As a young Black man (handsome 15 year old on the left) I was being indoctrinated to believe that the “White man” would not allow me to be anything and the world was out to get me. I would never be free even in a time of more opportunity than my father had. I began to lose hope around the 11th grade. I became a slave to low expectations for my life. Why try? I had a good excuse not to. I was a Black male in America. Right?
My father set me free with a sentence in one of the deepest conversations he ever had with me as I was the first kid in my household to bring home (3) Fs. Two of them in my favorite subjects.
“Son. You only became oppressed because someone told you that you were.”
Prior to that, based on my father’s success, I truly believed I could be anything I desired.
My father’s words broke the glass ceiling the world was putting over me.
If you are a parent, a teacher a professor or preacher, never project, predict or profess failure to children. Especially Black children.
Speak freedom to them. Speak success. Instead of creating fear and failure in them, show them boldness and resilience. Many of you preaching failure to our kids are actually successful. That makes no sense to me.
I truly thank my father and other incredible men he exposed me to for helping me to be the confident man on the right. There was nothing or no one stopping me from greatness. The only limits I had were the ones I allowed to be placed on myself.
Thank you Dad.
