good afternoon my community its best resource is people it’s what drives me
resource is people it’s what drives me
resource is people it’s what drives me to action it is amazing to see African
to action it is amazing to see African
to action it is amazing to see African American males school-aged walking the
American males school-aged walking the
American males school-aged walking the street during school time and not being
street during school time and not being
street during school time and not being seen it is amazing how the unintentional
seen it is amazing how the unintentional
seen it is amazing how the unintentional looks the unseen individual are the best
looks the unseen individual are the best
looks the unseen individual are the best resources that we have in our community
resources that we have in our community
resources that we have in our community but folks don’t want to see them they
but folks don’t want to see them they
but folks don’t want to see them they don’t want to hear him one of the young
don’t want to hear him one of the young
don’t want to hear him one of the young men that worked with me told me said you
men that worked with me told me said you
men that worked with me told me said you know Miss honest folks don’t see us
know Miss honest folks don’t see us
know Miss honest folks don’t see us unless we’re really smart or we’re
unless we’re really smart or we’re
unless we’re really smart or we’re really mean there’s no in-between but we
really mean there’s no in-between but we
really mean there’s no in-between but we as a people we have to make the in
as a people we have to make the in
as a people we have to make the in between rural communities matters rural
between rural communities matters rural
between rural communities matters rural communities matters have mattered for
communities matters have mattered for
communities matters have mattered for years and years and years I grew up as a
years and years and years I grew up as a
years and years and years I grew up as a tenant farmers daughter as you saw in
tenant farmers daughter as you saw in
tenant farmers daughter as you saw in the video and I’ve seen tenant farmers
the video and I’ve seen tenant farmers
the video and I’ve seen tenant farmers and domestics in eight and nine kids to
and domestics in eight and nine kids to
and domestics in eight and nine kids to school on tenant farmers and domestic
school on tenant farmers and domestic
school on tenant farmers and domestic salaries now if you can’t tell me rural
salaries now if you can’t tell me rural
salaries now if you can’t tell me rural doesn’t matter who can make that happen
doesn’t matter who can make that happen
doesn’t matter who can make that happen this day and time no one rule mattered
this day and time no one rule mattered
this day and time no one rule mattered then and it matters now in ninth in 2009
then and it matters now in ninth in 2009
then and it matters now in ninth in 2009 we had a very progressive thinking
we had a very progressive thinking
we had a very progressive thinking superintendent and it amazed me that
superintendent and it amazed me that
superintendent and it amazed me that school-age african-american boys were
school-age african-american boys were
school-age african-american boys were walking past the Board of Education
walking past the Board of Education
walking past the Board of Education during school time and teachers saw this
during school time and teachers saw this
during school time and teachers saw this administrators saw this and even parents
administrators saw this and even parents
administrators saw this and even parents saw this but nobody really wanted to see
saw this but nobody really wanted to see
saw this but nobody really wanted to see this so he came to me and told me he
this so he came to me and told me he
this so he came to me and told me he said you know we have a building but we
said you know we have a building but we
said you know we have a building but we don’t have any money he said it again we
don’t have any money he said it again we
don’t have any money he said it again we have a building but we don’t have any
have a building but we don’t have any
have a building but we don’t have any money and if if you think that we give
money and if if you think that we give
money and if if you think that we give you this building could you do something
you this building could you do something
you this building could you do something with it
with it
with it so me being the person that I was having
so me being the person that I was having
so me being the person that I was having a
a
a I’m sure in mental health I said you
I’m sure in mental health I said you
I’m sure in mental health I said you know I can do this I can make my rural
know I can do this I can make my rural
know I can do this I can make my rural community matter I can make a difference
community matter I can make a difference
community matter I can make a difference and what’s happening in these boys lives
and what’s happening in these boys lives
and what’s happening in these boys lives so what I did was I traveled throughout
so what I did was I traveled throughout
so what I did was I traveled throughout the summer and I found 117 school-aged
the summer and I found 117 school-aged
the summer and I found 117 school-aged african-american boys and I opened up
african-american boys and I opened up
african-american boys and I opened up the hive house Burtie hive I’ll turn to
the hive house Burtie hive I’ll turn to
the hive house Burtie hive I’ll turn to school we kept those cool kids in school
school we kept those cool kids in school
school we kept those cool kids in school from 7:30 in the morning until 9 o’clock
from 7:30 in the morning until 9 o’clock
from 7:30 in the morning until 9 o’clock at night and what amazed me was the
at night and what amazed me was the
at night and what amazed me was the crime rates for juveniles went down in
crime rates for juveniles went down in
crime rates for juveniles went down in Bertie County but it went up in all the
Bertie County but it went up in all the
Bertie County but it went up in all the other counties and I think that that
other counties and I think that that
other counties and I think that that happened because we had the kids in our
happened because we had the kids in our
happened because we had the kids in our presence they were learning things from
presence they were learning things from
presence they were learning things from us and we took the time to learn things
us and we took the time to learn things
us and we took the time to learn things about them one of the things I decided
about them one of the things I decided
about them one of the things I decided to do when I opened up the hive is I
to do when I opened up the hive is I
to do when I opened up the hive is I wanted a fresh face I wanted fresh
wanted a fresh face I wanted fresh
wanted a fresh face I wanted fresh things for the high I wanted fresh
things for the high I wanted fresh
things for the high I wanted fresh people because if you’re a teacher and
people because if you’re a teacher and
people because if you’re a teacher and you’re just in it for the money
you’re just in it for the money
you’re just in it for the money and you’re not in it for the kids kids
and you’re not in it for the kids kids
and you’re not in it for the kids kids won’t learn I was sharing with someone
won’t learn I was sharing with someone
won’t learn I was sharing with someone earlier that I like to make up words and
earlier that I like to make up words and
earlier that I like to make up words and one of the words that I like to make I
one of the words that I like to make I
one of the words that I like to make I made it was fake eration now children
made it was fake eration now children
made it was fake eration now children know when you’re fake children know when
know when you’re fake children know when
know when you’re fake children know when you don’t really want to be there with
you don’t really want to be there with
you don’t really want to be there with them and you’re just buying your time
them and you’re just buying your time
them and you’re just buying your time and watching the cloth so what we have
and watching the cloth so what we have
and watching the cloth so what we have to do is put ourselves in that child’s
to do is put ourselves in that child’s
to do is put ourselves in that child’s position you think about sitting at our
position you think about sitting at our
position you think about sitting at our office desk for eight to nine hours and
office desk for eight to nine hours and
office desk for eight to nine hours and your boss really don’t want to talk to
your boss really don’t want to talk to
your boss really don’t want to talk to you really don’t want to be there with
you really don’t want to be there with
you really don’t want to be there with you really don’t want to help you in any
you really don’t want to help you in any
you really don’t want to help you in any way just put yourself in that position
way just put yourself in that position
way just put yourself in that position how would you feel would you want to be
how would you feel would you want to be
how would you feel would you want to be there would you want someone to to come
there would you want someone to to come
there would you want someone to to come and talk to you and ask you to do
and talk to you and ask you to do
and talk to you and ask you to do something No so we’ve got to put
something No so we’ve got to put
something No so we’ve got to put ourselves in the place of those children
ourselves in the place of those children
ourselves in the place of those children that we’re supposed to serve the hoff
that we’re supposed to serve the hoff
that we’re supposed to serve the hoff house was my baby it was an opportunity
house was my baby it was an opportunity
house was my baby it was an opportunity for me to not only help my children in
for me to not only help my children in
for me to not only help my children in the community but I also had an
the community but I also had an
the community but I also had an opportunity
opportunity
opportunity to help the families in the community
to help the families in the community
to help the families in the community because if you don’t change the thinking
because if you don’t change the thinking
because if you don’t change the thinking of the families it’s no need to work
of the families it’s no need to work
of the families it’s no need to work with the children the mindset of parents
with the children the mindset of parents
with the children the mindset of parents have to change in rural communities
have to change in rural communities
have to change in rural communities because if you you do tell yourself that
because if you you do tell yourself that
because if you you do tell yourself that or if a parent is telling themselves I
or if a parent is telling themselves I
or if a parent is telling themselves I didn’t buy a 200 dollar pair of Jordan
didn’t buy a 200 dollar pair of Jordan
didn’t buy a 200 dollar pair of Jordan and put on this child feet to wear but
and put on this child feet to wear but
and put on this child feet to wear but I’m not willing to buy a five dollar
I’m not willing to buy a five dollar
I’m not willing to buy a five dollar book for them to read that thinking has
book for them to read that thinking has
book for them to read that thinking has got to change you’ve got to change your
got to change you’ve got to change your
got to change you’ve got to change your priorities and if you don’t change your
priorities and if you don’t change your
priorities and if you don’t change your priorities with your parents in your
priorities with your parents in your
priorities with your parents in your communities the children are not gonna
communities the children are not gonna
communities the children are not gonna go anywhere in the video you saw that we
go anywhere in the video you saw that we
go anywhere in the video you saw that we took the children pass from them and a
took the children pass from them and a
took the children pass from them and a lot of people don’t understand that a
lot of people don’t understand that a
lot of people don’t understand that a lot of people are captured by their past
lot of people are captured by their past
lot of people are captured by their past who’s your mama
who’s your mama
who’s your mama who’s your dad was your granddaddy a
who’s your dad was your granddaddy a
who’s your dad was your granddaddy a drunk was your uncle John and when you
drunk was your uncle John and when you
drunk was your uncle John and when you you come in a classroom and people
you come in a classroom and people
you come in a classroom and people already got perceptions about you and
already got perceptions about you and
already got perceptions about you and what you’re gonna do in life that
what you’re gonna do in life that
what you’re gonna do in life that destroys a child’s mind that destroys
destroys a child’s mind that destroys
destroys a child’s mind that destroys their self worth worth and I finally
their self worth worth and I finally
their self worth worth and I finally miscues school system today that a lot
miscues school system today that a lot
miscues school system today that a lot of teachers are doing that they already
of teachers are doing that they already
of teachers are doing that they already decide the faith of children before they
decide the faith of children before they
decide the faith of children before they even get started so building bridges is
even get started so building bridges is
even get started so building bridges is the thing today and in the rural North
the thing today and in the rural North
the thing today and in the rural North Carolina we don’t say bridges we place a
Carolina we don’t say bridges we place a
Carolina we don’t say bridges we place a planks you know you put that plate you
planks you know you put that plate you
planks you know you put that plate you put that plank cross that ditch and you
put that plank cross that ditch and you
put that plank cross that ditch and you hop that plane well plank to me means a
hop that plane well plank to me means a
hop that plane well plank to me means a lot because when you lay planks down you
lot because when you lay planks down you
lot because when you lay planks down you got to put one behind the other to
got to put one behind the other to
got to put one behind the other to reinforce what you’re doing the PM
reinforce what you’re doing the PM
reinforce what you’re doing the PM planks the first thing is your people
planks the first thing is your people
planks the first thing is your people you have got to be invested in your
you have got to be invested in your
you have got to be invested in your people and for this thing for my life
people and for this thing for my life
people and for this thing for my life and for my community my people are my
and for my community my people are my
and for my community my people are my children my african-american children
children my african-american children
children my african-american children who are the gold mine and the untapped
who are the gold mine and the untapped
who are the gold mine and the untapped resources in our community the L is my
resources in our community the L is my
resources in our community the L is my life
life
life I grew up poor I grew up a tenant
I grew up poor I grew up a tenant
I grew up poor I grew up a tenant farmers daughter so I’m not coming in
farmers daughter so I’m not coming in
farmers daughter so I’m not coming in from the outside trying to be the white
from the outside trying to be the white
from the outside trying to be the white knight trying to save or the Black
knight trying to save or the Black
knight trying to save or the Black Knight in this case trying to say
Knight in this case trying to say
Knight in this case trying to say folks on a horse they know that I know
folks on a horse they know that I know
folks on a horse they know that I know how it feels not to have food to dig in
how it feels not to have food to dig in
how it feels not to have food to dig in the couch and try to get up enough money
the couch and try to get up enough money
the couch and try to get up enough money to buy a loaf of bread to stay in the
to buy a loaf of bread to stay in the
to buy a loaf of bread to stay in the house without lights I’ve experienced it
house without lights I’ve experienced it
house without lights I’ve experienced it I’ve experienced that in my life it
I’ve experienced that in my life it
I’ve experienced that in my life it amazes me I want to share a story with
amazes me I want to share a story with
amazes me I want to share a story with you when I first moved to Bertie County
you when I first moved to Bertie County
you when I first moved to Bertie County our family finances were not where they
our family finances were not where they
our family finances were not where they should have been and myself and my two
should have been and myself and my two
should have been and myself and my two little boys my husband was on the road
little boys my husband was on the road
little boys my husband was on the road driving truck
driving truck
driving truck managed to stay in a home for seven
managed to stay in a home for seven
managed to stay in a home for seven months with no lights now these children
months with no lights now these children
months with no lights now these children were in school and the people knew that
were in school and the people knew that
were in school and the people knew that we had no lights in the house but you
we had no lights in the house but you
we had no lights in the house but you know nobody wanted to see it in the
know nobody wanted to see it in the
know nobody wanted to see it in the community and that’s how a lot of people
community and that’s how a lot of people
community and that’s how a lot of people do with things that are going on
do with things that are going on
do with things that are going on negative our community they sweeping on
negative our community they sweeping on
negative our community they sweeping on the road they put it on the back burner
the road they put it on the back burner
the road they put it on the back burner they try not to see it
they try not to see it
they try not to see it so the unseen person in the community
so the unseen person in the community
so the unseen person in the community the people we got to make them visible
the people we got to make them visible
the people we got to make them visible folk how are we gonna make the folks
folk how are we gonna make the folks
folk how are we gonna make the folks that are unseen in our community visible
that are unseen in our community visible
that are unseen in our community visible and an A in plain PA Lal is life
and an A in plain PA Lal is life
and an A in plain PA Lal is life a is attitude what is your attitude
a is attitude what is your attitude
a is attitude what is your attitude about the folk that you want to serve
about the folk that you want to serve
about the folk that you want to serve are you do you have an elitist attitude
are you do you have an elitist attitude
are you do you have an elitist attitude or where you are to be happy that I want
or where you are to be happy that I want
or where you are to be happy that I want to talk to you anyway
to talk to you anyway
to talk to you anyway you know I’m saying what is your
you know I’m saying what is your
you know I’m saying what is your attitude what our teachers attitude what
attitude what our teachers attitude what
attitude what our teachers attitude what is the commissioners attitude what are
is the commissioners attitude what are
is the commissioners attitude what are your leaders attitude about what you’re
your leaders attitude about what you’re
your leaders attitude about what you’re trying to do for folk in your community
trying to do for folk in your community
trying to do for folk in your community and then in is need oh man that is the
and then in is need oh man that is the
and then in is need oh man that is the biggest part of the conversation that we
biggest part of the conversation that we
biggest part of the conversation that we need to have what is the need and in
need to have what is the need and in
need to have what is the need and in order to find out to need you got to
order to find out to need you got to
order to find out to need you got to bring everybody to the table you just
bring everybody to the table you just
bring everybody to the table you just can’t make all the decisions by yourself
can’t make all the decisions by yourself
can’t make all the decisions by yourself it just can’t be the commissioners it
it just can’t be the commissioners it
it just can’t be the commissioners it just cannot be the teachers the
just cannot be the teachers the
just cannot be the teachers the superintendent but you got to get miss
superintendent but you got to get miss
superintendent but you got to get miss married down the street who’s standing
married down the street who’s standing
married down the street who’s standing on the corner smoking a cigarette
on the corner smoking a cigarette
on the corner smoking a cigarette you got to get grandma Jane that’s back
you got to get grandma Jane that’s back
you got to get grandma Jane that’s back there in the trailer house all the time
there in the trailer house all the time
there in the trailer house all the time the one who give the soda and the
the one who give the soda and the
the one who give the soda and the candies you got to get that unofficial
candies you got to get that unofficial
candies you got to get that unofficial gossip in the community
gossip in the community
gossip in the community a seat at the table so they’ll have a
a seat at the table so they’ll have a
a seat at the table so they’ll have a voice so your need is the biggest
voice so your need is the biggest
voice so your need is the biggest conversation that you have to have and K
conversation that you have to have and K
conversation that you have to have and K does not stand for comfort but it’s
does not stand for comfort but it’s
does not stand for comfort but it’s kitchen and as y’all can see hey I love
kitchen and as y’all can see hey I love
kitchen and as y’all can see hey I love to be in the kitchen so I love to cook
to be in the kitchen so I love to cook
to be in the kitchen so I love to cook so I just put k with kitchen and cooking
so I just put k with kitchen and cooking
so I just put k with kitchen and cooking because that’s Comfort comfort food you
because that’s Comfort comfort food you
because that’s Comfort comfort food you have got to have people so they’re in a
have got to have people so they’re in a
have got to have people so they’re in a conducive environment where they feel
conducive environment where they feel
conducive environment where they feel comfortable where young african-american
comfortable where young african-american
comfortable where young african-american males do not feel indicted coming in a
males do not feel indicted coming in a
males do not feel indicted coming in a store or walking in a place of business
store or walking in a place of business
store or walking in a place of business or even walking in a classroom and then
or even walking in a classroom and then
or even walking in a classroom and then comfort for them also you have to flip
comfort for them also you have to flip
comfort for them also you have to flip the script they need to carry themselves
the script they need to carry themselves
the script they need to carry themselves in a way that people feel comfortable
in a way that people feel comfortable
in a way that people feel comfortable having them around them so it’s it’s two
having them around them so it’s it’s two
having them around them so it’s it’s two sides of the coin
sides of the coin
sides of the coin and so s for me stands for success if we
and so s for me stands for success if we
and so s for me stands for success if we push all of these agendas forward
push all of these agendas forward
push all of these agendas forward unselfishly removing the hidden agendas
unselfishly removing the hidden agendas
unselfishly removing the hidden agendas we will be moving towards success we as
we will be moving towards success we as
we will be moving towards success we as a people in America today we try to
a people in America today we try to
a people in America today we try to conform or do what I call it an urban
conform or do what I call it an urban
conform or do what I call it an urban facelift to rural communities we try to
facelift to rural communities we try to
facelift to rural communities we try to flip them and try to reconstruct him to
flip them and try to reconstruct him to
flip them and try to reconstruct him to look like urban societies but rule rocks
look like urban societies but rule rocks
look like urban societies but rule rocks if we don’t if we didn’t find it out
if we don’t if we didn’t find it out
if we don’t if we didn’t find it out anywhere else but in the last
anywhere else but in the last
anywhere else but in the last presidential election we found out that
presidential election we found out that
presidential election we found out that rural rocks whether your person won or
rural rocks whether your person won or
rural rocks whether your person won or not your rule all of a sudden got pushed
not your rule all of a sudden got pushed
not your rule all of a sudden got pushed to the front of the agenda so rural
to the front of the agenda so rural
to the front of the agenda so rural communities matters we have to carry
communities matters we have to carry
communities matters we have to carry ourselves as if we are standing up
ourselves as if we are standing up
ourselves as if we are standing up straight and tall and rural America
straight and tall and rural America
straight and tall and rural America we cannot be ashamed of our ruinous this
we cannot be ashamed of our ruinous this
we cannot be ashamed of our ruinous this is one of the most beautiful places that
is one of the most beautiful places that
is one of the most beautiful places that I’ve been in my life today and I would
I’ve been in my life today and I would
I’ve been in my life today and I would put it up against San Francisco or
put it up against San Francisco or
put it up against San Francisco or anywhere else but rural America raw
anywhere else but rural America raw
anywhere else but rural America raw our greatest resource is our people and
our greatest resource is our people and
our greatest resource is our people and we need to take our own stand on making
we need to take our own stand on making
we need to take our own stand on making sure rural people are seen and heard in
sure rural people are seen and heard in
sure rural people are seen and heard in America
America
America thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment