[Music] four decades ago yes I know I don’t look
four decades ago yes I know I don’t look
four decades ago yes I know I don’t look that old the universe decided to put me
that old the universe decided to put me
that old the universe decided to put me on a journey that was going to fill my
on a journey that was going to fill my
on a journey that was going to fill my life with mystery and intrigue you see
life with mystery and intrigue you see
life with mystery and intrigue you see my mother was very ill she would get up
my mother was very ill she would get up
my mother was very ill she would get up out of bed only to go to the doctor she
out of bed only to go to the doctor she
out of bed only to go to the doctor she would go to the doctor and she would
would go to the doctor and she would
would go to the doctor and she would come home with pills bottles of pills
come home with pills bottles of pills
come home with pills bottles of pills for seven years my mother would get up
for seven years my mother would get up
for seven years my mother would get up and go to the doctor and come home with
and go to the doctor and come home with
and go to the doctor and come home with pills at some point as a wee
pills at some point as a wee
pills at some point as a wee nine-year-old I thought to myself why
nine-year-old I thought to myself why
nine-year-old I thought to myself why are these medications not working
are these medications not working
are these medications not working they’re supposed to cure her why don’t I
they’re supposed to cure her why don’t I
they’re supposed to cure her why don’t I see her getting out of that bed
see her getting out of that bed
see her getting out of that bed well eventually she did but I kept
well eventually she did but I kept
well eventually she did but I kept thinking to myself medications need to
thinking to myself medications need to
thinking to myself medications need to cure people they need to help people get
cure people they need to help people get
cure people they need to help people get better so I guess that’s when I decided
better so I guess that’s when I decided
better so I guess that’s when I decided that was going to be my mission my
that was going to be my mission my
that was going to be my mission my intellectual mission was going to be to
intellectual mission was going to be to
intellectual mission was going to be to go find new medications for people and
go find new medications for people and
go find new medications for people and so I decided then to go off to college
so I decided then to go off to college
so I decided then to go off to college and become a chemistry major so I looked
and become a chemistry major so I looked
and become a chemistry major so I looked around when I got to college I was
around when I got to college I was
around when I got to college I was excited I was like oh this is gonna be
excited I was like oh this is gonna be
excited I was like oh this is gonna be awesome there was no one there like me
awesome there was no one there like me
awesome there was no one there like me now I went to a historically black
now I went to a historically black
now I went to a historically black college in North Carolina there were
college in North Carolina there were
college in North Carolina there were plenty of people around me who look like
plenty of people around me who look like
plenty of people around me who look like me they shared my race they shared my
me they shared my race they shared my
me they shared my race they shared my ethnicity a lot of them share my
ethnicity a lot of them share my
ethnicity a lot of them share my religion but very few of them
religion but very few of them
religion but very few of them actually shared my very low level of
actually shared my very low level of
actually shared my very low level of economic and social privilege they also
economic and social privilege they also
economic and social privilege they also didn’t share my ridiculous passion for
didn’t share my ridiculous passion for
didn’t share my ridiculous passion for making new medications and being
making new medications and being
making new medications and being innovated in a Discoverer when I
innovated in a Discoverer when I
innovated in a Discoverer when I recognized that I said huh let me look
recognized that I said huh let me look
recognized that I said huh let me look around and look at my professors well
around and look at my professors well
around and look at my professors well my professors weren’t like me either
my professors weren’t like me either
my professors weren’t like me either they were mostly white male they didn’t
they were mostly white male they didn’t
they were mostly white male they didn’t share my ethnicity they didn’t share my
share my ethnicity they didn’t share my
share my ethnicity they didn’t share my religion but they had the privilege of
religion but they had the privilege of
religion but they had the privilege of the knowledge that I wanted so I said to
the knowledge that I wanted so I said to
the knowledge that I wanted so I said to myself who is going to train Amanda then
myself who is going to train Amanda then
myself who is going to train Amanda then a professor came to me one day and he
a professor came to me one day and he
a professor came to me one day and he said you seemed to love organic
said you seemed to love organic
said you seemed to love organic chemistry I know there are a lot of
chemistry I know there are a lot of
chemistry I know there are a lot of people here who love organic chemistry
people here who love organic chemistry
people here who love organic chemistry why don’t you come in my lab and do some
why don’t you come in my lab and do some
why don’t you come in my lab and do some organic chemistry and make some new
organic chemistry and make some new
organic chemistry and make some new molecules Wow a dream come true so he
molecules Wow a dream come true so he
molecules Wow a dream come true so he became my mentor this was a tall white
became my mentor this was a tall white
became my mentor this was a tall white guy from Tennessee he had a Tennessee
guy from Tennessee he had a Tennessee
guy from Tennessee he had a Tennessee accent like you wouldn’t believe but he
accent like you wouldn’t believe but he
accent like you wouldn’t believe but he knew how important it was to me to
knew how important it was to me to
knew how important it was to me to fulfill the dream I had of being able to
fulfill the dream I had of being able to
fulfill the dream I had of being able to treat people to give new drugs to
treat people to give new drugs to
treat people to give new drugs to pharmacists I didn’t want to sell the
pharmacists I didn’t want to sell the
pharmacists I didn’t want to sell the drugs in the pharmacy I didn’t want to
drugs in the pharmacy I didn’t want to
drugs in the pharmacy I didn’t want to be the doctor I wanted to make those
be the doctor I wanted to make those
be the doctor I wanted to make those compounds so he recognized that I was
compounds so he recognized that I was
compounds so he recognized that I was very ill prepared I felt like I was
very ill prepared I felt like I was
very ill prepared I felt like I was walking in the fog in a forest all by
walking in the fog in a forest all by
walking in the fog in a forest all by myself then there were no people there
myself then there were no people there
myself then there were no people there to help me so he taught me how to learn
to help me so he taught me how to learn
to help me so he taught me how to learn he gave me the resources that I needed
he gave me the resources that I needed
he gave me the resources that I needed he recognized that I needed experience
he recognized that I needed experience
he recognized that I needed experience so he brought internships to me and he
so he brought internships to me and he
so he brought internships to me and he put me in them he sat next to
put me in them he sat next to
put me in them he sat next to me once at a dinner where we had Lobster
me once at a dinner where we had Lobster
me once at a dinner where we had Lobster I had never seen a lobster before in my
I had never seen a lobster before in my
I had never seen a lobster before in my life
life
life I didn’t know what to do with that thing
I didn’t know what to do with that thing
I didn’t know what to do with that thing so he said a man that just look around
so he said a man that just look around
so he said a man that just look around and do what everybody else does and he
and do what everybody else does and he
and do what everybody else does and he helped me learn how to do that today
helped me learn how to do that today
helped me learn how to do that today we’re all told that we need mentors
we’re all told that we need mentors
we’re all told that we need mentors black folks white folks young folks old
black folks white folks young folks old
black folks white folks young folks old folks girls and boys men and women but
folks girls and boys men and women but
folks girls and boys men and women but what our mentors really that’s what I
what our mentors really that’s what I
what our mentors really that’s what I want to talk to you about what kinds of
want to talk to you about what kinds of
want to talk to you about what kinds of mentors are there out there and who are
mentors are there out there and who are
mentors are there out there and who are these people that you need to help you
these people that you need to help you
these people that you need to help you walk through that path in the fog and
walk through that path in the fog and
walk through that path in the fog and find your way a mentor helps you in a
find your way a mentor helps you in a
find your way a mentor helps you in a way that no one else can it’s a very
way that no one else can it’s a very
way that no one else can it’s a very personal relationship that is based on
personal relationship that is based on
personal relationship that is based on trust understanding and open dialog you
trust understanding and open dialog you
trust understanding and open dialog you owe it to your mentor to make sure that
owe it to your mentor to make sure that
owe it to your mentor to make sure that they know the things about you that they
they know the things about you that they
they know the things about you that they need to know to help you be successful
need to know to help you be successful
need to know to help you be successful but one of the most important things
but one of the most important things
but one of the most important things your mentor needs to accept you as an
your mentor needs to accept you as an
your mentor needs to accept you as an individual and when I say as an
individual and when I say as an
individual and when I say as an individual I mean someone who has their
individual I mean someone who has their
individual I mean someone who has their own mind their own characteristics they
own mind their own characteristics they
own mind their own characteristics they need to be able to accept the fact that
need to be able to accept the fact that
need to be able to accept the fact that you have chosen to raise children or
you have chosen to raise children or
you have chosen to raise children or that you’ve chosen not to they need to
that you’ve chosen not to they need to
that you’ve chosen not to they need to accept that you’ve chosen to transition
accept that you’ve chosen to transition
accept that you’ve chosen to transition from male to female female to male they
from male to female female to male they
from male to female female to male they need to accept that you embrace your own
need to accept that you embrace your own
need to accept that you embrace your own ethnicity your religion and your faith
ethnicity your religion and your faith
ethnicity your religion and your faith those individuals have to be on board to
those individuals have to be on board to
those individuals have to be on board to accept all
accept all
accept all of those things about you they need to
of those things about you they need to
of those things about you they need to know your past they need to know your
know your past they need to know your
know your past they need to know your present they need to know where you’re
present they need to know where you’re
present they need to know where you’re going and what drives you and what your
going and what drives you and what your
going and what drives you and what your mission really is that mentor is the one
mission really is that mentor is the one
mission really is that mentor is the one that also recognized that as life
that also recognized that as life
that also recognized that as life continues you’re going to change your
continues you’re going to change your
continues you’re going to change your needs will change and they will be the
needs will change and they will be the
needs will change and they will be the ones to help you find out what you need
ones to help you find out what you need
ones to help you find out what you need next now there are different kinds of
next now there are different kinds of
next now there are different kinds of mentors there’s that advocate this is
mentors there’s that advocate this is
mentors there’s that advocate this is the mentor who is standing behind you on
the mentor who is standing behind you on
the mentor who is standing behind you on the sidelines they know what you know
the sidelines they know what you know
the sidelines they know what you know how to do they know when you’re ready
how to do they know when you’re ready
how to do they know when you’re ready and they push you into the game to make
and they push you into the game to make
and they push you into the game to make sure that you get the playing time that
sure that you get the playing time that
sure that you get the playing time that you need so that you can show the world
you need so that you can show the world
you need so that you can show the world how good you are and then when you start
how good you are and then when you start
how good you are and then when you start to get all of those wins because you’re
to get all of those wins because you’re
to get all of those wins because you’re out there you’re playing they know when
out there you’re playing they know when
out there you’re playing they know when to pull you back and sit you down in the
to pull you back and sit you down in the
to pull you back and sit you down in the chair because you need a rest they are
chair because you need a rest they are
chair because you need a rest they are the ones who are there then they’re that
the ones who are there then they’re that
the ones who are there then they’re that going to be the mentor who’s going to
going to be the mentor who’s going to
going to be the mentor who’s going to sit down next to you and teach you how
sit down next to you and teach you how
sit down next to you and teach you how to eat lobster they’re not gonna do that
to eat lobster they’re not gonna do that
to eat lobster they’re not gonna do that but they’re the ones who are out there
but they’re the ones who are out there
but they’re the ones who are out there who are advocating for your success what
who are advocating for your success what
who are advocating for your success what do advocates do they work for a cause
do advocates do they work for a cause
do advocates do they work for a cause when you find your advocate their cause
when you find your advocate their cause
when you find your advocate their cause is you now they’re giving you something
is you now they’re giving you something
is you now they’re giving you something they’re giving you something they’re
they’re giving you something they’re
they’re giving you something they’re giving you time they’re giving you
giving you time they’re giving you
giving you time they’re giving you energy and they’re giving you a part of
energy and they’re giving you a part of
energy and they’re giving you a part of their reputation this is a major thing
their reputation this is a major thing
their reputation this is a major thing so you have to remember what you owe to
so you have to remember what you owe to
so you have to remember what you owe to your advocates when they are helping you
your advocates when they are helping you
your advocates when they are helping you along the way now there’s another kind
along the way now there’s another kind
along the way now there’s another kind of mentor this one is your champion even
of mentor this one is your champion even
of mentor this one is your champion even when you’re not in the room your
when you’re not in the room your
when you’re not in the room your champion is talking about you that
champion is talking about you that
champion is talking about you that person needs to know you in
person needs to know you in
person needs to know you in credibly well and they need to be there
credibly well and they need to be there
credibly well and they need to be there to use their intellectual capital their
to use their intellectual capital their
to use their intellectual capital their social capital their economic capital to
social capital their economic capital to
social capital their economic capital to get you where you need to go you need a
get you where you need to go you need a
get you where you need to go you need a champion especially when you’ve gotten
champion especially when you’ve gotten
champion especially when you’ve gotten all of those wins and it’s time for you
all of those wins and it’s time for you
all of those wins and it’s time for you to gain recognition we all want to be
to gain recognition we all want to be
to gain recognition we all want to be recognized don’t we we all want to get a
recognized don’t we we all want to get a
recognized don’t we we all want to get a promotion we all want an award the only
promotion we all want an award the only
promotion we all want an award the only way that you can do that is to have a
way that you can do that is to have a
way that you can do that is to have a champion now you might be asking
champion now you might be asking
champion now you might be asking yourself she’s up there talking about
yourself she’s up there talking about
yourself she’s up there talking about all of these mentors why do people need
all of these mentors why do people need
all of these mentors why do people need Mentors what is all of that about you
Mentors what is all of that about you
Mentors what is all of that about you know I did it myself
know I did it myself
know I did it myself did you I’m gonna go back to that
did you I’m gonna go back to that
did you I’m gonna go back to that question in a minute but I’m going to
question in a minute but I’m going to
question in a minute but I’m going to talk to you about one other kind of
talk to you about one other kind of
talk to you about one other kind of mentor and that’s the Challenger we
mentor and that’s the Challenger we
mentor and that’s the Challenger we don’t like them no we’d love to hate
don’t like them no we’d love to hate
don’t like them no we’d love to hate them but they keep you real they keep
them but they keep you real they keep
them but they keep you real they keep you grounded they make sure that you
you grounded they make sure that you
you grounded they make sure that you understand that you owe it to yourself
understand that you owe it to yourself
understand that you owe it to yourself to be the best that you can ever be they
to be the best that you can ever be they
to be the best that you can ever be they are the ones who are out there saying
are the ones who are out there saying
are the ones who are out there saying yes this person should sit in this seat
yes this person should sit in this seat
yes this person should sit in this seat at this table because they have what it
at this table because they have what it
at this table because they have what it takes they can help in this situation
takes they can help in this situation
takes they can help in this situation because they have that background those
because they have that background those
because they have that background those people that we talk about they’re
people that we talk about they’re
people that we talk about they’re they’re the ones who are in the room
they’re the ones who are in the room
they’re the ones who are in the room when the discussions come up about the
when the discussions come up about the
when the discussions come up about the diversity candidate let me talk about
diversity candidate let me talk about
diversity candidate let me talk about the diversity candidate for a second
the diversity candidate for a second
the diversity candidate for a second that was me
that was me
that was me very often she’s female she’s black
very often she’s female she’s black
very often she’s female she’s black she’s in science there’s only one of her
she’s in science there’s only one of her
she’s in science there’s only one of her then we need to interview her that’s not
then we need to interview her that’s not
then we need to interview her that’s not supposed to be the discussion the
supposed to be the discussion the
supposed to be the discussion the discussion is supposed to be she trained
discussion is supposed to be she trained
discussion is supposed to be she trained in Germany she knows her stuff she loves
in Germany she knows her stuff she loves
in Germany she knows her stuff she loves the students
the students
the students let’s bring her in here and interview
let’s bring her in here and interview
let’s bring her in here and interview her because she is going to contribute
her because she is going to contribute
her because she is going to contribute if there is no champion at the table
if there is no champion at the table
if there is no champion at the table that’s not going to happen that’s not
that’s not going to happen that’s not
that’s not going to happen that’s not going to happen so now we need to talk
going to happen so now we need to talk
going to happen so now we need to talk about why why do we need Mentors
about why why do we need Mentors
about why why do we need Mentors and if you are actually someone who
and if you are actually someone who
and if you are actually someone who identifies as a member of an
identifies as a member of an
identifies as a member of an underrepresented group in your community
underrepresented group in your community
underrepresented group in your community at your workplace at your place of
at your workplace at your place of
at your workplace at your place of higher education at your school these
higher education at your school these
higher education at your school these are the things you need to think about
are the things you need to think about
are the things you need to think about why do you need these mentors conscious
why do you need these mentors conscious
why do you need these mentors conscious bias exists there are people who don’t
bias exists there are people who don’t
bias exists there are people who don’t want women at the table there are people
want women at the table there are people
want women at the table there are people who don’t want brown folks at the table
who don’t want brown folks at the table
who don’t want brown folks at the table there are people who don’t want to see a
there are people who don’t want to see a
there are people who don’t want to see a hijab at the table there are people who
hijab at the table there are people who
hijab at the table there are people who don’t want to see someone at the table
don’t want to see someone at the table
don’t want to see someone at the table who identifies as transgender it’s
who identifies as transgender it’s
who identifies as transgender it’s conscious I got tired a while ago
conscious I got tired a while ago
conscious I got tired a while ago hearing about implicit bias I got tired
hearing about implicit bias I got tired
hearing about implicit bias I got tired because I felt like it was to get out of
because I felt like it was to get out of
because I felt like it was to get out of jail free card
jail free card
jail free card oh my biases are implicit they’re
oh my biases are implicit they’re
oh my biases are implicit they’re unconscious I’m not thinking yes you are
unconscious I’m not thinking yes you are
unconscious I’m not thinking yes you are sometimes you are let’s be real a lot of
sometimes you are let’s be real a lot of
sometimes you are let’s be real a lot of times you’re not how people of goodwill
times you’re not how people of goodwill
times you’re not how people of goodwill want to believe that they’re not biased
want to believe that they’re not biased
want to believe that they’re not biased but we know we do have to educate
but we know we do have to educate
but we know we do have to educate ourselves we do have to acknowledge we
ourselves we do have to acknowledge we
ourselves we do have to acknowledge we do have to be aware of unconscious
do have to be aware of unconscious
do have to be aware of unconscious biases that’s very true but we do have
biases that’s very true but we do have
biases that’s very true but we do have to recognize that microaggressions
to recognize that microaggressions
to recognize that microaggressions they hurt people we do have to recognize
they hurt people we do have to recognize
they hurt people we do have to recognize that that pain that comes from being
that that pain that comes from being
that that pain that comes from being constantly told that you’re not supposed
constantly told that you’re not supposed
constantly told that you’re not supposed to be at the table is painful what makes
to be at the table is painful what makes
to be at the table is painful what makes a person who feels and sees that every
a person who feels and sees that every
a person who feels and sees that every day
day
day believe in humanity they believe in
believe in humanity they believe in
believe in humanity they believe in humanity because of your compassion they
humanity because of your compassion they
humanity because of your compassion they meet you and they recognize that you
meet you and they recognize that you
meet you and they recognize that you listen with compassion you teach them
listen with compassion you teach them
listen with compassion you teach them with compassion that is what keeps them
with compassion that is what keeps them
with compassion that is what keeps them going and that is what keeps them out on
going and that is what keeps them out on
going and that is what keeps them out on the road to success trying to be the
the road to success trying to be the
the road to success trying to be the best that they can be now in the end we
best that they can be now in the end we
best that they can be now in the end we have to remember one very important
have to remember one very important
have to remember one very important thing it’s up to us to find the people
thing it’s up to us to find the people
thing it’s up to us to find the people that we need on our team we need
that we need on our team we need
that we need on our team we need trainers who are going to be there to
trainers who are going to be there to
trainers who are going to be there to hear us to love us to push us to want us
hear us to love us to push us to want us
hear us to love us to push us to want us to be there but it’s your choice you go
to be there but it’s your choice you go
to be there but it’s your choice you go out you work hard don’t have your
out you work hard don’t have your
out you work hard don’t have your mentors working harder than you are you
mentors working harder than you are you
mentors working harder than you are you make sure that they can be proud of you
make sure that they can be proud of you
make sure that they can be proud of you because their investment is large so
because their investment is large so
because their investment is large so what I want to leave with you today is
what I want to leave with you today is
what I want to leave with you today is the one thing that you do not ever
the one thing that you do not ever
the one thing that you do not ever forget the choices that you make are
forget the choices that you make are
forget the choices that you make are important the mentors that you choose
important the mentors that you choose
important the mentors that you choose are important the people are on your
are important the people are on your
are important the people are on your team are important because you are the
team are important because you are the
team are important because you are the master of your fate and you are the
master of your fate and you are the
master of your fate and you are the captain of your soul thank you
”
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