sometimes you need to get knocked down
before you can really figure out what
your what your fight is and how you need
and my ancestors on whose shoulders I
stand God says in Jeremiah I know the
plans I have for you plans to prosper
you and not to harm you plans to give
you hope and a future I was on a roll
when I entered the system of
entertainment theater television and
film and my first New York audition for
a professional play I landed the lead
role from that play I got my first agent
from that agent I got an on-screen
audition it was a so problem it was it
third watch it was a soap opera on a
major Network I scored that role – I
felt like Mike Tyson when he first came
on the scene knocking out opponents in
the first round with this soap opera gig
I was already promised to make six
figures more money than I had ever seen
I was feeling myself but once I got the
first script and was so propolis you
very often get to screw up the night
before and you shoot the whole episode
in one day with little to no time to
prepare once I saw the role I was
playing I found myself conflicted
the role wasn’t necessarily
stereotypical a young man in his
formative years with a violent streak
pulled it to the allure of gang
involvement that’s somebody’s real story
never judge the characters you play
that’s what we were always taught that’s
that’s the first rule of acting and any
role play honestly can be empowering but
I was conflicted because this role
seemed to be wrapped up in assumptions
about us as black folk the rioting
failed to search for specificity plus
there was barely a glimpse of positivity
or talent in the character barely a
glimpse of hope I would have to make
something out of nothing
I was conflicted Howard and instilled in
me a certain amount of pride and for my
taste this road didn’t live up to those
standards
it was just my luck that after filming
the first two episodes execs of the show
called me into their office and offices
and told me how happy they were with my
performance they wanted me to be around
for a long time they said if there was
anything that I needed just let them
I decided to ask them some simple
questions about the background of my
character questions that I felt were
pertinent to the plot question number
the exact the exact answer he left when
you were young
of course
okay
question number two
if this script in this script alluded to
my mother not being equipped to operate
as a good parent so why exactly would my
little brother and I have to go into
foster care
matter-of-factly he answered well of
course she’s on heroin that could be
real I guess but I didn’t want to assume
that’s what it was if we’re around here
assuming that the black characters in
the show are criminals on drugs and dead
people then that will probably probably
be staring stereotypical wouldn’t it
that word stereotypical lingered one of
the execs pulled out my resume and began
studying it the other exact war smile
trying to live up to what they had
promised me only a few moments before if
there’s anything you need just let us
know she said as as you have seen things
move really fast around here but we are
more more than happy to connect you with
the writers if you have suggestions yeah
I said that would be great I said
because I’m just trying to do my
homework on this I didn’t I didn’t know
if you guys had decided on all the facts
but maybe there are some things we could
come up with some talent or gifts that
we could build maybe he’s really good at
math or something he has to be active
I’m doing my best not to play this this
character like a victim so you went to
Howard University Hyundai exec holding
my resume interrupting peeking over the
pages yes I said proudly he slid my
resume back in his desk and said thank
you for your concerns we’ll be watching
you I left the office I shot the episode
when I come in to shoot on that on that
day probably the best one I did out of
the three because I got what was
bothering me off my chest I was let go
from that job on the next day a coal a
phone call from my agent they decided to
go another way
the questions that I asked set the
producers on guard and perhaps paved the
way for a less stereotypical portrayal
for the black actor that stepped into
the role after me
as the scripture says I planted the seed
in Apollo’s watered it but God kept
growing God kept it growing yet in still
when you invest in a scene watching it
grow without you that is a bitter pill
to swallow a bitter pill anybody that’s
ever been fine knows what I’m talking
about
even if you really don’t want the job
when they let you go it’s like any break
up you act like you don’t care I didn’t
need that damn job anyway I didn’t need
them but when you have those moments
alone you start to wonder if there was a
better way to handle it and if you could
have if you could have handled it better
maybe you can help your family and then
before you know it you’re broke and you
find yourself scraping together change
just so you can ride the subway so that
you can get the next job and maybe if
you can book something else that would
eclipse the feeling of doubt that’s
building but it seems like you can’t pay
them to hire you now my agents at the
time told me it might be a while before
I got a job acting on screen again but I
was fine because I never wanted to act
in the first place and I definitely
didn’t want to be caught they’re going
after a fake Hollywood pipe dream I’m
more of a writer director anyway so
forget their stories I can tell my own
I remember walking across this yard on
what seemed to be a random date my head
down lost in my own world of issues like
many of you do daily I’m almost at the
center of the yard I raised my head and
Muhammad Ali was walking towards me time
seemed to slow down as his eyes locked
on mine and open wide he’s raised his
fist into a quintessential guard
I was game to play alone with him to act
as if I was a worthy opponent what an
honor to be challenged by the goat the
greatest of all time for a brief moment
his face was as serious as if I were
Frazier in the Thrilla in Manilla his
movements his movements for flashes of a
pass greater than I can imagine
his security let the joke play along for
a second before they ushered him away
and I walked away floating like a
butterfly I walked away amused at him
amused it myself amused at life for this
moment
that almost no one would ever believe I
walked away light ready to take on the
world that is the magic of this place
almost anything can happen here
throughout ancient times institutions of
learning have been built on top of hills
to convey the great struggle is required
to achieve degrees of enlightenment each
of you had your own unique difficulties
with the hill for some of you the
challenge was actually academics when
you hear the words magna laude cool
re you know that’s that’s not you that’s
not you you worked hard you you did your
best but you didn’t make aids or B’s
sometimes C’s you never made the dean’s
list but that’s okay you’re here on top
of the hill you know sometimes your
grades don’t don’t don’t don’t give a
real indication of what your greatness
might be so it really is okay for others
it was financial you and your family
struggle to make ends meet every
semester of your matriculation you had
to stand in one line to get to another
line to get to another line for somebody
you had to broker extra job or two but
you’re here for a lot of you not all but
but a lot of you your hardest struggle
was so sure some of you never fit in
you were never as cool and as popular as
you wanted to be and it bothers you so
your social struggles here became
psychological even though you made it up
the hill you carry the baggage of
rejection with you but you’re here or
some of you went through something
traumatic you made it to the top of the
hill but but not without scars and
bruises most of you graduating here
today struggled against one or more of
the impediments of obstacles I mentioned
in order to reach this hilltop we’re
completing a long climb one first
experiences dizziness the centauri
disrupt disorientation and shortness of
breath due to the high altitude but once
you become accustomed to the climb your
mind opens up to the tranquility of the
triumph oftentimes the mind is flooded
with realizations that were for some
reason are harder to come to where you
were at a lower elevation look down over
what you conquered and appreciate what
God has brought you through
as is often the case those that follow
most often enjoy the results of the
progress you gain everything that you
farfel was not for yourself
it was for those that come after finally
I thought of Eileen in the middle of the
it is elder years drawing from his
victories and his losses at that moment
I realized something new about this the
greatness of our league and how he
carried his crown I realized that he was
he was transferring the spirit of the
fighter in me he was transferring the
spirit of the fighter to me he was
transferring the spirit of the fighter
to me sometimes you need to feel the
pain and sting of defeat to activate the
real passion and purpose that God
predestined inside of you God says in
Jeremiah I know the plans I have for you
plans to prosper you and not to harm you
plans to give you hope and a future
when you have reached the hilltop and
you are deciding on our next jobs next
steps careers further education you
would rather find purpose than a job or
career purpose crosses disciplines
purpose is an essential element of you
it is the reason you are on the planet
at this particular time in history your
very existence is wrapped up in two
things you are here to fulfill whatever
you choose for a career path remember
the struggles along the way are only
meant to shape you for your purpose when
I dare to challenge the system that
would relegate us to victims and
stereotypes with no clear historical
backgrounds no hopes of talents when our
questions that method of portrayal a
different path opened up for me
the path to my destiny when God has
something for you it doesn’t matter who
God will move someone is holding you
back away from the door and put someone
there who will open it for you if it’s
meant for you I don’t know what your
future is but if you’re willing to take
the harder way the more complicated one
the one with more failures at first the
successes the one that has ultimately
proven to have more meaning more victory
more glory that you will not regret it
now
this is your time
the light of new realization shines on
you today how as legacy is not wrapped
up in the money that you will make but
the challenges that you choose to
confront as you commence to your past
press on with pride and press on with purpose god bless you I love you how it
before you can really figure out what
your what your fight is and how you need
and my ancestors on whose shoulders I
stand God says in Jeremiah I know the
plans I have for you plans to prosper
you and not to harm you plans to give
you hope and a future I was on a roll
when I entered the system of
entertainment theater television and
film and my first New York audition for
a professional play I landed the lead
role from that play I got my first agent
from that agent I got an on-screen
audition it was a so problem it was it
third watch it was a soap opera on a
major Network I scored that role – I
felt like Mike Tyson when he first came
on the scene knocking out opponents in
the first round with this soap opera gig
I was already promised to make six
figures more money than I had ever seen
I was feeling myself but once I got the
first script and was so propolis you
very often get to screw up the night
before and you shoot the whole episode
in one day with little to no time to
prepare once I saw the role I was
playing I found myself conflicted
the role wasn’t necessarily
stereotypical a young man in his
formative years with a violent streak
pulled it to the allure of gang
involvement that’s somebody’s real story
never judge the characters you play
that’s what we were always taught that’s
that’s the first rule of acting and any
role play honestly can be empowering but
I was conflicted because this role
seemed to be wrapped up in assumptions
about us as black folk the rioting
failed to search for specificity plus
there was barely a glimpse of positivity
or talent in the character barely a
glimpse of hope I would have to make
something out of nothing
I was conflicted Howard and instilled in
me a certain amount of pride and for my
taste this road didn’t live up to those
standards
it was just my luck that after filming
the first two episodes execs of the show
called me into their office and offices
and told me how happy they were with my
performance they wanted me to be around
for a long time they said if there was
anything that I needed just let them
I decided to ask them some simple
questions about the background of my
character questions that I felt were
pertinent to the plot question number
the exact the exact answer he left when
you were young
of course
okay
question number two
if this script in this script alluded to
my mother not being equipped to operate
as a good parent so why exactly would my
little brother and I have to go into
foster care
matter-of-factly he answered well of
course she’s on heroin that could be
real I guess but I didn’t want to assume
that’s what it was if we’re around here
assuming that the black characters in
the show are criminals on drugs and dead
people then that will probably probably
be staring stereotypical wouldn’t it
that word stereotypical lingered one of
the execs pulled out my resume and began
studying it the other exact war smile
trying to live up to what they had
promised me only a few moments before if
there’s anything you need just let us
know she said as as you have seen things
move really fast around here but we are
more more than happy to connect you with
the writers if you have suggestions yeah
I said that would be great I said
because I’m just trying to do my
homework on this I didn’t I didn’t know
if you guys had decided on all the facts
but maybe there are some things we could
come up with some talent or gifts that
we could build maybe he’s really good at
math or something he has to be active
I’m doing my best not to play this this
character like a victim so you went to
Howard University Hyundai exec holding
my resume interrupting peeking over the
pages yes I said proudly he slid my
resume back in his desk and said thank
you for your concerns we’ll be watching
you I left the office I shot the episode
when I come in to shoot on that on that
day probably the best one I did out of
the three because I got what was
bothering me off my chest I was let go
from that job on the next day a coal a
phone call from my agent they decided to
go another way
the questions that I asked set the
producers on guard and perhaps paved the
way for a less stereotypical portrayal
for the black actor that stepped into
the role after me
as the scripture says I planted the seed
in Apollo’s watered it but God kept
growing God kept it growing yet in still
when you invest in a scene watching it
grow without you that is a bitter pill
to swallow a bitter pill anybody that’s
ever been fine knows what I’m talking
about
even if you really don’t want the job
when they let you go it’s like any break
up you act like you don’t care I didn’t
need that damn job anyway I didn’t need
them but when you have those moments
alone you start to wonder if there was a
better way to handle it and if you could
have if you could have handled it better
maybe you can help your family and then
before you know it you’re broke and you
find yourself scraping together change
just so you can ride the subway so that
you can get the next job and maybe if
you can book something else that would
eclipse the feeling of doubt that’s
building but it seems like you can’t pay
them to hire you now my agents at the
time told me it might be a while before
I got a job acting on screen again but I
was fine because I never wanted to act
in the first place and I definitely
didn’t want to be caught they’re going
after a fake Hollywood pipe dream I’m
more of a writer director anyway so
forget their stories I can tell my own
I remember walking across this yard on
what seemed to be a random date my head
down lost in my own world of issues like
many of you do daily I’m almost at the
center of the yard I raised my head and
Muhammad Ali was walking towards me time
seemed to slow down as his eyes locked
on mine and open wide he’s raised his
fist into a quintessential guard
I was game to play alone with him to act
as if I was a worthy opponent what an
honor to be challenged by the goat the
greatest of all time for a brief moment
his face was as serious as if I were
Frazier in the Thrilla in Manilla his
movements his movements for flashes of a
pass greater than I can imagine
his security let the joke play along for
a second before they ushered him away
and I walked away floating like a
butterfly I walked away amused at him
amused it myself amused at life for this
moment
that almost no one would ever believe I
walked away light ready to take on the
world that is the magic of this place
almost anything can happen here
throughout ancient times institutions of
learning have been built on top of hills
to convey the great struggle is required
to achieve degrees of enlightenment each
of you had your own unique difficulties
with the hill for some of you the
challenge was actually academics when
you hear the words magna laude cool
re you know that’s that’s not you that’s
not you you worked hard you you did your
best but you didn’t make aids or B’s
sometimes C’s you never made the dean’s
list but that’s okay you’re here on top
of the hill you know sometimes your
grades don’t don’t don’t don’t give a
real indication of what your greatness
might be so it really is okay for others
it was financial you and your family
struggle to make ends meet every
semester of your matriculation you had
to stand in one line to get to another
line to get to another line for somebody
you had to broker extra job or two but
you’re here for a lot of you not all but
but a lot of you your hardest struggle
was so sure some of you never fit in
you were never as cool and as popular as
you wanted to be and it bothers you so
your social struggles here became
psychological even though you made it up
the hill you carry the baggage of
rejection with you but you’re here or
some of you went through something
traumatic you made it to the top of the
hill but but not without scars and
bruises most of you graduating here
today struggled against one or more of
the impediments of obstacles I mentioned
in order to reach this hilltop we’re
completing a long climb one first
experiences dizziness the centauri
disrupt disorientation and shortness of
breath due to the high altitude but once
you become accustomed to the climb your
mind opens up to the tranquility of the
triumph oftentimes the mind is flooded
with realizations that were for some
reason are harder to come to where you
were at a lower elevation look down over
what you conquered and appreciate what
God has brought you through
as is often the case those that follow
most often enjoy the results of the
progress you gain everything that you
farfel was not for yourself
it was for those that come after finally
I thought of Eileen in the middle of the
it is elder years drawing from his
victories and his losses at that moment
I realized something new about this the
greatness of our league and how he
carried his crown I realized that he was
he was transferring the spirit of the
fighter in me he was transferring the
spirit of the fighter to me he was
transferring the spirit of the fighter
to me sometimes you need to feel the
pain and sting of defeat to activate the
real passion and purpose that God
predestined inside of you God says in
Jeremiah I know the plans I have for you
plans to prosper you and not to harm you
plans to give you hope and a future
when you have reached the hilltop and
you are deciding on our next jobs next
steps careers further education you
would rather find purpose than a job or
career purpose crosses disciplines
purpose is an essential element of you
it is the reason you are on the planet
at this particular time in history your
very existence is wrapped up in two
things you are here to fulfill whatever
you choose for a career path remember
the struggles along the way are only
meant to shape you for your purpose when
I dare to challenge the system that
would relegate us to victims and
stereotypes with no clear historical
backgrounds no hopes of talents when our
questions that method of portrayal a
different path opened up for me
the path to my destiny when God has
something for you it doesn’t matter who
God will move someone is holding you
back away from the door and put someone
there who will open it for you if it’s
meant for you I don’t know what your
future is but if you’re willing to take
the harder way the more complicated one
the one with more failures at first the
successes the one that has ultimately
proven to have more meaning more victory
more glory that you will not regret it
now
this is your time
the light of new realization shines on
you today how as legacy is not wrapped
up in the money that you will make but
the challenges that you choose to
confront as you commence to your past
press on with pride and press on with purpose god bless you I love you how it
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