Welcome to Issues and Answers.
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Did you know that right now
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we're dealing with a
silent crisis in America?
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Did you know that one in
five American kids is poor
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according to a CNN report?
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The National Center
for Children in Poverty
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tells us that more
than 16 million children
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in the United States,
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that's 22
percent of all children
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live in families with incomes
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below the federal poverty level.
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Poverty also can
contribute to poor health
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and mental health.
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Child poverty rates are
highest among black Latino
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and American Indian children.
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And this is a astounding.
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But here to talk with
us today is Denis Turner.
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Denis Turner is up from
Sugar Ditch, Mississippi.
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And we're gonna
talk a little bit more
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about what that's involved.
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He's here to talk to us about
not giving up, never giving up.
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Can I give up?
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Welcome to the program, Denis.
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Thanks for having me.
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Well, this is amazing
when I think about your story,
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and I can barely wait
till we can get into it now.
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So what do you think
about those statistics
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that I mentioned earlier?
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Alarming.
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Alarming. Alarming.
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As a former teacher,
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I can attach
that those are facts.
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Those are facts. Yes.
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I've experienced
watching children in poverty
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in inner city as a teacher.
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And just seeing the facts
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that poverty have
on kids is alarming.
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You know, I was looking
back here on the internet
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and it looks like there's been
50 years of the war on poverty.
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It started with
Lyndon B. Johnson.
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Yes.
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And then going back
to what you're saying
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about the high school,
okay, and kids and education.
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Did you know that every...
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According to the
internet 1.2 million students
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drop out of high
school in United States alone
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and that every 26 seconds
over 7,000 drop out a day.
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That's mind-boggling, isn't it?
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Yes, it is. Yes, it is.
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You know, my
experience as a teacher,
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the kids are
dropping out for some reasons
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that are not being discussed.
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One of them is the effect
that poverty have on children.
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Right.
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It kills their
self-esteem, it makes them...
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I'll give you an example.
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When I was young,
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I was a kid that
grew up in poverty.
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Sometimes I was so
concerned about the hole
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that was in my pants
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that I could
not focus at school.
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And so when you
can't focus at school,
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you fall behind,
and when you get behind,
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then there's a whole
another slew of problems
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that come with that,
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then you're picked on
or you're talked about
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because you're
not making a grade
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or you're not
smart and so it just...
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It's a snowball effect
and it all stems with poverty.
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Now, Denis, I
Googled Sugar Ditch Hill,
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okay?
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And I saw that some years ago
there was 60 minutes program.
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That's correct.
Are you aware of that?
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Oh, yes, I am.
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Sugar Ditch made
national news in 1985.
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Not only was it a
60 minutes program,
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it was a Time Magazine,
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a slew of
reports about that area.
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It was exposed as the poorest,
poorest place in America.
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The poorest place in America.
That's where you grew up?
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And that's
where I was born, yes.
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Were you around when
they did that program
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or it was any of your relatives?
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We were still around.
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We did live on
Sugar Ditch at the time
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it made national news
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but my mom is in
some of the footages.
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Oh, really? Yes.
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So exactly,
what was Sugar Ditch?
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What was that?
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Oh, wow! It was a...
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Basically it was a
sewer ditch. A sewer ditch.
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A sewer ditch that ran along
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and had a row of
shack houses next to it.
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Those shack houses did
not have any indoor plumbing
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or running water inside of them.
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And people used to use the ditch
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as a place to
discard their waste.
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That's shocking. Yes.
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And you grew up with that? Yes.
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So where people...
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It almost sounds
like, no offence,
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it sounds kind of third world.
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Are you saying, I
won't say third world,
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but really just poor.
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Well, Reverend
Jesse Jackson put it.
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He quoted and said that
it was America's Ethiopia.
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So how... I mean,
look at you now though.
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Okay, this is... Okay.
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so now we really want to hear,
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what did you, what happened?
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In the whole
topic of not giving up,
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how did you get from there
to where you are right now,
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Oakwood University
graduate, playwright,
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you have plays that are
out, you're professional singer,
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you've written a book.
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How did you get
from abject poverty
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living next to a
Sugar Ditch to today?
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Two words, God's
grace. God's grace.
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God's grace.
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You know, my story
started before Sugar Ditch.
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My story started with my mom,
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my mom, I'm the youngest
of 12 and my mother was,
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she was a diabetic when
she became pregnant with me.
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After having 11 children,
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the physician told her
that she would not go full term,
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and that I will
be a miscarriage,
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but she prayed
over me in her womb.
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And she said that
after I was the born,
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the story was given to me later.
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She said, after I was
born the doctor told her,
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this was probably
her healthiest baby
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she has ever had.
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Really? Yes.
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and so the challenge
started before I came here,
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but once again God's grace.
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We lived on Sugar Ditch.
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When I left the
hospital, that's where we went,
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and that's what we call home.
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You could have died though
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with that kind
of an environment?
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Yes, yes,
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the death rate for
young babies at that time
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was really high.
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It was a place that
was full of infections
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and all kinds of
diseases but God's grace.
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God's grace, so...
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God's grace. What happened?
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You grew up obviously...
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Well. What was that like?
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Yes, it was very challenging
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because my dad was 69
when I was born and...
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Sixty nine.
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Sixty nine years of age
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and when we move
from Sugar Ditch,
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we was able to
get off Sugar Ditch
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into a low income house
some shortly thereafter,
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may be four, five months later.
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Was that a
government special program
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that was kind of
targeted to that area
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where you're able to get out?
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Oh, thank God for that.
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It was. It was...
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My dad died three
years later. Oh, I'm sorry.
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So the challenge
was really ongoing.
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But it prefers us
back to the title,
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"Giving up was not an option."
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I had a praying mother
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and she prayed over her children
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and she did the best she could.
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And as the youngest, you
know, I sit and I watched dad,
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and as I grew up,
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I learned from her
faith in God to have faith.
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And I learned from her
to trust God on my own.
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Wow!
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And so with God's help,
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he brought me from, you know,
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lower education
'cause the school we were,
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to the school we
attended in that county,
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not only was it the lowest,
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the poorest county
I'm sorry in America.
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It was...
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I'm still wrapping
my mind around that.
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It's the poorest county in all
of the entire United States...
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United States.
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So what was the education
like for black children?
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It was the same.
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It was the
poorest education system
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in the United States.
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So how did you get
through high school
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and then even get to college
if your education was so poor?
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That's a long
story but I can tell you
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that my mom took
sick when I was about 14.
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We had to move to
the city of Memphis
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for her to have healthcare.
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Okay.
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It allowed me to enroll
in a Memphis City School.
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I was extremely--
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I was gonna ask you,
what was that like for you
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as a student coming in?
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Very
challenging, very challenging.
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What kinds of
things that you go through?
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Oh, man,
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you know, being poor,
you live in poor areas,
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and you have to deal with
the elements of the poor areas.
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So you have to fight gangs,
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you have to fight drug
dealers to get to school.
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That was once
you came to Memphis?
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Once I came to Memphis, yes.
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So you went from
the lowest county
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as far as poverty
in the United States
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straight into a dangerous area.
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That's correct.
That's correct. Wow!
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But at the time
the community school
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was shut down and
they were busting us
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to a suburban area in Memphis.
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Oh, my goodness.
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So that school...
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All right, so you went
from poverty to gang violence
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to then in a busted
up to segregated schools
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at the time.
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Well, it wasn't a
segregated school,
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it was a suburban school
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which had some diversity.
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But it was about 70
percent white, Caucasian or.
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And it just, the love
of the education was high.
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So I'm extremely behind
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and I'm playing
catch-up but it was God's grace.
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He gave me two set of
great guidance counselors.
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Oh, really? Yes.
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They work with
me and they help me,
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they put me on a
plan to help me graduate.
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So you went to Memphis
when you were in high school?
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Yes.
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So you came from...
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The poorest place in America
was in Tunica, Mississippi,
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the poorest
educational system to Memphis,
00:10:24.49\00:10:28.42
to be embossed with
suburban area in Memphis.
00:10:28.46\00:10:31.03
Outside of your neighborhood.
Outside of my neighborhood.
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Having to come back home
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and then fight with
the drug dealers and the...
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That's correct...
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Lord Jesus. What do
you say? That's correct.
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God's grace. God's grace.
00:10:39.40\00:10:41.10
God's grace.
00:10:41.14\00:10:42.74
But God gave you favor
in the eyes of some up,
00:10:42.77\00:10:45.91
but then you say
guidance counselors
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but how was it
with the teachers?
00:10:47.48\00:10:49.31
How did the teachers treat you?
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How was that, I
had to catch up, Denis?
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You know, to be honest with you,
00:10:52.81\00:10:54.45
it wasn't anything
that happened overnight.
00:10:54.48\00:10:57.59
It was a long process.
00:10:57.62\00:11:01.42
But just extra work,
00:11:01.46\00:11:06.39
extra time,
00:11:06.43\00:11:08.56
extra leniency, you know,
00:11:08.60\00:11:10.13
as far as
getting assignments in,
00:11:10.17\00:11:11.67
because you have to understand
00:11:11.70\00:11:13.37
there was a
whole different world
00:11:13.40\00:11:15.57
going on at home
in my neighborhood.
00:11:15.60\00:11:18.37
Yes, yes, unfortunately,
00:11:18.41\00:11:20.91
there is a lot of
dynamics that I had to deal with
00:11:20.94\00:11:23.85
other than my environment
and it included my own home.
00:11:23.88\00:11:27.42
Unfortunately I had a
brother that was older than I,
00:11:27.45\00:11:30.15
he got involved with drugs.
00:11:30.19\00:11:31.85
He got engulfed
with the community,
00:11:31.89\00:11:34.32
and he became addicted.
00:11:34.36\00:11:37.23
And so his woes
came to our home.
00:11:37.26\00:11:40.83
And so with the
guidance counselor,
00:11:40.86\00:11:42.76
when I spoke of
this to them they had,
00:11:42.80\00:11:47.50
you know, compassion
00:11:47.54\00:11:48.87
and they were
very, very, very helpful,
00:11:48.90\00:11:52.54
and they saw
something in me that,
00:11:52.57\00:11:57.51
you know, I think
they've never seen before
00:11:57.55\00:11:59.35
in someone from this area.
00:11:59.38\00:12:01.48
And that was the
determination to make it.
00:12:01.52\00:12:05.05
You know, I've seen a lot.
00:12:05.09\00:12:07.82
I've seen my brother go down,
00:12:07.86\00:12:10.63
I've seen him almost die.
00:12:10.66\00:12:12.39
I've seen my mom become very ill
00:12:12.43\00:12:15.16
and feeble where she couldn't,
00:12:15.20\00:12:17.23
couldn't even take
care of us any longer.
00:12:17.27\00:12:19.60
So at the age of 15,
00:12:19.63\00:12:21.47
I was pretty much
taking care of myself.
00:12:21.50\00:12:23.87
Oh, so wait a
minute, that's right,
00:12:23.91\00:12:25.24
your mom moved to Memphis
00:12:25.27\00:12:26.61
but your father had already
passed away, is that right?
00:12:26.64\00:12:28.38
That's correct. So how
are you guys making it?
00:12:28.41\00:12:31.01
Government assistance.
00:12:31.05\00:12:32.38
Thank God for that. Yes.
00:12:32.41\00:12:33.92
So all 12 of you moved
to Memphis with your mom?
00:12:33.95\00:12:37.02
Well, the oldest
three or four was,
00:12:37.05\00:12:39.75
they were grown...
00:12:39.79\00:12:41.12
They were grown by then, okay.
00:12:41.16\00:12:42.49
Yeah, they were grown so,
00:12:42.52\00:12:43.86
the younger ones
we moved with my mom,
00:12:43.89\00:12:46.96
the sister next to
me was away at college.
00:12:47.00\00:12:49.26
She was the
first one to go. Wow!
00:12:49.30\00:12:51.27
And so, you know,
00:12:51.30\00:12:52.93
she used to give me
the stories about college,
00:12:52.97\00:12:55.80
you know, and I used
to get excited about it.
00:12:55.84\00:12:59.17
And, you know, I
looked at the community
00:12:59.21\00:13:01.84
and I look where we were.
00:13:01.88\00:13:03.55
And I always felt
and thought to myself
00:13:03.58\00:13:06.48
there's something greater,
00:13:06.51\00:13:07.85
there's something
better than this, you know,
00:13:07.88\00:13:10.59
and that I was going
to not be denied that.
00:13:10.62\00:13:15.29
You were not gonna be denied.
00:13:15.32\00:13:16.86
Not gonna be denied...
00:13:16.89\00:13:18.33
I like that attitude.
00:13:18.36\00:13:19.83
So did you play sports?
00:13:19.86\00:13:21.80
I did, I play sports.
00:13:21.83\00:13:25.10
Well, I didn't play
that much in high school
00:13:25.13\00:13:27.64
because of
everything else was going on.
00:13:27.67\00:13:30.81
You had to go home.
00:13:30.84\00:13:32.17
I had to go home.
I had to catch up...
00:13:32.21\00:13:33.54
So the bus would drop you off
00:13:33.58\00:13:34.91
and you had to go
home and catch up.
00:13:34.94\00:13:36.28
Yes, yes, I had
to go home and just,
00:13:36.31\00:13:38.18
you know, catch up academic wise
00:13:38.21\00:13:39.61
and then home needed me.
00:13:39.65\00:13:41.82
When I was 16, you know,
00:13:41.85\00:13:45.02
my oldest sisters they
had to care for my mother.
00:13:45.05\00:13:47.82
She really couldn't
do much more for herself,
00:13:47.86\00:13:50.29
you know, her sickness
just really took over her...
00:13:50.33\00:13:53.86
Wow! And so, I had to help.
00:13:53.90\00:13:55.63
So I had to get a job,
00:13:55.66\00:13:57.50
I had to help
feed the family, yes.
00:13:57.53\00:14:02.80
I got a job then I had to,
try to maintain my schooling.
00:14:02.84\00:14:06.78
What kind of job did you get?
00:14:06.81\00:14:08.34
Could you find that, you know...
00:14:08.38\00:14:09.81
Well, at the 16, you know,
00:14:09.84\00:14:11.88
you're bagging
groceries at Kroger
00:14:11.91\00:14:13.58
or somewhere or some supermarket
00:14:13.62\00:14:15.18
or you are a pizza boy
at Sbarro's, you know...
00:14:15.22\00:14:19.55
Yeah.
00:14:19.59\00:14:20.92
But those were the
kind of jobs that I had,
00:14:20.96\00:14:23.36
you know,
anything I could try to do
00:14:23.39\00:14:25.76
to help my family, I would,
00:14:25.79\00:14:28.76
that was I felt responsible.
00:14:28.80\00:14:32.07
I don't know why.
00:14:32.10\00:14:33.80
I was the youngest
but at the same time,
00:14:33.84\00:14:36.20
you know, that was
something I've always felt
00:14:36.24\00:14:38.81
and so I did the
best that I could
00:14:38.84\00:14:40.98
to help and try to maintain
schooling at the same time,
00:14:41.01\00:14:44.55
Wow. It wasn't easy.
00:14:44.58\00:14:46.38
So you said there were extra
hours that you had to spend,
00:14:46.41\00:14:49.25
extra assignments.
00:14:49.28\00:14:50.89
Yes, teachers were very...
00:14:50.92\00:14:52.92
Once I think my
guidance counselor
00:14:52.95\00:14:55.62
had
conversations with my teacher,
00:14:55.66\00:14:57.69
made them aware of my situation
00:14:57.73\00:14:59.86
and so they were
very helpful, you know.
00:14:59.89\00:15:02.76
Anything they could
do to help, they would.
00:15:02.80\00:15:05.20
You know, what
if it was extra time
00:15:05.23\00:15:07.27
or what if it was an assignment
that I needed assistance with,
00:15:07.30\00:15:13.58
they would help me at school
00:15:13.61\00:15:14.94
'cause they understood the
fact that when I went home,
00:15:14.98\00:15:18.15
school work took a back
seat to all the dynamics
00:15:18.18\00:15:21.38
that was going on in my home.
00:15:21.42\00:15:23.42
And so, you know,
00:15:23.45\00:15:25.89
they really had
compassion and worked with me.
00:15:25.92\00:15:29.92
So you
graduated? By God's grace.
00:15:29.96\00:15:32.46
You graduated high school
and then you went to college?
00:15:32.49\00:15:36.06
Yes. What was
college like for you?
00:15:36.10\00:15:37.97
Oh, man, it was
a whole new world.
00:15:38.00\00:15:41.64
It was a whole new world.
00:15:41.67\00:15:44.21
I went to Oakwood
College, Oakwood University.
00:15:44.24\00:15:46.98
And how did that you paid for?
00:15:47.01\00:15:48.64
Oh, man, God's grace.
That's private school.
00:15:48.68\00:15:51.11
God's grace.
00:15:51.15\00:15:53.21
Thank God's for loans,
thank God's for grants.
00:15:53.25\00:15:57.22
One particular
semester I just couldn't clear
00:15:57.25\00:16:00.26
and, you know,
my coach at the time
00:16:00.29\00:16:03.09
'cause I was playing
basketball for the school
00:16:03.12\00:16:06.16
and he wanted to help because...
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.30
Wait a minute, you've
never played sports before
00:16:08.33\00:16:10.00
and now you're
playing for a college
00:16:10.03\00:16:11.80
on a special team.
00:16:11.83\00:16:13.77
Yes.
00:16:13.80\00:16:15.77
Well... Wow.
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.14
I could have played
in high school, I just...
00:16:17.17\00:16:20.28
It just was too much
between work, school.
00:16:20.31\00:16:24.08
I couldn't maintain it all.
00:16:24.11\00:16:26.35
So that got left
there off from high school.
00:16:26.38\00:16:29.28
But in college I
got a chance to do that.
00:16:29.32\00:16:32.12
And one particular semester
I remember I could not clear,
00:16:32.15\00:16:35.99
did not have the funds to.
00:16:36.02\00:16:38.96
And the coach
called someone in office
00:16:38.99\00:16:42.06
while I was sitting there.
00:16:42.10\00:16:43.43
He called him Cliff and
he told him my situation
00:16:43.47\00:16:47.17
and, you know,
he said, "How much?"
00:16:47.20\00:16:50.61
That was the question
and he gave him the number,
00:16:50.64\00:16:54.11
he said, "The
check is in the mail."
00:16:54.14\00:16:56.44
What?
00:16:56.48\00:16:57.81
I nearly just folded with tears.
00:16:57.85\00:17:03.12
You know, that
someone would do this,
00:17:03.15\00:17:04.52
someone that I didn't know.
00:17:04.55\00:17:06.25
That didn't know me
personally would do this for me.
00:17:06.29\00:17:09.42
And that's when
I took on, it just,
00:17:09.46\00:17:12.03
it gave me a new
perspective and more energy
00:17:12.06\00:17:16.23
to not be denied
and to always remember
00:17:16.26\00:17:20.40
that giving up
was not an option.
00:17:20.44\00:17:22.50
And so when he hung
up the phone, he said,
00:17:22.54\00:17:25.57
"Did you know
who I was speaking?"
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.04
When I said, "No," he
said, "That was Clifton Davis.
00:17:27.08\00:17:29.94
What? Yes.
00:17:29.98\00:17:31.61
Wow! Wow!
00:17:31.65\00:17:34.62
I was speechless. The
Clifton Davis, the actor.
00:17:34.65\00:17:37.79
The actor. Okay, the preacher.
00:17:37.82\00:17:40.72
he's done a lot of different,
00:17:40.76\00:17:42.09
he came on
television different places.
00:17:42.12\00:17:43.89
He wrote a check. Did
you all know each other?
00:17:43.93\00:17:45.99
No, I did not.
00:17:46.03\00:17:47.53
Sight unseen. God's favor.
00:17:47.56\00:17:49.80
God's favor. Wow!
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.20
So then you finish college
00:17:51.23\00:17:53.30
and of course
now you're married,
00:17:53.34\00:17:55.84
you've been a educator.
00:17:55.87\00:17:57.37
How did you get into
all these other cool things
00:17:57.41\00:18:00.28
that you're doing?
00:18:00.31\00:18:01.81
I like to refer to
myself as a late bloomer.
00:18:01.84\00:18:06.21
There was things, and gifts,
and talents that I possessed,
00:18:06.25\00:18:11.45
God given talents that
I never really explored
00:18:11.49\00:18:15.52
until after college.
00:18:15.56\00:18:18.59
College was, I
was one track mind,
00:18:18.63\00:18:21.16
won't focus, just finish.
00:18:21.20\00:18:24.40
Whatever you do, finish because,
00:18:24.43\00:18:26.90
you know, it was really
hard my first couple of years,
00:18:26.94\00:18:29.90
you know, I still had a mom,
00:18:29.94\00:18:31.27
she was really,
really ill at that point.
00:18:31.31\00:18:33.98
She was really
knocking on death door
00:18:34.01\00:18:36.04
and I wanted so badly to finish,
00:18:36.08\00:18:39.41
so she can see and
be proud of her son
00:18:39.45\00:18:42.72
as well as to
give back and help her.
00:18:42.75\00:18:45.55
And so of course, you know,
00:18:45.59\00:18:49.22
I graduated and two
months later she passed away.
00:18:49.26\00:18:52.79
Oh, I'm sorry.
00:18:52.83\00:18:54.16
But, you know,
that was something
00:18:54.20\00:18:55.53
she gave me that I just,
00:18:55.56\00:18:58.33
that I live by
today and that is faith,
00:18:58.37\00:19:02.20
you know, her faith,
watching her every morning
00:19:02.24\00:19:07.71
worshipping God
when she wakes up
00:19:07.74\00:19:10.95
from a kid all the way
until she got too ill to do it.
00:19:10.98\00:19:14.55
And watching her life,
00:19:14.58\00:19:16.92
it instilled in me
faith and it gave me something
00:19:16.95\00:19:21.72
to start with
that I with the master
00:19:21.76\00:19:24.59
got my own relationship
and created my own faith.
00:19:24.63\00:19:27.86
And now I think that
same prayer that she prayed
00:19:27.90\00:19:30.70
over me in the womb
still resonates with me today.
00:19:30.73\00:19:33.77
And I want to make a difference
because it's not how you start,
00:19:33.80\00:19:38.51
it's how you finish.
00:19:38.54\00:19:40.34
No matter how,
00:19:40.38\00:19:42.18
what situation you're born
with or whatever your, you know,
00:19:42.21\00:19:48.72
economic status is or what
if you have your parents or not,
00:19:48.75\00:19:53.36
you're here for a purpose.
00:19:53.39\00:19:55.49
God has brought you here
for a purpose and the thing is,
00:19:55.52\00:20:00.06
we are not to quit no
matter what is thrown our way.
00:20:00.10\00:20:03.37
Giving up is just not an option.
00:20:03.40\00:20:06.43
We have to learn in whatever
God is trying to teach us
00:20:06.47\00:20:09.30
in the process and
take that and use it
00:20:09.34\00:20:13.71
to make it
whatever God has for us,
00:20:13.74\00:20:16.24
whatever our purpose is,
it is our job to find him,
00:20:16.28\00:20:20.05
and to live in
him, and I believe that.
00:20:20.08\00:20:22.82
So, Denis, someone
watching the program,
00:20:22.85\00:20:24.75
listening to your story would
want to know do you travel,
00:20:24.79\00:20:29.22
do you give motivational talks?
00:20:29.26\00:20:30.73
And then most importantly
what can you share right now
00:20:30.76\00:20:35.00
for may be the
mother or the uncle
00:20:35.03\00:20:37.83
or the father or just a love one
00:20:37.87\00:20:40.34
that's working
with the particularly
00:20:40.37\00:20:42.50
troubled young person.
00:20:42.54\00:20:44.64
What could you share with
them to make a difference?
00:20:44.67\00:20:48.71
And what's a good way to
organize a group of people
00:20:48.74\00:20:52.85
to be mentors to others?
00:20:52.88\00:20:55.08
Well,
00:20:55.12\00:20:57.19
I would say to
mothers that are struggling
00:20:57.22\00:21:00.66
or to those that
are have children,
00:21:00.69\00:21:04.66
first of all do not give up.
00:21:04.69\00:21:07.06
That's first of
all. Never give up.
00:21:07.10\00:21:10.33
Giving up is not an option.
00:21:10.37\00:21:12.37
And the secondly or
I should say, A, one A,
00:21:12.40\00:21:19.14
always pray for your children.
00:21:19.17\00:21:21.21
Always lift them up
and put them before God.
00:21:21.24\00:21:23.65
That's very, very
important but kids are...
00:21:23.68\00:21:28.75
They have different reasons
for doing different things.
00:21:28.78\00:21:31.62
You know, I've come in contact
with kids from poverty areas,
00:21:31.65\00:21:34.92
all the way to kids that
come from well to do areas.
00:21:34.96\00:21:37.63
Have you coached kids before?
00:21:37.66\00:21:39.36
Oh, yes, I have coached
kids in different sports,
00:21:39.39\00:21:42.96
well, not different
sports but different ages
00:21:43.00\00:21:45.43
in the same sport of basketball
00:21:45.47\00:21:47.57
and my experience
has been with, you know,
00:21:47.60\00:21:51.27
kids from the lower
end of the poverty line
00:21:51.31\00:21:54.74
to the high end of
the high, you know...
00:21:54.78\00:21:58.05
Right, higher echelon.
00:21:58.08\00:21:59.41
Yeah, echelon, and they
all have the same problem.
00:21:59.45\00:22:03.75
They all have the same issues,
00:22:03.79\00:22:05.92
self-esteem.
00:22:05.95\00:22:07.69
They all have the same issue of,
00:22:07.72\00:22:10.13
you know, being
affected by self confidence
00:22:10.16\00:22:13.90
because of
someone not endorsing them
00:22:13.93\00:22:16.30
or someone not
believing in them, you know.
00:22:16.33\00:22:18.97
That's important for children.
00:22:19.00\00:22:21.27
They have to feel that they
are loved and somebody cares,
00:22:21.30\00:22:24.31
and that somebody supports them.
00:22:24.34\00:22:27.48
You know, money has
nothing to do with that.
00:22:27.51\00:22:30.41
We have to instill
that in all our children.
00:22:30.45\00:22:33.18
And I will tell them that even
if you don't get it from home,
00:22:33.21\00:22:37.59
God will send someone,
00:22:37.62\00:22:39.55
what if it's a teacher,
00:22:39.59\00:22:41.06
a coach to give
you what you need,
00:22:41.09\00:22:43.89
that inspiration, that
endorsement to keep going.
00:22:43.93\00:22:47.00
The goal is to find
your purpose in life.
00:22:47.03\00:22:50.27
God has created
you for a purpose
00:22:50.30\00:22:52.67
and the goal is to find it
and to live in that purpose.
00:22:52.70\00:22:56.40
And that's what I
would definitely tell
00:22:56.44\00:22:57.84
young people today.
00:22:57.87\00:22:59.21
And if you question
what the purpose is,
00:22:59.24\00:23:03.28
I tell them all the time,
00:23:03.31\00:23:04.65
it comes easy and they
look at me as I was, I say,
00:23:04.68\00:23:08.12
I'll tell you this.
00:23:08.15\00:23:09.55
What is it that comes
very easy to you, you know?
00:23:09.58\00:23:13.29
I've kids that
they could sit down
00:23:13.32\00:23:15.49
and do things on a computer,
00:23:15.52\00:23:17.89
that I know some people
went to school for couldn't do.
00:23:17.93\00:23:20.10
Yeah.
00:23:20.13\00:23:21.46
I say that came easy for you,
that's a talent, that's a gift.
00:23:21.50\00:23:26.13
You might want to explore that.
00:23:26.17\00:23:27.67
God may have
something for you in that area.
00:23:27.70\00:23:30.24
There are talented kids there.
00:23:30.27\00:23:32.71
You know, when I
was coaching some kids
00:23:32.74\00:23:34.91
couldn't dribble and walk.
00:23:34.94\00:23:37.31
And there were
some kids seem as though
00:23:37.35\00:23:39.41
they came out the
womb dribbling the ball,
00:23:39.45\00:23:42.05
that was a gift, you know,
00:23:42.08\00:23:44.29
maybe there's some purpose
in that, explore it, you know.
00:23:44.32\00:23:48.09
And I try to tell them
00:23:48.12\00:23:49.46
stick with what you
know until it evolves.
00:23:49.49\00:23:52.89
Stick with what you know...
00:23:52.93\00:23:54.26
Yes.
00:23:54.30\00:23:55.63
Until it evolves,
until you see something else
00:23:55.66\00:23:57.03
that you can
develop and get into.
00:23:57.07\00:23:59.23
Exactly.
00:23:59.27\00:24:00.60
Wow. Yes.
00:24:00.64\00:24:01.97
You know,
00:24:02.00\00:24:03.34
I do speak in
engagements all the time,
00:24:03.37\00:24:04.71
what if it's church,
banquets, schools, you know,
00:24:04.74\00:24:09.04
I do it all because I
love dealing with people,
00:24:09.08\00:24:15.22
young, old, I
love instilling in them
00:24:15.25\00:24:19.05
some sort of inspiration.
00:24:19.09\00:24:22.19
And I always try
to use my testimony
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.03
'cause God gave
me this testimony,
00:24:24.06\00:24:27.50
and I'm gonna tell it
and I'm gonna let people know
00:24:27.53\00:24:30.03
that God is the author
and the finisher of my faith.
00:24:30.07\00:24:32.83
And he is the
reason why I'm still here.
00:24:32.87\00:24:35.44
He is the reason
why I've overcome
00:24:35.47\00:24:37.84
a lot of things in my life.
00:24:37.87\00:24:40.24
And so, you know,
I try to, you know,
00:24:40.28\00:24:45.15
instill
inspiration wherever I go.
00:24:45.18\00:24:47.38
And so, you know, I'm open,
00:24:47.42\00:24:49.02
of course they
can always contact me.
00:24:49.05\00:24:52.45
You have a website? Oh, yes.
00:24:52.49\00:24:54.72
I have a website.
00:24:54.76\00:24:56.56
It is the
theboyfromtheditch.com.
00:24:56.59\00:24:58.76
Theboyfromtheditch.com.
00:24:58.79\00:25:01.33
Wow! Okay.
00:25:01.36\00:25:03.87
And that's where
you have like some,
00:25:03.90\00:25:05.97
besides being able to engage you
00:25:06.00\00:25:07.94
to be able to have
you come and visit,
00:25:07.97\00:25:09.30
but do you have some
suggestions, you know,
00:25:09.34\00:25:11.04
resources for
parents and for young people
00:25:11.07\00:25:13.91
even to be able to come to,
00:25:13.94\00:25:15.74
they can search out
and get that information.
00:25:15.78\00:25:19.15
Well, I don't
know where to start.
00:25:19.18\00:25:22.65
You know, of course
I've written a book.
00:25:22.68\00:25:24.35
Of course, they
can always read that,
00:25:24.39\00:25:26.29
but I've done even more.
00:25:26.32\00:25:28.89
I've taken first quarter,
00:25:28.92\00:25:32.09
the third of my book
00:25:32.13\00:25:33.46
and composed it
into a stage play.
00:25:33.50\00:25:36.20
Trying to be
innovative and creative,
00:25:36.23\00:25:39.63
and reaching young
and old in inspiration,
00:25:39.67\00:25:44.31
you know, we love the word.
00:25:44.34\00:25:46.84
We all loved it,
00:25:46.88\00:25:48.21
hear the word and, you know,
00:25:48.24\00:25:50.98
we love singing,
music is beautiful.
00:25:51.01\00:25:53.78
But, you know, we're
dealing with children,
00:25:53.82\00:25:57.32
it's a new generation,
00:25:57.35\00:25:58.69
they're hi-tech, they're savvy,
00:25:58.72\00:26:00.42
and their
attention span is short,
00:26:00.46\00:26:02.82
and so we want to be creative
00:26:02.86\00:26:04.53
and intentional in
getting their attention...
00:26:04.56\00:26:08.33
Right.
00:26:08.36\00:26:09.70
You know, and to
instill inspiration in them.
00:26:09.73\00:26:12.80
You know, a lot of kids there,
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.54
they, you know,
00:26:14.57\00:26:16.64
being around
kids I'm told alike,
00:26:16.67\00:26:18.37
they're just not
interested in the same.
00:26:18.41\00:26:21.81
And so I just wanted to be
a creative by taking my story,
00:26:21.84\00:26:25.68
transposing it to a
stage play and presenting it.
00:26:25.71\00:26:30.29
And so,
00:26:30.32\00:26:31.75
that may be
another way maybe for kids
00:26:31.79\00:26:33.76
to be able to learn
either by coming to see the play
00:26:33.79\00:26:38.39
or even participating in role
playing activities, you think?
00:26:38.43\00:26:43.67
Definitely.
00:26:43.70\00:26:45.57
Well, what I
would like to do is,
00:26:45.60\00:26:48.00
you know, when kids
come and see the play,
00:26:48.04\00:26:49.70
I would like to keep in touch.
00:26:49.74\00:26:51.21
We try to have some information
00:26:51.24\00:26:53.21
out where we can stay connected.
00:26:53.24\00:26:54.94
What if they're becoming a
follower of my Facebook page
00:26:54.98\00:26:58.61
of Twitter or Instagram
to where we can interact.
00:26:58.65\00:27:02.28
Mentorship is very
important with youth these days.
00:27:02.32\00:27:06.49
Once again I cannot
express enough how young people
00:27:06.52\00:27:10.39
need to feel that someone care.
00:27:10.43\00:27:12.69
You said endorsed, I
like the way that is,
00:27:12.73\00:27:14.53
you know, it's like wow!
00:27:14.56\00:27:15.90
You know, people
wear different logos
00:27:15.93\00:27:17.50
and things that
represent a company.
00:27:17.53\00:27:19.43
When you say endorsed,
00:27:19.47\00:27:20.80
that word makes me think about
00:27:20.84\00:27:23.20
being having that
support from their parents
00:27:23.24\00:27:25.44
and from those
that really love them.
00:27:25.47\00:27:27.14
It's important, it's important,
00:27:27.18\00:27:30.41
you know, kid's confidence
can dictate how hard it go.
00:27:30.45\00:27:35.68
You know, their confidence level
00:27:35.72\00:27:37.42
in just feeling endorsed
and in feeling supported,
00:27:37.45\00:27:42.29
it gives them confidence
to accomplish anything.
00:27:42.32\00:27:45.43
You know, we can mentor a child
00:27:45.46\00:27:48.03
and that can be the
next child to cure cancer.
00:27:48.06\00:27:50.57
Say that, that's
awesome. We can mentor a child.
00:27:50.60\00:27:52.30
No matter where they come from.
00:27:52.33\00:27:53.84
He could be the next
child to cure AIDS, you know.
00:27:53.87\00:27:57.37
It just, we have
to pull together.
00:27:57.41\00:28:00.78
Denis, I want to
thank you so much
00:28:00.81\00:28:02.14
for coming to the program today.
00:28:02.18\00:28:03.98
Really appreciated
your words of encouragement.
00:28:04.01\00:28:07.02
For those of you at
home, wow, thank you so much.
00:28:07.05\00:28:09.65
Wasn't this an incredible story?
00:28:09.68\00:28:11.35
It was for me to listen to.
Never give up, can't give up.
00:28:11.39\00:28:15.29
Let's just keep
going with that thought
00:28:15.32\00:28:16.83
for the rest of the day.
00:28:16.86\00:28:18.19
Have a great day.
00:28:18.23\00:28:19.63