Transcript
"TEACH THE CHILDREN" GROWING UP IN SOUTH CENTRAL L.A. ON 68TH STREET AS A YOUNG BLACK MAN, I OFTEN WONDERED WHETHER I WOULD LIVE TO SEE THE AGE OF 50. A NUMBER OF MY HOMIES WAS GUNNED DOWN BEFORE THE AGES OF 21. THIS IS THE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT I GREW UP IN WHICH IS SIMILAR TO MANY OTHER BLACK MEN AROUND THIS COUNTRY. MANY GROW UP IN POVERTY AND STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE. MANY OFTEN FALL VICTIM TO THE CYCLE OF POVERTY, LACK OF EDUCATION, UNEMPLOYMENT, BEING IN PRISON, BEING INVOLVED IN GANGS, BEING RAISED BY SINGLE PARENTS, LACKING POSITIVE MALE INFLUENCE AND LEADERS, LACKING CONFIDENCE AND SELF-IDENTITY THAT CAN EXTINGUISH THE LIGHT OF HOPE. IMAGINE BEING IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU WERE RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE DODGING BULLETS FROM AN UNKNOWN CAR. IMAGINE HEARING GUNSHOTS AND SIRENS EVERY DAY. AT TIMES, I OFTEN BELIEVED WHAT I SAW AROUND ME. I THOUGHT I HAD NO FUTURE BECAUSE EVERYONE I KNEW AROUND ME WAS BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. MOST OF MY HOMIES WERE TAKEN TO JAIL OR KILLED. I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY PEOPLE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAVE GONE TO COLLEGE AND RECEIVED A DEGREE. NOT ONLY WENT OUT INTO THE WORLD TO MAKE SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO COME BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GIVE BACK AND HELP OTHERS CLIMB UP OUT OF THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE OF SUCCESS TO BETTER THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS IS MY LIFE STORY. I KNOW THAT I'M NOT PERFECT. I STRUGGLE JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE. MY EXPERIENCES AND DESIRE TO CHANGE HAS HELPED ME PERSEVERE THROUGH MY OBSTACLES. I WANT TO SOMEDAY FURTHER MY EDUCATION AND GO TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AND START A NON-PROFIT THAT'S YOUTH CENTERED HELPING INNER CITY KIDS GAIN ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL EMPOWER THEM. I JUST WANT TO HELP PROVIDE CHANGE TO THE YOUTH AND THOSE WHO ARE READING THIS. I HOPE MY STORY INSPIRE YOU TO DREAM BIG. AGAIN, I AM NOT PERFECT AND I AM NO DIFFERENT THAN YOU AS A PERSON. I HAVE MY CHALLENGES IN LIFE AS WELL. I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO HAVE FAITH AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS RIGHT FOR YOU. I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO STEP OUT YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND HELP OTHERS BY PULLING THEM UP AS YOU CLIMB TOWARDS YOUR SUCCESSES. NEVER BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS IMPOSSIBLE. INSTEAD, TAKE THE WORD IMPOSSIBLE AND DISSECT IT. THE WORD 'IMPOSSIBLE' DISSECTED SAYS I AM POSSIBLE. YOU ARE POSSIBLE TO DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU PLACE YOUR MIND TO. CONTINUE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF. CONTINUE TO BE DETERMINED. CONTINUE TO EMBRACE AND SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE INFLUENCES AND RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE. MY MOM AND DAD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHO WANTED A BETTER LIFE FOR ME, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. DESPITE OUR FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THEY PROVIDED US WITH WHAT WE NEEDED. THEY STRUGGLED TO MAKE ENDS MEET, BUT ALWAYS MADE SURE WE HAD FOOD ON THE TABLE, A ROOF OVER OUR HEAD AND CLOTHES ON OUR BACKS. THEY MADE SURE THEY WERE A PART OF OUR LIVES BY NOT NEGLECTING US, BUT LOVING US. THEY WANTED TO SEE US BE SOMETHING POSITIVE AND ACHIEVE WHAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO ACHIEVE. I TELL THE YOUTH THAT SUCCESS REQUIRES UNRELENTING FOCUS, FAITH AND HARD WORD. IT ALSO TAKES PREPARATION, AND EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU WANT IT AND ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE HELPED BY GOOD PEOPLE. IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN ANYONE. NOW IT'S MY TURN TO HELP OTHERS ALONG THE WAY; DESPITE OF MY TEMPORARY SITUATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. FEEL FREE TO WRITE ME WITH ANY QUESTIONED. I CAN BE REACHED AT--- Mr. Earnest Alexander
