when seeing me you probably see a black
young lady who’s tall with enough
bravery to stand on this platform and
speak to you well do you know I’m also a
writer Christian Nigerian American and a
sandy again born and raised and as an
avid reader I have realized that we can
always learn more about our own
identities and that of others from an
accurate informed source because the
truth is there’s more to you and me as
individuals than what’s on the surface
however it is our preconceived notions
that prevent us from seeing the humanity
in each other within three seconds of
singing you instinctively made your
assumptions about me maybe even about
what I’m here to say today but the fact
remains but not a single one of you had
a 100% accurate perception of Who I am
because the basis of reference you ought
to know me was the surface not me the
individual the way we naturally perceive
the world and each other has over time
led to conflict in many people groups
bringing forth the question how do we
fix a culture to fix a culture we must
recognize that there are problems and
they need to be solved these problems
include foreign and domestic conflict
dysfunctional family life stigmas that
are hard to overcome and historical
events that sadden and stir uproar but
all of these problems are derived from
hate and the United States alone there
are at least 917 organized hate groups
at least 917 but thankfully hope is not
lost for psychology today confirms that
hatred has to be learned and we are all
born with the capacity for aggression as
well as compassion if hatred then can be
learned
likewise compassion we should ask
ourselves what are we promoting and
learning and more importantly what are
we teaching most of the time the case
seems to be that
are promoting and learning stereotypes
and stigmas about each other we can
choose to turn these stereotypes around
for better or simply choose to ignore
them because if the stereotype doesn’t
apply to you why be bothered
instead I urge you to choose to rise
above the discriminatory stereotypes you
have been labeled with because of your
group or surface level appearance
it might seem hard at times but I hope I
inspire you to embrace yourself for who
God made you to be and be comfortable in
your own skin both figuratively and
literally I’m following this advice by
transitioning from relaxed hair to my
natural hair but unfortunately there’s a
stereotype that natural hair is
unprofessional or not fit for the
workplace stereotypes like this baffle
me because it’s like telling someone
Baron fit for a job because their eyes
are too small their ears too big or
their accent too thick and the fact that
I stand before you today was a message
such as this with an afro shows that
professionalism has many faces must be
changed the surface before our skills
and work habits actual indicators of
professionalism can be seen besides I
thank you we need to train ourselves to
see a spirit soul and destiny when we
look at someone instead of stopping it
seeing just a face in a body this
concept of seeing past the surface is
what makes education personal inquiry
and curiosity such a major part of this
picture of fixing a culture otherwise
hatred and fear will remain Sandra
Cisneros says in her book the house on
mango street all brown all around we are
safe but watches drive into a
neighborhood of another color and our
knees go shake me shake and our car
windows get rolled up tight and our eyes
look straight we must choose to be
bonded through love not separated by
fear and hatred loving each other enough
to research and observe the religion
food music and even literature about
people bridging gaps so that will grow
into bigger groups because of our
commonalities and differences
furthermore will become a global
community and no longer just coexist on
earth ami Murdock states in the form of
a poem he prayed it wasn’t my religion
he ate it wasn’t what I ate he spoke it
wasn’t my language he dressed it wasn’t
what I wore he took my hand it wasn’t
the color of mine but when he laughed it
was how I laughed and when he cried it
was how I cried she was just 16 when
writing this as I am now but she gets it
my hope is that you too will follow in
this example of empathy choosing love
over hate to fix our culture’s
[Applause] you
young lady who’s tall with enough
bravery to stand on this platform and
speak to you well do you know I’m also a
writer Christian Nigerian American and a
sandy again born and raised and as an
avid reader I have realized that we can
always learn more about our own
identities and that of others from an
accurate informed source because the
truth is there’s more to you and me as
individuals than what’s on the surface
however it is our preconceived notions
that prevent us from seeing the humanity
in each other within three seconds of
singing you instinctively made your
assumptions about me maybe even about
what I’m here to say today but the fact
remains but not a single one of you had
a 100% accurate perception of Who I am
because the basis of reference you ought
to know me was the surface not me the
individual the way we naturally perceive
the world and each other has over time
led to conflict in many people groups
bringing forth the question how do we
fix a culture to fix a culture we must
recognize that there are problems and
they need to be solved these problems
include foreign and domestic conflict
dysfunctional family life stigmas that
are hard to overcome and historical
events that sadden and stir uproar but
all of these problems are derived from
hate and the United States alone there
are at least 917 organized hate groups
at least 917 but thankfully hope is not
lost for psychology today confirms that
hatred has to be learned and we are all
born with the capacity for aggression as
well as compassion if hatred then can be
learned
likewise compassion we should ask
ourselves what are we promoting and
learning and more importantly what are
we teaching most of the time the case
seems to be that
are promoting and learning stereotypes
and stigmas about each other we can
choose to turn these stereotypes around
for better or simply choose to ignore
them because if the stereotype doesn’t
apply to you why be bothered
instead I urge you to choose to rise
above the discriminatory stereotypes you
have been labeled with because of your
group or surface level appearance
it might seem hard at times but I hope I
inspire you to embrace yourself for who
God made you to be and be comfortable in
your own skin both figuratively and
literally I’m following this advice by
transitioning from relaxed hair to my
natural hair but unfortunately there’s a
stereotype that natural hair is
unprofessional or not fit for the
workplace stereotypes like this baffle
me because it’s like telling someone
Baron fit for a job because their eyes
are too small their ears too big or
their accent too thick and the fact that
I stand before you today was a message
such as this with an afro shows that
professionalism has many faces must be
changed the surface before our skills
and work habits actual indicators of
professionalism can be seen besides I
thank you we need to train ourselves to
see a spirit soul and destiny when we
look at someone instead of stopping it
seeing just a face in a body this
concept of seeing past the surface is
what makes education personal inquiry
and curiosity such a major part of this
picture of fixing a culture otherwise
hatred and fear will remain Sandra
Cisneros says in her book the house on
mango street all brown all around we are
safe but watches drive into a
neighborhood of another color and our
knees go shake me shake and our car
windows get rolled up tight and our eyes
look straight we must choose to be
bonded through love not separated by
fear and hatred loving each other enough
to research and observe the religion
food music and even literature about
people bridging gaps so that will grow
into bigger groups because of our
commonalities and differences
furthermore will become a global
community and no longer just coexist on
earth ami Murdock states in the form of
a poem he prayed it wasn’t my religion
he ate it wasn’t what I ate he spoke it
wasn’t my language he dressed it wasn’t
what I wore he took my hand it wasn’t
the color of mine but when he laughed it
was how I laughed and when he cried it
was how I cried she was just 16 when
writing this as I am now but she gets it
my hope is that you too will follow in
this example of empathy choosing love
over hate to fix our culture’s
[Applause] you
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