fifty years ago people who looked like me lived in terror and I don’t mean the
me lived in terror and I don’t mean the
me lived in terror and I don’t mean the afraid type of terror I mean terror like
afraid type of terror I mean terror like
afraid type of terror I mean terror like we ascribed to other countries like
we ascribed to other countries like
we ascribed to other countries like Afghanistan and Iraq and Turkey and
Afghanistan and Iraq and Turkey and
Afghanistan and Iraq and Turkey and Syria they were bombed and brutalized
Syria they were bombed and brutalized
Syria they were bombed and brutalized and murdered and lynched often with the
and murdered and lynched often with the
and murdered and lynched often with the non protection of law enforcement and
non protection of law enforcement and
non protection of law enforcement and sometimes even with the complicity of
sometimes even with the complicity of
sometimes even with the complicity of law enforcement and we look back on
law enforcement and we look back on
law enforcement and we look back on those times and look at images of those
those times and look at images of those
those times and look at images of those times and we think to ourselves how
times and we think to ourselves how
times and we think to ourselves how could we have let that happen how could
could we have let that happen how could
could we have let that happen how could we let four little girls get bomb in a
we let four little girls get bomb in a
we let four little girls get bomb in a church and nothing happened I never
church and nothing happened I never
church and nothing happened I never would have let that happen how could we
would have let that happen how could we
would have let that happen how could we let a 15 year old boy get so beaten
let a 15 year old boy get so beaten
let a 15 year old boy get so beaten beyond recognition and nothing happened
beyond recognition and nothing happened
beyond recognition and nothing happened how could we have let that happened I
how could we have let that happened I
how could we have let that happened I would never let that happen I want you
would never let that happen I want you
would never let that happen I want you to pause and take a look around the room
to pause and take a look around the room
to pause and take a look around the room right now I’d like to actually do it I’d
right now I’d like to actually do it I’d
right now I’d like to actually do it I’d it’s not like everything and look who’s
it’s not like everything and look who’s
it’s not like everything and look who’s here
here
here in DC the nation’s capital all amazing
in DC the nation’s capital all amazing
in DC the nation’s capital all amazing people now I want you to look around
people now I want you to look around
people now I want you to look around again and see who’s not here in
again and see who’s not here in
again and see who’s not here in particular people that look like me
particular people that look like me
particular people that look like me we’re in chocolate city
we’re in chocolate city
we’re in chocolate city I never wants you to look in an empty
I never wants you to look in an empty
I never wants you to look in an empty chair the same way again because these
chair the same way again because these
chair the same way again because these empty chairs could look to be filled
empty chairs could look to be filled
empty chairs could look to be filled with people that look like me and if we
with people that look like me and if we
with people that look like me and if we ask ourselves why aren’t they here I’m
ask ourselves why aren’t they here I’m
ask ourselves why aren’t they here I’m going to tell you that it’s because
going to tell you that it’s because
going to tell you that it’s because they’re physically incapacitated from
they’re physically incapacitated from
they’re physically incapacitated from being here either because they’re in
being here either because they’re in
being here either because they’re in jails and prisons or because there are
jails and prisons or because there are
jails and prisons or because there are neighborhoods that they can’t escape and
neighborhoods that they can’t escape and
neighborhoods that they can’t escape and right now we’re doing the same thing
right now we’re doing the same thing
right now we’re doing the same thing that people 50 years ago we’re doing
that people 50 years ago we’re doing
that people 50 years ago we’re doing because this civil rights this Human
because this civil rights this Human
because this civil rights this Human Rights crisis is happening on our watch
Rights crisis is happening on our watch
Rights crisis is happening on our watch there are two point three million people
there are two point three million people
there are two point three million people locked up in jails and prisons despite
locked up in jails and prisons despite
locked up in jails and prisons despite the fact we make up 5% of the world’s
the fact we make up 5% of the world’s
the fact we make up 5% of the world’s population we make up 25% of its
population we make up 25% of its
population we make up 25% of its incarcerated population there’s another
incarcerated population there’s another
incarcerated population there’s another five million people on probation or
five million people on probation or
five million people on probation or parole one misstep away from being on
parole one misstep away from being on
parole one misstep away from being on top of that aggregate number despite
top of that aggregate number despite
top of that aggregate number despite making up only 11 percent of the
making up only 11 percent of the
making up only 11 percent of the national population african-americans
national population african-americans
national population african-americans make up almost 50% of the prison
make up almost 50% of the prison
make up almost 50% of the prison population 100 percent of the children
population 100 percent of the children
population 100 percent of the children in this world are locked up in the
in this world are locked up in the
in this world are locked up in the United States 90 percent of the women
United States 90 percent of the women
United States 90 percent of the women who were locked up in this world are
who were locked up in this world are
who were locked up in this world are locked up in the United States
locked up in the United States
locked up in the United States seventy-five percent of them are mothers
seventy-five percent of them are mothers
seventy-five percent of them are mothers and 50% of them will have their parental
and 50% of them will have their parental
and 50% of them will have their parental rights terminated while they’re locked
rights terminated while they’re locked
rights terminated while they’re locked up one in three black men born today
up one in three black men born today
up one in three black men born today will spend some time in prison one in
will spend some time in prison one in
will spend some time in prison one in three black women right now has a
three black women right now has a
three black women right now has a relative in prison 14 million Americans
relative in prison 14 million Americans
relative in prison 14 million Americans have a criminal record and there are
have a criminal record and there are
have a criminal record and there are 50,000 collateral consequences that
50,000 collateral consequences that
50,000 collateral consequences that impede their successful reentry back
impede their successful reentry back
impede their successful reentry back into society there are more segregated
into society there are more segregated
into society there are more segregated schools now than there were on the
schools now than there were on the
schools now than there were on the evening of Brown versus Board of
evening of Brown versus Board of
evening of Brown versus Board of Education there is more representation
Education there is more representation
Education there is more representation of Congress for people of color and the
of Congress for people of color and the
of Congress for people of color and the period of reconstruction immediately
period of reconstruction immediately
period of reconstruction immediately following the Civil War than there is
following the Civil War than there is
following the Civil War than there is now
now
now indeed there are more people under
indeed there are more people under
indeed there are more people under correctional control in this country
correctional control in this country
correctional control in this country right now than there were slaves on the
right now than there were slaves on the
right now than there were slaves on the eve of the Civil War it’s time for a new
eve of the Civil War it’s time for a new
eve of the Civil War it’s time for a new civil rights movement this isn’t news to
civil rights movement this isn’t news to
civil rights movement this isn’t news to anyone especially those of us in in
anyone especially those of us in in
anyone especially those of us in in marginalized communities and yet nothing
marginalized communities and yet nothing
marginalized communities and yet nothing happens nothing is happening we’re
happens nothing is happening we’re
happens nothing is happening we’re waiting for someone anyone the next
waiting for someone anyone the next
waiting for someone anyone the next Martin the next Malcolm the next Rosa to
Martin the next Malcolm the next Rosa to
Martin the next Malcolm the next Rosa to take us to the promised land but we’re
take us to the promised land but we’re
take us to the promised land but we’re waiting and we’re waiting
waiting and we’re waiting
waiting and we’re waiting I’m tired of waiting because every day
I’m tired of waiting because every day
I’m tired of waiting because every day that we wait more of us die more of us
that we wait more of us die more of us
that we wait more of us die more of us go to prison and more families and
go to prison and more families and
go to prison and more families and communities are destroyed when I was 19
communities are destroyed when I was 19
communities are destroyed when I was 19 years old I remember standing in front
years old I remember standing in front
years old I remember standing in front of a police officer handing him
of a police officer handing him
of a police officer handing him thousands and thousands of dollars of
thousands and thousands of dollars of
thousands and thousands of dollars of cash that I had made over the course of
cash that I had made over the course of
cash that I had made over the course of that summer and I remember handing him
that summer and I remember handing him
that summer and I remember handing him the little bit’s weed that I had left
the little bit’s weed that I had left
the little bit’s weed that I had left over from the pounds that I’ve been
over from the pounds that I’ve been
over from the pounds that I’ve been trafficking from Philadelphia to Boston
trafficking from Philadelphia to Boston
trafficking from Philadelphia to Boston and back I remember looking this police
and back I remember looking this police
and back I remember looking this police officers facing to him looking back at
officers facing to him looking back at
officers facing to him looking back at me with this look of disdain and
me with this look of disdain and
me with this look of disdain and frustration and disgust because I’d
frustration and disgust because I’d
frustration and disgust because I’d become a statistic and I remember
become a statistic and I remember
become a statistic and I remember sitting there in that moment thinking
sitting there in that moment thinking
sitting there in that moment thinking myself man I am in trouble
myself man I am in trouble
myself man I am in trouble but in my 19 year old mind what trouble
but in my 19 year old mind what trouble
but in my 19 year old mind what trouble look like to me was went something like
look like to me was went something like
look like to me was went something like this
my parents are gonna ground me I’m gonna
my parents are gonna ground me I’m gonna get my cell phone take it away they
get my cell phone take it away they
get my cell phone take it away they might take my truck because I was using
might take my truck because I was using
might take my truck because I was using it in my drug trade and if college finds
it in my drug trade and if college finds
it in my drug trade and if college finds out I might get moved out of my dorm to
out I might get moved out of my dorm to
out I might get moved out of my dorm to another norm on campus that was my idea
another norm on campus that was my idea
another norm on campus that was my idea of trouble I had no idea what I was
of trouble I had no idea what I was
of trouble I had no idea what I was doing was a federal crime I had some
doing was a federal crime I had some
doing was a federal crime I had some idea what I was doing was a state crime
idea what I was doing was a state crime
idea what I was doing was a state crime but I had no idea that the penalty for
but I had no idea that the penalty for
but I had no idea that the penalty for what I was doing was a 10-year minimum
what I was doing was a 10-year minimum
what I was doing was a 10-year minimum mandatory sentence and because of that
mandatory sentence and because of that
mandatory sentence and because of that 10-year minimum mandatory sentence the
10-year minimum mandatory sentence the
10-year minimum mandatory sentence the likelihood that I pled out to that was
likelihood that I pled out to that was
likelihood that I pled out to that was about a hundred percent and by pleading
about a hundred percent and by pleading
about a hundred percent and by pleading out to that the deprivation of lots of
out to that the deprivation of lots of
out to that the deprivation of lots of things that we take for granted would
things that we take for granted would
things that we take for granted would have started right away I would have
have started right away I would have
have started right away I would have lost the access to public housing I
lost the access to public housing I
lost the access to public housing I would have lost the access to financial
would have lost the access to financial
would have lost the access to financial aid I would have lost the access to get
aid I would have lost the access to get
aid I would have lost the access to get a loan I would have lost the access to
a loan I would have lost the access to
a loan I would have lost the access to get employment I would have lost any
get employment I would have lost any
get employment I would have lost any professional licensure I had I would
professional licensure I had I would
professional licensure I had I would have lost my driver’s license and
have lost my driver’s license and
have lost my driver’s license and because of the deprivation of all those
because of the deprivation of all those
because of the deprivation of all those protective factors the likelihood that I
protective factors the likelihood that I
protective factors the likelihood that I reinterred the criminal justice system
reinterred the criminal justice system
reinterred the criminal justice system went up and up and up each time I
went up and up and up each time I
went up and up and up each time I touched the criminal justice system I
touched the criminal justice system I
touched the criminal justice system I would commit more serious more violent
would commit more serious more violent
would commit more serious more violent crime and so finally I would end up in
crime and so finally I would end up in
crime and so finally I would end up in state prison
state prison
state prison and they know any of that standing there
and they know any of that standing there
and they know any of that standing there I don’t know how close I was to the edge
I don’t know how close I was to the edge
I don’t know how close I was to the edge of a rabbit hole the thousands and
of a rabbit hole the thousands and
of a rabbit hole the thousands and thousands and thousands of people that
thousands and thousands of people that
thousands and thousands of people that look just like me fall down every year
look just like me fall down every year
look just like me fall down every year and if that police officer wanted to he
and if that police officer wanted to he
and if that police officer wanted to he could have pushed me over and down the
could have pushed me over and down the
could have pushed me over and down the rabbit hole I go but he didn’t because
rabbit hole I go but he didn’t because
rabbit hole I go but he didn’t because I’m here in fact I did get grounded I
got to go back to college a graduate
got to go back to college a graduate from college a little labor force and
from college a little labor force and
from college a little labor force and what worked there for three years I came
what worked there for three years I came
what worked there for three years I came out of the labor force I went to law
out of the labor force I went to law
out of the labor force I went to law school stayed there for three years I
school stayed there for three years I
school stayed there for three years I came out I went to the DA’s office I had
came out I went to the DA’s office I had
came out I went to the DA’s office I had a wonderful career highly decorated I
a wonderful career highly decorated I
a wonderful career highly decorated I was able to do a TED talk in 2015 and I
was able to do a TED talk in 2015 and I
was able to do a TED talk in 2015 and I met John Legend and from there
met John Legend and from there
met John Legend and from there everything changed I worked with
everything changed I worked with
everything changed I worked with celebrities and artists and actively
celebrities and artists and actively
celebrities and artists and actively athletes and activists everyone that you
athletes and activists everyone that you
athletes and activists everyone that you could think of and last October I got to
could think of and last October I got to
could think of and last October I got to sit with the 44th President United
sit with the 44th President United
sit with the 44th President United States of America and talk to him about
States of America and talk to him about
States of America and talk to him about criminal justice reform and last
criminal justice reform and last
criminal justice reform and last Saturday last Saturday Oprah Winfrey
Saturday last Saturday Oprah Winfrey
Saturday last Saturday Oprah Winfrey said she was glad to finally meet me and
said she was glad to finally meet me and
said she was glad to finally meet me and it added no don’t clap the reason that I
it added no don’t clap the reason that I
it added no don’t clap the reason that I get to be here the reason that all
get to be here the reason that all
get to be here the reason that all happened because the police officer
happened because the police officer
happened because the police officer pulled me over pulled me over in my
pulled me over pulled me over in my
pulled me over pulled me over in my driveway the police officer pulled me
driveway the police officer pulled me
driveway the police officer pulled me over was a white man the police officer
over was a white man the police officer
over was a white man the police officer pulled me over was my father when I was
pulled me over was my father when I was
pulled me over was my father when I was three years old and won the lottery
three years old and won the lottery
three years old and won the lottery I was in an orphanage in a foreign
I was in an orphanage in a foreign
I was in an orphanage in a foreign country in two working-class white
country in two working-class white
country in two working-class white people came down to that foreign country
people came down to that foreign country
people came down to that foreign country picked me out of the litter they raised
picked me out of the litter they raised
picked me out of the litter they raised me in a white class town I went to white
me in a white class town I went to white
me in a white class town I went to white working-class schools I had white
working-class schools I had white
working-class schools I had white working-class friends and in that moment
working-class friends and in that moment
working-class friends and in that moment when my father put the handcuffs on me
when my father put the handcuffs on me
when my father put the handcuffs on me and brought me Darla’s station taught me
and brought me Darla’s station taught me
and brought me Darla’s station taught me a lesson he came home he handed me a
a lesson he came home he handed me a
a lesson he came home he handed me a shield and a sword that shield was white
shield and a sword that shield was white
shield and a sword that shield was white privilege
privilege
privilege and that sword was the thing that I
and that sword was the thing that I
and that sword was the thing that I would go on to use my career to take it
would go on to use my career to take it
would go on to use my career to take it to protect anyone that tried to take
to protect anyone that tried to take
to protect anyone that tried to take away the privilege that I had that I
away the privilege that I had that I
away the privilege that I had that I could give to other people all of you
could give to other people all of you
could give to other people all of you sitting in this room have the
sitting in this room have the
sitting in this room have the opportunity the power and the privilege
opportunity the power and the privilege
opportunity the power and the privilege to do that whether you know it or not
to do that whether you know it or not
to do that whether you know it or not you have shields and swords to protect
you have shields and swords to protect
you have shields and swords to protect those people that need it the most I
walked in the DA’s office on my first
walked in the DA’s office on my first day and I started fighting against
day and I started fighting against
day and I started fighting against people who was trying to take the
people who was trying to take the
people who was trying to take the privilege that I would bestow on these
privilege that I would bestow on these
privilege that I would bestow on these young men away from them Stan Lee up
young men away from them Stan Lee up
young men away from them Stan Lee up there in the left hand corner robbed two
there in the left hand corner robbed two
there in the left hand corner robbed two people with a fake gun we’re supposed to
people with a fake gun we’re supposed to
people with a fake gun we’re supposed to go to prison for 10 to 12 years and when
go to prison for 10 to 12 years and when
go to prison for 10 to 12 years and when I asked Stan Lee why he robbed those men
I asked Stan Lee why he robbed those men
I asked Stan Lee why he robbed those men he didn’t tell me about the gang that he
he didn’t tell me about the gang that he
he didn’t tell me about the gang that he was in he didn’t tell me about how he
was in he didn’t tell me about how he
was in he didn’t tell me about how he was trying to be the man he told me that
was trying to be the man he told me that
was trying to be the man he told me that one day he came home and his mother was
one day he came home and his mother was
one day he came home and his mother was so tired so sad that she was throwing up
so tired so sad that she was throwing up
so tired so sad that she was throwing up and she was crying and Stanley never
and she was crying and Stanley never
and she was crying and Stanley never wanted to feel that again what did
wanted to feel that again what did
wanted to feel that again what did Stanley want to do he wanted to go to
Stanley want to do he wanted to go to
Stanley want to do he wanted to go to college he went to graduate high school
college he went to graduate high school
college he went to graduate high school somethings nobody in his family had ever
somethings nobody in his family had ever
somethings nobody in his family had ever done he wanted to play baseball he
done he wanted to play baseball he
done he wanted to play baseball he wanted to get looked at by the pros he
wanted to get looked at by the pros he
wanted to get looked at by the pros he wanted to buy his mother a house and
wanted to buy his mother a house and
wanted to buy his mother a house and move her out the hood I don’t know if
move her out the hood I don’t know if
move her out the hood I don’t know if you can see that but that’s Stanley
you can see that but that’s Stanley
you can see that but that’s Stanley pitching in college pitcher of the week
pitching in college pitcher of the week
pitching in college pitcher of the week is a rookie Stanley he’s now a sophomore
is a rookie Stanley he’s now a sophomore
is a rookie Stanley he’s now a sophomore he’s studying criminal justice he got
he’s studying criminal justice he got
he’s studying criminal justice he got the honor roll last year for the first
the honor roll last year for the first
the honor roll last year for the first time and major league scouts already
time and major league scouts already
time and major league scouts already looking at him every other one of these
looking at him every other one of these
looking at him every other one of these young men were accused of crimes that
young men were accused of crimes that
young men were accused of crimes that should have landed them in state prison
should have landed them in state prison
should have landed them in state prison but as a prosecutor had the opportunity
but as a prosecutor had the opportunity
but as a prosecutor had the opportunity with my shield and my sword to protect
with my shield and my sword to protect
with my shield and my sword to protect them from that rabbit hole every one of
them from that rabbit hole every one of
them from that rabbit hole every one of these young men safe to are now employed
these young men safe to are now employed
these young men safe to are now employed or in college this is what our criminal
or in college this is what our criminal
or in college this is what our criminal justice system can look like
in front of me I see the new civil
in front of me I see the new civil rights leaders of our time each and
rights leaders of our time each and
rights leaders of our time each and every one of you who has a shield and a
every one of you who has a shield and a
every one of you who has a shield and a sword regardless of what you do I don’t
sword regardless of what you do I don’t
sword regardless of what you do I don’t need you to be problem prosecutors I
need you to be problem prosecutors I
need you to be problem prosecutors I don’t need you become judges or cops I
don’t need you become judges or cops I
don’t need you become judges or cops I just need you to do something different
just need you to do something different
just need you to do something different every day that’s gonna make mankind
every day that’s gonna make mankind
every day that’s gonna make mankind better and here’s how you’re gonna do it
better and here’s how you’re gonna do it
better and here’s how you’re gonna do it I’m gonna tell you the life trajectory
I’m gonna tell you the life trajectory
I’m gonna tell you the life trajectory of every single one of these young men
of every single one of these young men
of every single one of these young men and women we know now that children in
and women we know now that children in
and women we know now that children in utero of a mother who’s suffering from
utero of a mother who’s suffering from
utero of a mother who’s suffering from toxic stress whether it be abuse or
toxic stress whether it be abuse or
toxic stress whether it be abuse or substances or environment or just
substances or environment or just
substances or environment or just poverty their DNA is being reconfigured
poverty their DNA is being reconfigured
poverty their DNA is being reconfigured to inherit that toxic stress that makes
to inherit that toxic stress that makes
to inherit that toxic stress that makes their brain smaller that makes their
their brain smaller that makes their
their brain smaller that makes their development slower and that makes them
development slower and that makes them
development slower and that makes them more likely to have a problem in school
more likely to have a problem in school
more likely to have a problem in school enter the child welfare system entry
enter the child welfare system entry
enter the child welfare system entry into the juvenile justice system
into the juvenile justice system
into the juvenile justice system entering the criminal justice system to
entering the criminal justice system to
entering the criminal justice system to end up in prison
end up in prison
end up in prison those are unborn children telling us
those are unborn children telling us
those are unborn children telling us please do something before I go to jail
please do something before I go to jail
please do something before I go to jail in Massachusetts there were roughly
in Massachusetts there were roughly
in Massachusetts there were roughly eight hundred kids locked up in our in
eight hundred kids locked up in our in
eight hundred kids locked up in our in our department services seventy-five
our department services seventy-five
our department services seventy-five percent of them had on average three
percent of them had on average three
percent of them had on average three interactions with the child welfare
interactions with the child welfare
interactions with the child welfare system before the age of three let me
system before the age of three let me
system before the age of three let me say that again seventy-five percent of
say that again seventy-five percent of
say that again seventy-five percent of the roughly eight hundred children live
the roughly eight hundred children live
the roughly eight hundred children live in Massachusetts dys right now had on
in Massachusetts dys right now had on
in Massachusetts dys right now had on average three interactions with child
average three interactions with child
average three interactions with child welfare system for abuse and neglect or
welfare system for abuse and neglect or
welfare system for abuse and neglect or malnutrition before the age of three
malnutrition before the age of three
malnutrition before the age of three those are nonverbal children telling us
those are nonverbal children telling us
those are nonverbal children telling us please do something I’m gonna go to
please do something I’m gonna go to
please do something I’m gonna go to prison
by the time those children reached the
by the time those children reached the first grade they’ve been read to on
first grade they’ve been read to on
first grade they’ve been read to on average 18 hours from the ages of 0 to 6
average 18 hours from the ages of 0 to 6
average 18 hours from the ages of 0 to 6 somebody took the time to sit down with
somebody took the time to sit down with
somebody took the time to sit down with them for 18 hours and read to them that
them for 18 hours and read to them that
them for 18 hours and read to them that number and this in the communities that
number and this in the communities that
number and this in the communities that we come from is 2400 hours put in a
we come from is 2400 hours put in a
we come from is 2400 hours put in a different way the kids in my community
different way the kids in my community
different way the kids in my community here 30 million less words than those
here 30 million less words than those
here 30 million less words than those from the suburbs that gap in cognition
from the suburbs that gap in cognition
from the suburbs that gap in cognition that gap and literacy that gap in
that gap and literacy that gap in
that gap and literacy that gap in development has been shown to correlate
development has been shown to correlate
development has been shown to correlate to entry in the criminal justice system
to entry in the criminal justice system
to entry in the criminal justice system those are children telling us if you
those are children telling us if you
those are children telling us if you don’t read to me I’m gonna go to prison
don’t read to me I’m gonna go to prison
don’t read to me I’m gonna go to prison those children then go on to middle
those children then go on to middle
those children then go on to middle school and not having the ability to
school and not having the ability to
school and not having the ability to learn to read they’ve certainly lack the
learn to read they’ve certainly lack the
learn to read they’ve certainly lack the ability to learn from reading and
ability to learn from reading and
ability to learn from reading and instead of saying excuse me having a
instead of saying excuse me having a
instead of saying excuse me having a hard time over here nobody took care of
hard time over here nobody took care of
hard time over here nobody took care of me until now our children will have the
me until now our children will have the
me until now our children will have the capacity to do that so what do they do
capacity to do that so what do they do
capacity to do that so what do they do they act up and what do we do as adults
they act up and what do we do as adults
they act up and what do we do as adults when they do that we reinforce the same
when they do that we reinforce the same
when they do that we reinforce the same message they’ve been hearing since they
message they’ve been hearing since they
message they’ve been hearing since they were children since they were in utero
were children since they were in utero
were children since they were in utero we don’t have time for you we don’t have
we don’t have time for you we don’t have
we don’t have time for you we don’t have the money for you we don’t have the
the money for you we don’t have the
the money for you we don’t have the resources for you and we shame them we
resources for you and we shame them we
resources for you and we shame them we punish them we kick them out then those
punish them we kick them out then those
punish them we kick them out then those children reach a point called
children reach a point called
children reach a point called adolescents in their high school and
adolescents in their high school and
adolescents in their high school and they have the opportunity to leave
they have the opportunity to leave
they have the opportunity to leave school and we’re surprised when they do
school and we’re surprised when they do
school and we’re surprised when they do even though we’ve been reinforcing that
even though we’ve been reinforcing that
even though we’ve been reinforcing that message every single day to them shame
message every single day to them shame
message every single day to them shame on you
on you
on you and what do they do they go out and find
and what do they do they go out and find
and what do they do they go out and find other children just like them and
other children just like them and
other children just like them and meanwhile when I was doing in high
meanwhile when I was doing in high
meanwhile when I was doing in high school or when you were doing in high
school or when you were doing in high
school or when you were doing in high school we called it a team a club a true
school we called it a team a club a true
school we called it a team a club a true but we’ve realized this word when young
but we’ve realized this word when young
but we’ve realized this word when young people of color do it outside the
people of color do it outside the
people of color do it outside the boundaries of school we call it a gang
boundaries of school we call it a gang
boundaries of school we call it a gang and what is a gang it’s a group of young
and what is a gang it’s a group of young
and what is a gang it’s a group of young men who love each other so much that
men who love each other so much that
men who love each other so much that they’re willing to die for the other
they’re willing to die for the other
they’re willing to die for the other person and they’re willing to kill for
person and they’re willing to kill for
person and they’re willing to kill for the other person you put a uniform on
the other person you put a uniform on
the other person you put a uniform on them we call them soldiers and police
them we call them soldiers and police
them we call them soldiers and police [Music]
[Music]
[Music] and when they finally do that one thing
and when they finally do that one thing
and when they finally do that one thing that horrible thing we say shame on you
that horrible thing we say shame on you
that horrible thing we say shame on you now I have all the time all the money
now I have all the time all the money
now I have all the time all the money and all the resource to lock you out for
and all the resource to lock you out for
and all the resource to lock you out for the rest of your life every single day
the rest of your life every single day
the rest of your life every single day that you leave your house you have the
that you leave your house you have the
that you leave your house you have the opportunity to do something anything for
opportunity to do something anything for
opportunity to do something anything for the benefit of mankind whether it’s
the benefit of mankind whether it’s
the benefit of mankind whether it’s volunteering or voting or visiting or
volunteering or voting or visiting or
volunteering or voting or visiting or taking care of a young mother saying
taking care of a young mother saying
taking care of a young mother saying something to a young man that you’ve
something to a young man that you’ve
something to a young man that you’ve seen in the streets donating to
seen in the streets donating to
seen in the streets donating to something writing a check if you have to
because 50 years from now we’re gonna be
because 50 years from now we’re gonna be looking back on this time the same way
looking back on this time the same way
looking back on this time the same way we look at 50 years ago and like dr.
we look at 50 years ago and like dr.
we look at 50 years ago and like dr. Martin Luther King says in the future
Martin Luther King says in the future
Martin Luther King says in the future it’s not the words of our enemies
it’s not the words of our enemies
it’s not the words of our enemies remembered it’s the silence of our
remembered it’s the silence of our
remembered it’s the silence of our friends so how you want to be even
friends so how you want to be even
friends so how you want to be even remember 250 years from now there’s
remember 250 years from now there’s
remember 250 years from now there’s someone who heard this talk and did
someone who heard this talk and did
someone who heard this talk and did nothing or someone who said I picked up
nothing or someone who said I picked up
nothing or someone who said I picked up my shield I picked up my sword I
my shield I picked up my sword I
my shield I picked up my sword I protected someone that had less than me
protected someone that had less than me
protected someone that had less than me I was one of the new civil rights
I was one of the new civil rights
I was one of the new civil rights leaders of our time help me
leaders of our time help me
leaders of our time help me join me and if you picked the ladder I
join me and if you picked the ladder I
join me and if you picked the ladder I guarantee you you will die wealthier
guarantee you you will die wealthier
guarantee you you will die wealthier than you can possibly imagine
than you can possibly imagine
than you can possibly imagine thank you very much
thank you very much
thank you very much [Applause]
”
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