oftentimes the mod is flooded with
realizations that were for some reason
harder to come to where you were at a
lower elevation at this moment most of
you need some realizations because right
now you have some big decisions to make
right now I urge you in your breath in
your in your eyes in your in your in
your consciousness invest in the
importance of this moment in charity I
know some of you might have party last
night you should you should celebrate
but this moment is also part of that
celebration so savor the taste of your
triumph
today don’t just swallow the moment
whole without digesting what has
actually happened here look down over
what you conquered and appreciate what
[Applause]
some of you here struggled against the
university itself this year students
protested it took over the a building
formulated the list of demands and
negotiated with our president and
administration to determine the
direction of our institution is
impressive similarly during my years
here at how we also post it protested
and took over the a building in order to
preserve Howard’s alum Anu in order to
preserve house annual appropriations
from Congress president H Patrick
swagger decided to reduce the number of
colleges at the university by his plan
engineering would need to merge with
architecture nursing would merge with
allied health and Fine Arts my school
will be absorbed for arts and sciences
that’s how we saw observers for many of
us in fine arts this signal to us that
our cooler curriculums or the
curriculums of students following us
might become watered-down concentrations
this undermined the very legacy we were
proud to be a part of an aim to continue
the finance program had produced
phylicia rashad Debbie Allen Isaiah
Washington
Richard Wesley Donny Hathaway Roberta
Flack just the name of few we we felt
that yes yes you could go on and on you
go on at all we felt that we could
compete with students from Juilliard NYU
with Kara loss as long as we continue to
have a concentrated dosage that rivaled
a conservatory experience but without it
although we took over there a building
for several days and presented our
arguments to president’s wagon and the
administration the schools were still
merged thus the current collection of
formation of schools exists that’s why I
view your recent protest is such an
accomplishment for for both sides of the
debate student and administration I
didn’t come here to take sides
my interest is what’s best for the
school a Howard University education is
not just about what happens in the
classroom students in some ways what
what you were able to do exemplifies
some of the skills you learned in the
classroom it takes the education out of
the realm of theory and into utility and
practice obviously your organization
skills were unprecedented I’m told that
you organize shifts so that you could at
least continue some of your classes we
missed all our classes who we are we
were enabling and I’m told it through
donations there was always an ample
helping of food I probably ate a slice
of pizza during the entirety of our
three-day protests so your organization
and planning was impeccable you receive
the majority of your demands making a
significant impact on those who came
after you as is often the case those
that follow most often enjoy the results
of the progress you gain you love the
university enough to struggle with it
now I have to ask you that you have you
have to continue to do that even now
that you received your demands even if
you’re walking today you have to
continue to do that everything that you
farfel was not for yourself
it was for those that come after you
could have been disgruntled and
transferred but you fought to be
participants in making this institution
the best that it can be but I must also
applaud president Wayne Frederick and
the administration for listening to the
students your freedom of speech was
exercised in a way where you can
contribute to this place it also shows
that you can contribute to the democracy
the administration in the campus police
at the time when I was posted protested
was not nearly as open-minded as this
current one I noticed was a difficult
time but because of both of you I
believe how it is a few steps closer to
the actualization of its petition the
potential that many of us have dreamed
for it students your protests are also
promising because many of you will leave
Howard I enter systems and institutions
they have a history of discrimination
and marginalization the fact that you
have struggled with this university that
you love is a sign that you can use your
education to improve the world that you
are entering I was on a roll when I
entered the system of entertainment
theater television and film in 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 bravas you very often
get the script the night before and you
shoot the whole episode in one day with
little to no time to prepare once I saw
the
oh I was playing I find myself
conflicted the role wasn’t necessarily
stereotypical a young man in his
formative years with a violent streak
pulled into 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 it 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 know there was my opening 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 well he left
when you were younger
of course okay
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 what 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 debt
papers then that will probably probably
be staring at stereotypical wouldn’t it
that word stereotypical lingered one of
the execs pulled out my resume and began
studying it the other exec wore 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 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 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 gift 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 huh exec holding my
resume interrupting peeking over the
pages yes I said proudly he slipped 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
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 call 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 and the pilots watered it but God
kept growing God kept it growing yet in
still when you invest in a seed watching
it grow without you that is a bitter
pill to swallow a bitter pill anybody
that’s ever been fired 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
hindered it better maybe you could help
your family and then before you know it
you’re broke and you find yourself
scraping together chase 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 what I was fired
because I never wanted to act in the
first place and I definitely didn’t want
to be caught dead going after a fake
Hollywood pipe dream I’m more of a
writer director anyway so forget their
stories I can tell my own stories but
what am I actually blackballed we’re
hesitant about sending you out to some
people right now because there is a
stigma that you’re difficult as
conflicted as I was before I lost the
job as adamant as I was about the need
to speak
to power I found myself even more
conflicted afterwards I stand here today
knowing that my Howard University
education prepared me to play Jackie
Robinson James Brown Thurgood Marshall
and T’Challa but what do you do when the
principles and standards that were
instilled in you here at Howard close
the doors in front of you sometimes you
need to get knocked down before you can
really figure out what your what your
fight is and how you need to fight it at
some point my mom reverted back to my
experiences here to the professors that
challenged me and struggled against me
professor Roberts Williams dark
singleton George eptein to name a few
the ones that that will fill you out of
and this may be hard to grasp assume for
some of you right now but I even
considered president swagger and how
negotiating with him was practice for a
world that was considerably more cruel
and unforgiving than any debate here one
that had no interest in my ideals and
beliefs how would I maneuver through all
of this finally I thought of ally in the
middle of the yard
it is elder years drawing from his
victories and his losses at that moment
I realized something new about this the
greatness of Ally 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
graduating class hear me well on this
day when you had this day 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 into things you
are here to fulfill whatever you choose
for 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 betrayal a
different path opened up for me
the path to my destiny when God has
something for you it doesn’t matter who
stands against it 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 are
willing to take the harder way the more
complicated one the one with more
failures at first their 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 is 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
however [Applause]
realizations that were for some reason
harder to come to where you were at a
lower elevation at this moment most of
you need some realizations because right
now you have some big decisions to make
right now I urge you in your breath in
your in your eyes in your in your in
your consciousness invest in the
importance of this moment in charity I
know some of you might have party last
night you should you should celebrate
but this moment is also part of that
celebration so savor the taste of your
triumph
today don’t just swallow the moment
whole without digesting what has
actually happened here look down over
what you conquered and appreciate what
[Applause]
some of you here struggled against the
university itself this year students
protested it took over the a building
formulated the list of demands and
negotiated with our president and
administration to determine the
direction of our institution is
impressive similarly during my years
here at how we also post it protested
and took over the a building in order to
preserve Howard’s alum Anu in order to
preserve house annual appropriations
from Congress president H Patrick
swagger decided to reduce the number of
colleges at the university by his plan
engineering would need to merge with
architecture nursing would merge with
allied health and Fine Arts my school
will be absorbed for arts and sciences
that’s how we saw observers for many of
us in fine arts this signal to us that
our cooler curriculums or the
curriculums of students following us
might become watered-down concentrations
this undermined the very legacy we were
proud to be a part of an aim to continue
the finance program had produced
phylicia rashad Debbie Allen Isaiah
Washington
Richard Wesley Donny Hathaway Roberta
Flack just the name of few we we felt
that yes yes you could go on and on you
go on at all we felt that we could
compete with students from Juilliard NYU
with Kara loss as long as we continue to
have a concentrated dosage that rivaled
a conservatory experience but without it
although we took over there a building
for several days and presented our
arguments to president’s wagon and the
administration the schools were still
merged thus the current collection of
formation of schools exists that’s why I
view your recent protest is such an
accomplishment for for both sides of the
debate student and administration I
didn’t come here to take sides
my interest is what’s best for the
school a Howard University education is
not just about what happens in the
classroom students in some ways what
what you were able to do exemplifies
some of the skills you learned in the
classroom it takes the education out of
the realm of theory and into utility and
practice obviously your organization
skills were unprecedented I’m told that
you organize shifts so that you could at
least continue some of your classes we
missed all our classes who we are we
were enabling and I’m told it through
donations there was always an ample
helping of food I probably ate a slice
of pizza during the entirety of our
three-day protests so your organization
and planning was impeccable you receive
the majority of your demands making a
significant impact on those who came
after you as is often the case those
that follow most often enjoy the results
of the progress you gain you love the
university enough to struggle with it
now I have to ask you that you have you
have to continue to do that even now
that you received your demands even if
you’re walking today you have to
continue to do that everything that you
farfel was not for yourself
it was for those that come after you
could have been disgruntled and
transferred but you fought to be
participants in making this institution
the best that it can be but I must also
applaud president Wayne Frederick and
the administration for listening to the
students your freedom of speech was
exercised in a way where you can
contribute to this place it also shows
that you can contribute to the democracy
the administration in the campus police
at the time when I was posted protested
was not nearly as open-minded as this
current one I noticed was a difficult
time but because of both of you I
believe how it is a few steps closer to
the actualization of its petition the
potential that many of us have dreamed
for it students your protests are also
promising because many of you will leave
Howard I enter systems and institutions
they have a history of discrimination
and marginalization the fact that you
have struggled with this university that
you love is a sign that you can use your
education to improve the world that you
are entering I was on a roll when I
entered the system of entertainment
theater television and film in 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 bravas you very often
get the script the night before and you
shoot the whole episode in one day with
little to no time to prepare once I saw
the
oh I was playing I find myself
conflicted the role wasn’t necessarily
stereotypical a young man in his
formative years with a violent streak
pulled into 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 it 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 know there was my opening 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 well he left
when you were younger
of course okay
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 what 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 debt
papers then that will probably probably
be staring at stereotypical wouldn’t it
that word stereotypical lingered one of
the execs pulled out my resume and began
studying it the other exec wore 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 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 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 gift 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 huh exec holding my
resume interrupting peeking over the
pages yes I said proudly he slipped 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
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 call 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 and the pilots watered it but God
kept growing God kept it growing yet in
still when you invest in a seed watching
it grow without you that is a bitter
pill to swallow a bitter pill anybody
that’s ever been fired 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
hindered it better maybe you could help
your family and then before you know it
you’re broke and you find yourself
scraping together chase 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 what I was fired
because I never wanted to act in the
first place and I definitely didn’t want
to be caught dead going after a fake
Hollywood pipe dream I’m more of a
writer director anyway so forget their
stories I can tell my own stories but
what am I actually blackballed we’re
hesitant about sending you out to some
people right now because there is a
stigma that you’re difficult as
conflicted as I was before I lost the
job as adamant as I was about the need
to speak
to power I found myself even more
conflicted afterwards I stand here today
knowing that my Howard University
education prepared me to play Jackie
Robinson James Brown Thurgood Marshall
and T’Challa but what do you do when the
principles and standards that were
instilled in you here at Howard close
the doors in front of you sometimes you
need to get knocked down before you can
really figure out what your what your
fight is and how you need to fight it at
some point my mom reverted back to my
experiences here to the professors that
challenged me and struggled against me
professor Roberts Williams dark
singleton George eptein to name a few
the ones that that will fill you out of
and this may be hard to grasp assume for
some of you right now but I even
considered president swagger and how
negotiating with him was practice for a
world that was considerably more cruel
and unforgiving than any debate here one
that had no interest in my ideals and
beliefs how would I maneuver through all
of this finally I thought of ally in the
middle of the yard
it is elder years drawing from his
victories and his losses at that moment
I realized something new about this the
greatness of Ally 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
graduating class hear me well on this
day when you had this day 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 into things you
are here to fulfill whatever you choose
for 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 betrayal a
different path opened up for me
the path to my destiny when God has
something for you it doesn’t matter who
stands against it 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 are
willing to take the harder way the more
complicated one the one with more
failures at first their 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 is 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
however [Applause]
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