so by a raise of your
and that would actually dedicate an hour
of their life saving in others I think
that’s everybody right that’s what I
thought
so that’s a good thing because after
that that’s your unwritten contract that
you’re gonna meet me after here and when
we got the job for you in 2006 I
received my first call for the Dover Air
Force Base honor guard after rigorous
weeks of training and when me and my
team showed up at 12 a.m. at night we
were quickly notified that we’re
responsible for performing the dignified
an honorable transfer of 29 of our
brothers and sisters in uniform for
paying the ultimate sacrifice during
wartime and that night when we’re
standing on the k-loaders next to the
c-5 galaxies on the flight line with
wind blowing at 30 miles an hour wind
chill at 20 degrees and raining hailing
and snowing sideways we all stood
admirably next to our fallen brothers
and sisters with their flag draped
American flag draped transfer cases
delicately wrapped and that was our
first job my first job anyway and I one
thought in particular that popped in my
mind that day I was studying for an exam
that was due the next morning at 0 800
and when I got the call I was a little
frustrated and a little bit stressed
until I came in stand in formation we
turned to our cases went down and pulled
it up and then I had a thought we stood
up ceremoniously at that point I
realized that nothing in my life
mattered if I could have an opportunity
to achieve something else and I have the
opportunity to fail again these service
members have no more time they’re gone
and neither are their families but would
that night we spent the next five hours
non-stop slowly ceremoniously for all 29
of those service members five hours till
5:00 a.m. in the morning and we doesn’t
matter if we had our hands frozen from
frostbite or tear frozen tears on our
face because even while you’re doing
your duty you have feelings too you just
still manage to control that emotion or
at least your physical posture and
continue to perform honorably for the
families
for everyone do you see the honor guard
is only one small piece of a long chain
of events from the point of where our
service members deceased all the way
back to their hometowns and their loved
ones when they come into Dover Air Force
Base there so Maurice Lee brought it
ceremoniously brought into the port
mortuary where they’re delicately
wrapped and dressed and to perfection
everyone that touches and every one of
the trail anyone that actually
interfaces with these troops their lives
changed forever how did it change for me
well first that next year a year later
we had already
unfortunately performed the transfer of
over a hundred and forty lives families
impacted during wartime that lives were
changed forever not just for them but
for us because we were the ones standing
there
honorably carrying their family and I
recall every holiday almost every
holiday could anyone imagine bringing
your son home on Mother’s Day or
Father’s Day or your brother so it try
it it left a big resonation in a lot of
our hearts but I decided I there was
something I’ve been searching for a long
time I wanted to do and I wanted to give
back
fortunately I got in I was blessed again
to the Air Force in the world of
technology is an IT specialist and that
was a blessing to me because it changed
my life it was the best opportunity I
ever had so I decided I was going to use
that to bring more of our brothers and
sisters back home so they can embrace
and breathe the same breathing air over
the next however many years several
years but I also wasn’t going to stop
there I was going to serve the
communities that I grew up in the
communities that were struggling with
idle hands and not a lack of opportunity
and back then when I was that you age
there was no technology we have now
didn’t even existed so I decided while I
was working an hour forty hours a week
over there at the Dover Air Force Base
while we also did honor guard I also
donated an hour of my lunch time every
day to go over to our local middle
school where I mentored a group of kids
and mentors are key in our lives many
lives that don’t have those mentors
these kids were probably getting bad
grades not because they have bad parents
because I met every one of them they’re
their parents are thankful to have
somebody else to step in and be a
positive role model for them and what I
did was try to go to these kids meet
these kids and tried to find a positive
fuel in their life and they take my
light in my heart and share it to theirs
so teach them how to be productive
practice perfection how to clean their
lockers and in that time I also exposed
them to my world of technology which set
the fire off inside the amazing thing is
less than ten years ago two of those
students graduated with master’s degrees
think if we all did that how many lives
we can save so unfortunately I was
transferred over to Maryland from
2000-2008 to transfer over to my next
duty station and when I did I’d been
brokenhearted for a long time yes I got
the I had the opportunity to train this
amazing enterprise team that serves a
globe of IT specialists but I still had
absence in my heart because I no longer
had time to service the community after
driving 15 plus hours a week and then
working another 40 plus hours you don’t
really have a lot of time to share with
anybody else but your family but still I
felt broken inside until a couple years
ago a couple years ago if everybody
recalls actually a year ago in fact
today marks the day that I started this
program a year ago so I had this vision
I what I went to sleep had a very bad
dream because the communities the
clashing of all these different
communities and I woke up with a vision
the vision in which to unite people see
at that time even now today America is
polarized I think everybody would agree
everybody focuses on a reason to drive
each other apart and everybody focuses
on a way to distance each other and all
that does is create a bigger divide what
if we all today I chose to find a way to
bring us together and find that one
common thread mine was cyber streets I
was going to take computers and
keyboards and replace that idle time
that got these kids and situations where
they could get exposure to gang violence
or they could get exposure to addiction
where they get exposure to incarceration
or even death I wanted to take those
keyboards and change their lives I
wanted to take my passion for technology
and give back
my community so I did and I put it into
motion within three months we had 70
kids konnected across across three
amazing community centers the green
beret project for example is a group of
amazing veterans school people teachers
local businesses that are coming into –
into the inner city of our Dover area to
support these kids and pull them out I
just brought them the technology and
education platform the inner city
cultural league is a inner city cultural
arts area they don’t have technology
there so I brought it to them and
they’re running it now we’re building a
stem program in the next six to eight
months for the state you all just don’t
know that yet stem science technology
engineering and mathematics it’s very
important in our world why because these
kids don’t know that it’s there they the
tenure I can figured if I could take
that technology and pass it on to them
and build that passion and find a way
that would be amazing so now we’ve
already connected all these kids and
over summer we connected quite a few
more but what we’re doing what we’re
doing with these kids one Center they
had no computers at all we went in there
and got recycled computers from
companies like secure Net MD and they
donated them to us and we’re recycling
those computers and I’m in there
teaching those kids how to rebuild the
network cables and build a network that
they can use to train because they don’t
know how to use their technology I’m
teaching them to use these phones these
devices that they’re playing their apps
and their games and focusing on a one
consolidated repository of free online
reopen source training environments
collectively on to cyber streets org so
now we’re empowering them because at the
end of the day technology is the only
it’s the only level playing field for
everybody
technology does not discriminate in any
way shape or form if you have a desire
to succeed you can take technology and
make your future with it and that’s what
we’re doing we’re teaching these kids
not only how to rebuild computer centers
we’re teaching them how to get STEM
education we’re teaching them how to
pursue and go after IT certifications
that also apply toward college credits
and we’re also connecting them to online
free college courses so they don’t have
to go broke so they have a hope it’s all
about hope
there’s a story an Indian Cherokee story
called the parable of two Wolf’s some
may be familiar with it but in that
story an Indian grandfather comes to his
grandson and says grandson there’s a
story of these two wolves that are at
war within us
they’re always battling every day one
hope went one wolf is hopelessness
despair and then the other one is love
and light and the grandson looks at
grandfather and says grandfather which
one wins if they’re always fighting and
he looks back at him and he said
whichever one you choose to feed I chose
to feed that positive wolf although I’ve
come from a community with flag bearing
coffins and I come to a community that I
know what it feels like to get pulled
over every time I have a black man in
the car
I understand that but my conversations
were doing nothing I could not pull
people together to get him to understand
and have that little level of empathy so
I had to stand up talk less do more take
action and make IT make it happen and
here we are today in fact six months
later shortly after I started the
program in our community I told you
about the hundred and forty lives that
we transferred and for the families and
there of our fallen soldiers well by the
end of summer through three community
centers we had already connected 140
kids – in our little community – 140
kids – a world of opportunity they see a
future they’re motivated I’m only one
man
with an idea we all have ideas I spent
over 3,000 hours in the last year
supporting this program I’m only one man
just imagine here’s an idea worth
spreading what if we all chose to pick
that positive wolf not ignore the dark
wolf but focus on that positive wolf and
unite and find that common thread that
brings us together a statistic for
schools two percent less than two
percent right now less than two percent
of students who graduate from high
school actually make it to the
professional athletes yet I think
everybody can agree that they have many
athletic programs or is the other 98% go
however a critical
Krux this is why technology is important
to our country and our future of our
cyber national security right now if
everybody knows the stats
we’re being right today for the last two
years between 300 and 500 thousand
manpower deficiency in the IT and cyber
workforce guess where we’re gonna be at
by 2020
we’re projected to be at 2 million
colleges and schools are doing a great
job but they can’t keep up with the flux
so we got to find another way
cyber streets is a start but there’s
another bunch of amazing people here in
front of us right now they could help do
that as well let’s step out of that side
of that box become a mentor donate an
hour a week to contributing to something
in your community and if we all did that
I think everybody would agree that our
world would be a better place because
then we would be the positive example
for our children see over the last
couple years I don’t think we as a
country have been a good positive
example for our kids for the most
because what we see on the media and on
the news unfortunately is a lot of
segregation and division yet you look at
our governments right now they’re
polarized you look at our schools and
our communities and our our businesses
they’re polarized nobody really wants to
step outside of themselves put something
else first and work together it’s time
for a change it’s time for us to make
that happen so here’s an idea worth
spreading let’s come together come find
that one common fiber that brings us and
unites us as a country in a nation and a
planet you know what that is it’s our
children our children because they’re
our future and if united we stand united
they will grow so we’re dedicated to
committing in contributing a positive
environment for our children and our
future and our communities our local
city is pulled together a bunch of
community centers that didn’t work
together before we’ve already saturated
the state and what we’ve been a part of
included and multiple STEM alliances
across the state it’s time for us to
learn for those kids that set that
example for everybody else if we can’t
do it ourselves and unite pull each
other together and let’s make this
happen
I’m ready to change the world our cities
ready to change the world and over our
organizations of all these great
nonprofits and community outreach
programs are ready to change the world
my question
is how about you thank you
[Applause]
you
and that would actually dedicate an hour
of their life saving in others I think
that’s everybody right that’s what I
thought
so that’s a good thing because after
that that’s your unwritten contract that
you’re gonna meet me after here and when
we got the job for you in 2006 I
received my first call for the Dover Air
Force Base honor guard after rigorous
weeks of training and when me and my
team showed up at 12 a.m. at night we
were quickly notified that we’re
responsible for performing the dignified
an honorable transfer of 29 of our
brothers and sisters in uniform for
paying the ultimate sacrifice during
wartime and that night when we’re
standing on the k-loaders next to the
c-5 galaxies on the flight line with
wind blowing at 30 miles an hour wind
chill at 20 degrees and raining hailing
and snowing sideways we all stood
admirably next to our fallen brothers
and sisters with their flag draped
American flag draped transfer cases
delicately wrapped and that was our
first job my first job anyway and I one
thought in particular that popped in my
mind that day I was studying for an exam
that was due the next morning at 0 800
and when I got the call I was a little
frustrated and a little bit stressed
until I came in stand in formation we
turned to our cases went down and pulled
it up and then I had a thought we stood
up ceremoniously at that point I
realized that nothing in my life
mattered if I could have an opportunity
to achieve something else and I have the
opportunity to fail again these service
members have no more time they’re gone
and neither are their families but would
that night we spent the next five hours
non-stop slowly ceremoniously for all 29
of those service members five hours till
5:00 a.m. in the morning and we doesn’t
matter if we had our hands frozen from
frostbite or tear frozen tears on our
face because even while you’re doing
your duty you have feelings too you just
still manage to control that emotion or
at least your physical posture and
continue to perform honorably for the
families
for everyone do you see the honor guard
is only one small piece of a long chain
of events from the point of where our
service members deceased all the way
back to their hometowns and their loved
ones when they come into Dover Air Force
Base there so Maurice Lee brought it
ceremoniously brought into the port
mortuary where they’re delicately
wrapped and dressed and to perfection
everyone that touches and every one of
the trail anyone that actually
interfaces with these troops their lives
changed forever how did it change for me
well first that next year a year later
we had already
unfortunately performed the transfer of
over a hundred and forty lives families
impacted during wartime that lives were
changed forever not just for them but
for us because we were the ones standing
there
honorably carrying their family and I
recall every holiday almost every
holiday could anyone imagine bringing
your son home on Mother’s Day or
Father’s Day or your brother so it try
it it left a big resonation in a lot of
our hearts but I decided I there was
something I’ve been searching for a long
time I wanted to do and I wanted to give
back
fortunately I got in I was blessed again
to the Air Force in the world of
technology is an IT specialist and that
was a blessing to me because it changed
my life it was the best opportunity I
ever had so I decided I was going to use
that to bring more of our brothers and
sisters back home so they can embrace
and breathe the same breathing air over
the next however many years several
years but I also wasn’t going to stop
there I was going to serve the
communities that I grew up in the
communities that were struggling with
idle hands and not a lack of opportunity
and back then when I was that you age
there was no technology we have now
didn’t even existed so I decided while I
was working an hour forty hours a week
over there at the Dover Air Force Base
while we also did honor guard I also
donated an hour of my lunch time every
day to go over to our local middle
school where I mentored a group of kids
and mentors are key in our lives many
lives that don’t have those mentors
these kids were probably getting bad
grades not because they have bad parents
because I met every one of them they’re
their parents are thankful to have
somebody else to step in and be a
positive role model for them and what I
did was try to go to these kids meet
these kids and tried to find a positive
fuel in their life and they take my
light in my heart and share it to theirs
so teach them how to be productive
practice perfection how to clean their
lockers and in that time I also exposed
them to my world of technology which set
the fire off inside the amazing thing is
less than ten years ago two of those
students graduated with master’s degrees
think if we all did that how many lives
we can save so unfortunately I was
transferred over to Maryland from
2000-2008 to transfer over to my next
duty station and when I did I’d been
brokenhearted for a long time yes I got
the I had the opportunity to train this
amazing enterprise team that serves a
globe of IT specialists but I still had
absence in my heart because I no longer
had time to service the community after
driving 15 plus hours a week and then
working another 40 plus hours you don’t
really have a lot of time to share with
anybody else but your family but still I
felt broken inside until a couple years
ago a couple years ago if everybody
recalls actually a year ago in fact
today marks the day that I started this
program a year ago so I had this vision
I what I went to sleep had a very bad
dream because the communities the
clashing of all these different
communities and I woke up with a vision
the vision in which to unite people see
at that time even now today America is
polarized I think everybody would agree
everybody focuses on a reason to drive
each other apart and everybody focuses
on a way to distance each other and all
that does is create a bigger divide what
if we all today I chose to find a way to
bring us together and find that one
common thread mine was cyber streets I
was going to take computers and
keyboards and replace that idle time
that got these kids and situations where
they could get exposure to gang violence
or they could get exposure to addiction
where they get exposure to incarceration
or even death I wanted to take those
keyboards and change their lives I
wanted to take my passion for technology
and give back
my community so I did and I put it into
motion within three months we had 70
kids konnected across across three
amazing community centers the green
beret project for example is a group of
amazing veterans school people teachers
local businesses that are coming into –
into the inner city of our Dover area to
support these kids and pull them out I
just brought them the technology and
education platform the inner city
cultural league is a inner city cultural
arts area they don’t have technology
there so I brought it to them and
they’re running it now we’re building a
stem program in the next six to eight
months for the state you all just don’t
know that yet stem science technology
engineering and mathematics it’s very
important in our world why because these
kids don’t know that it’s there they the
tenure I can figured if I could take
that technology and pass it on to them
and build that passion and find a way
that would be amazing so now we’ve
already connected all these kids and
over summer we connected quite a few
more but what we’re doing what we’re
doing with these kids one Center they
had no computers at all we went in there
and got recycled computers from
companies like secure Net MD and they
donated them to us and we’re recycling
those computers and I’m in there
teaching those kids how to rebuild the
network cables and build a network that
they can use to train because they don’t
know how to use their technology I’m
teaching them to use these phones these
devices that they’re playing their apps
and their games and focusing on a one
consolidated repository of free online
reopen source training environments
collectively on to cyber streets org so
now we’re empowering them because at the
end of the day technology is the only
it’s the only level playing field for
everybody
technology does not discriminate in any
way shape or form if you have a desire
to succeed you can take technology and
make your future with it and that’s what
we’re doing we’re teaching these kids
not only how to rebuild computer centers
we’re teaching them how to get STEM
education we’re teaching them how to
pursue and go after IT certifications
that also apply toward college credits
and we’re also connecting them to online
free college courses so they don’t have
to go broke so they have a hope it’s all
about hope
there’s a story an Indian Cherokee story
called the parable of two Wolf’s some
may be familiar with it but in that
story an Indian grandfather comes to his
grandson and says grandson there’s a
story of these two wolves that are at
war within us
they’re always battling every day one
hope went one wolf is hopelessness
despair and then the other one is love
and light and the grandson looks at
grandfather and says grandfather which
one wins if they’re always fighting and
he looks back at him and he said
whichever one you choose to feed I chose
to feed that positive wolf although I’ve
come from a community with flag bearing
coffins and I come to a community that I
know what it feels like to get pulled
over every time I have a black man in
the car
I understand that but my conversations
were doing nothing I could not pull
people together to get him to understand
and have that little level of empathy so
I had to stand up talk less do more take
action and make IT make it happen and
here we are today in fact six months
later shortly after I started the
program in our community I told you
about the hundred and forty lives that
we transferred and for the families and
there of our fallen soldiers well by the
end of summer through three community
centers we had already connected 140
kids – in our little community – 140
kids – a world of opportunity they see a
future they’re motivated I’m only one
man
with an idea we all have ideas I spent
over 3,000 hours in the last year
supporting this program I’m only one man
just imagine here’s an idea worth
spreading what if we all chose to pick
that positive wolf not ignore the dark
wolf but focus on that positive wolf and
unite and find that common thread that
brings us together a statistic for
schools two percent less than two
percent right now less than two percent
of students who graduate from high
school actually make it to the
professional athletes yet I think
everybody can agree that they have many
athletic programs or is the other 98% go
however a critical
Krux this is why technology is important
to our country and our future of our
cyber national security right now if
everybody knows the stats
we’re being right today for the last two
years between 300 and 500 thousand
manpower deficiency in the IT and cyber
workforce guess where we’re gonna be at
by 2020
we’re projected to be at 2 million
colleges and schools are doing a great
job but they can’t keep up with the flux
so we got to find another way
cyber streets is a start but there’s
another bunch of amazing people here in
front of us right now they could help do
that as well let’s step out of that side
of that box become a mentor donate an
hour a week to contributing to something
in your community and if we all did that
I think everybody would agree that our
world would be a better place because
then we would be the positive example
for our children see over the last
couple years I don’t think we as a
country have been a good positive
example for our kids for the most
because what we see on the media and on
the news unfortunately is a lot of
segregation and division yet you look at
our governments right now they’re
polarized you look at our schools and
our communities and our our businesses
they’re polarized nobody really wants to
step outside of themselves put something
else first and work together it’s time
for a change it’s time for us to make
that happen so here’s an idea worth
spreading let’s come together come find
that one common fiber that brings us and
unites us as a country in a nation and a
planet you know what that is it’s our
children our children because they’re
our future and if united we stand united
they will grow so we’re dedicated to
committing in contributing a positive
environment for our children and our
future and our communities our local
city is pulled together a bunch of
community centers that didn’t work
together before we’ve already saturated
the state and what we’ve been a part of
included and multiple STEM alliances
across the state it’s time for us to
learn for those kids that set that
example for everybody else if we can’t
do it ourselves and unite pull each
other together and let’s make this
happen
I’m ready to change the world our cities
ready to change the world and over our
organizations of all these great
nonprofits and community outreach
programs are ready to change the world
my question
is how about you thank you
[Applause]
you
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