the kids in your community thank you very much
thank you very much
thank you very much [Applause]
”
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