Stay tuned to meet a man
that was destined for failure
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but with
perseverance and God's blessings
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his life was transformed...
now he shares his knowledge
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and skills with others in
the inner city and abroad.
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My name if Yvonne Lewis and
you're watching Urban Report
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report
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my guest today is
Dr. Angelo Reynolds
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Speaker and Literacy
Expert. Welcome to Urban Report
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Dr. Reynolds... Thank
you so much for having me
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God bless you... Thank
you... God bless you...
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we're so glad that you're here.
Yeah, so glad to be here...
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You have had... such
an interesting journey
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tell us a bit
about how you grew up...
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Well, it was only the journey
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as it appeared to be
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it was just only... I'm
here to talk about it now...
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through God's grace... I'm
mean.. because it sincerely
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it sincerely has been a
journey, it has been very
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tumultuous years
for me and it all began
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about three and a half
hours south of where I am now...
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I'm in the
Washington, D.C. area...
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and it began in a place
called Portsmouth, Virginia
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a lot of people know
the place the Tidewater area
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and so I was born and raised
in a small housing project
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there... by a single
mom... with three kids...
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me being the
oldest... and one of the biggest
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obstacles or challenges
that I had faced early on
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beginning at the
early age of three
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in fact... 3-years-old
was when my father left home
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and said that he's
never going to return
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and so it all
began at the age of three
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and so you can imagine, three,
and even having a recollection
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of someone telling
you... your dad saying,
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"Hey, I'm leaving and
I'm never coming back"
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and so from that point
on... it was such an abandonment
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problem and it was a big loss
for me... because he literally
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did not come back...
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Now prior to that, Dr.
Reynolds, prior to that...
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did you have... a strong
relationship with your dad?
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I mean... I was too
young to really understand...
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I mean, he was there... in
the home but literally not there
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you know, I mean... it was...
he came, he'd just come and go,
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and so there wasn't a
whole lot... at age three
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you can imagine...
three being very young
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and so and you'll probably
say, "Well, how does this guy
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remember this at age three"
but I specifically remember
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the day he actually walked out
and that's exactly what he said,
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so, from that point
on... you know, that whole loss
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or that whole void of
not having a dad there
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was just the start of some
things that I didn't know was
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going to happen later on in life
one... it was an eerie feeling
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to know that I didn't have
a dad in the house any longer
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two... the environment
in which I was surrounded by
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at that time was negativity...
it was very frightening...
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and so traumatizing and
frightening were the two things
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that I would actually
say that actually began
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the whole tumultuous
years. You know, that...
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you made some really
important points here because
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I think so often...
people don't really understand
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the role... the importance
of the father in the home...
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the fact that you
could remember at three...
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you have this intense memory
of something that happened
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when you were three years old...
shows how traumatic it was
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and I think... if
parents really knew
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how significant it is to
have both parents in the home...
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I think that it
might make a difference
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because this was so traumatic
and this is such a prevalent
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issue in our Communities
today, the absence of the father
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so you're saying
that you lost that feeling
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of protection... you
lost that feeling of...
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you had an eerie
feeling you said...
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and that feeling of protection
comes from... having a father
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a father... his
role is to protect...
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and so... one of his
roles... and so you lost that
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and so, you then, kind
of like, I guess, felt like,
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you were kind of on your own,
so what happened from there?
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Well, you know, those years
of growing up as a young boy
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and growing up into
teenage years, you know,
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just became very difficult
in terms of "trust issues"
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that I had...
particularly with men...
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you know,
because there was always
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the fear of being
abandoned again...
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by someone that may
become close to the family...
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and so those
issues sort of had me...
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even the issues with
school, you know, being able to
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have someone to, you
know, help with your homework
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and my dad to be able
to go to the school...
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when you are having
problems in school...
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that was another void that was
not filled and so that caused
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all kinds of problems for
me early on... academically
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especially this whole
piece about reading...
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which we'll talk
about it a little later...
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So, after your dad left,
you kind of got caught in a
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tailspin... and kind of going
down academically, socially,
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and probably... economically
as well because we know that
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the statistics say that
children from fatherless
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homes have a much more
preponderance of poverty
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than those that
have a father there...
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so all kinds of
ramifications take place...
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after the father
leaves... did you get caught up
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in anti-social behavior at
all? Well, it wasn't so much
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the anti-social
behavior but I think it became
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the defiance piece for
me... something that...
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because you got to remember
I'm also a child that was angry
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growing up because
one... my dad wasn't there
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and then, my
mom, she turned to...
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unfortunately, like
many single parents...
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sometimes fall into the
realm of drug and alcohol use
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and so when you have
those surroundings...
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the house becomes... turmoil...
you know, it becomes turmoil...
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and so... there was
a lot of confusion...
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me being the oldest and trying
to look out for my brother
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and sister... both
academically, socially...
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and it became a very,
very difficult task...
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and even... almost... up
to a point where there was
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social isolation... if you will.
Yes, you know, and this story
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Dr. Reynolds, unfortunately,
is more common than we want
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to acknowledge... you
know... the absentee father
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and then... the other parent
perhaps being so overwhelmed
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by
circumstances... falling into...
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these other things...
substance abuse, and then,
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by doing that...
then there is neglect
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of the children... and
so then, it falls on...
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one of the
children or more than one
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to be caregivers...
both of the parent...
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and the
children... it becomes this...
00:07:03.24\00:07:05.57
downward spiral...
and here on Urban Report
00:07:05.61\00:07:09.93
we talk about God's
divine plan and the enemy's plan
00:07:09.97\00:07:15.12
the enemy's plan is to
destroy, God's plan for us
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is to build us
up... and to bless us...
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and the enemy's plan
is to just take us down
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this downward spiral...
and so what you're saying...
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and you use the word "confusion"
and we know that God is not
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the author of
confusion... so what we know...
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is that the enemy was
taking over... with his plan,
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and this is so common...
in our Communities today,
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so you had to
become... were you the oldest
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of your siblings...
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I was the oldest...
my brother and sister...
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they were twins...
they are two years younger
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than I am...
Ah... so you became...
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kind of the quote
"man of the house"
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so to speak...
Yeah, yeah, yeah...
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...at a very early age...
Yeah, yeah... which, you know,
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taking on that... the
term "man of the house"
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is just... you know, it brings
just a whole 'nother level of
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fear but you actually step into
that role and to actually think
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that you are the
man of the house...
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but you're nothing but a
boy trying to learn himself
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and trying to grow up in a world
that's a negative environment
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it's so bad... and
so... then you begin to...
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I began to sort of act
like I was actually the
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man of the house, I mean, I
tried to... as much as I could
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to make sure that my
brother and sister were fed,
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they were safe, that they...
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we have the
activities after school...
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we would try to
get homework done
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and so literally...
with my mom being in the
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position that she was
in, I literally became
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the man of the house...
but, in fact, I was nothing
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but a boy trying to find himself
and trying to adapt to an
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environment that was so
debilitating to myself...
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Yes... look at the demands
that were placed upon you,
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to be a man...
when you are a child...
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to be a caregiver... when
you should have been nurtured
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and so... you went
through all of these things...
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and how old were you when
you were doing all of this?
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I must have been... you
know, when I really started to
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really take that role and
become very independent...
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I tell my own kids
sometimes, my youngest son is 9
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I remember telling him
the story about how I...
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he said, "Dad, you can
cook" that I learned how to cook
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at an early age...
and so back then...
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I learned how to
cut up a chicken...
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and we had our own
chickens back then.. so...
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I learned how to wash
the chicken, cut it up,
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put it in the flour, fry
it, at 9- and 10-years-old
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because my mother either
wasn't there or she wasn't
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mentally able to do
those types of things...
00:09:50.29\00:09:53.11
so, that being said,
my brother and sister...
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we had to eat...
someone had to take on that role
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and at a young age... I
can't imagine my son at nine
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cutting up a whole
chicken, trying to clean it
00:10:01.89\00:10:04.67
and also trying to fry
it without burning himself
00:10:04.70\00:10:07.24
or burning the
house down. Yes... yes...
00:10:07.28\00:10:08.50
but when you're placed
in positions, you know,
00:10:08.53\00:10:11.97
such as that... God
has a way... to make sure
00:10:12.01\00:10:15.41
that you are
equipped... Come on...
00:10:15.45\00:10:17.39
He makes sure that
you are equipped...
00:10:17.42\00:10:19.29
and so that you don't
burn the house down...
00:10:19.32\00:10:21.10
or burn yourself... but
also, that your basic needs
00:10:21.13\00:10:24.77
are being taken
care of... Yes, yes...
00:10:24.81\00:10:27.32
we just praise God
that His attention...
00:10:27.36\00:10:30.81
His eyes are never off of you...
00:10:30.85\00:10:33.06
that He's there through
everything.. through every trial
00:10:33.09\00:10:36.74
He is there and so when you were
nine... you were doing all this
00:10:36.77\00:10:43.57
where were you at 13?
Well, at 13, I was transitioning
00:10:43.60\00:10:48.73
obviously... you're
ready to go to High School
00:10:48.77\00:10:52.36
but at age 8 or
9... and I still remember
00:10:52.40\00:10:57.51
'cause I'm not really sure, I
also experienced abuse, okay..
00:10:57.55\00:11:00.97
sexual abuse... that
haunted me for years...
00:11:01.01\00:11:06.87
as I became a young man
and even as a young adult
00:11:06.90\00:11:11.15
because I began to do
things such as blame my father
00:11:11.19\00:11:15.41
for not being there
as a protector but also
00:11:15.44\00:11:18.21
blaming my mom... because
she had succumbed to drugs
00:11:18.25\00:11:21.11
and alcohol so bad...
so by the time I was 13...
00:11:21.15\00:11:24.36
here I am still exploring
life trying to get a grasp
00:11:24.39\00:11:27.43
on being a teenager...
but I'm also dealing with the
00:11:27.47\00:11:30.47
traumatization of
abuse, abandonment,
00:11:30.51\00:11:33.22
and trying to still fit
in... as a young person...
00:11:33.25\00:11:36.52
and trying to
adapt... to my Community...
00:11:36.56\00:11:38.20
That is so... traumatic...
00:11:38.24\00:11:42.97
it's like an onion...
00:11:43.01\00:11:45.01
with all of these
different layers... you know,
00:11:45.05\00:11:48.03
it's like... all of these
things that you had to negotiate
00:11:48.07\00:11:51.87
through the natural
issues that a teenager has...
00:11:51.90\00:11:57.22
on top of the
substance abuse of a parent...
00:11:57.25\00:12:00.50
on top of the absence
of the other parent...
00:12:00.54\00:12:03.72
and on top of sexual abuse...
and these things again...
00:12:03.75\00:12:08.24
you're not alone...
it's all too common...
00:12:08.28\00:12:11.67
and really... one of
the things that we know...
00:12:11.70\00:12:15.58
that is an issue is
a spiritual deficit...
00:12:15.61\00:12:18.93
there's something missing
spiritually in that home,
00:12:18.96\00:12:22.52
and so... what happened
to you, when you were 13
00:12:22.56\00:12:26.08
and you're going
through all of this stuff
00:12:26.12\00:12:28.53
by the time you're
16... where are you?
00:12:28.57\00:12:30.92
Well, by the time I was
16, I was like a junior in
00:12:30.95\00:12:34.88
High School... getting ready
to try to get out of High School
00:12:34.92\00:12:37.72
but I was faced with
the fact of failing...
00:12:37.75\00:12:40.25
I did so poorly in
school academically...
00:12:40.28\00:12:42.70
you know and I always...
my reading comprehension
00:12:42.74\00:12:46.38
and being able to
spell were always...
00:12:46.41\00:12:49.06
I was always... I mean... I
don't know how I even passed
00:12:49.09\00:12:52.12
because I did so poorly
in school so I was threatened
00:12:52.15\00:12:54.84
with the fact that I may
have to repeat a grade...
00:12:54.87\00:12:57.49
but because I worked really
hard and I tried to seek help
00:12:57.53\00:13:01.69
when I could... I was able to go
on and graduate from High School
00:13:01.72\00:13:05.23
but, you know, 12
and 13... as you know...
00:13:05.26\00:13:08.90
is a very pivotal point
in terms of transition...
00:13:08.93\00:13:12.81
because that is the age
where now, you've gone from
00:13:12.84\00:13:16.18
pre-teen or adolescent
to now an actual teenager...
00:13:16.22\00:13:19.52
and so anything prior to that
both academically, socially,
00:13:19.56\00:13:23.79
spiritually... anything
that has happened in your past
00:13:23.82\00:13:28.02
you know, it really
starts to come to surface
00:13:28.05\00:13:30.66
because you really try to
identify... who you are...
00:13:30.69\00:13:33.03
at this
point... Yes, yes, yes...
00:13:33.07\00:13:35.46
and you're going through
so many things at one time
00:13:35.50\00:13:39.63
you know, it's not like,
"Well, here I'm just dealing
00:13:39.66\00:13:43.72
with my issues as a teenager"
no, you're dealing with that
00:13:43.75\00:13:47.81
while you're
dealing with parental issues
00:13:47.84\00:13:50.98
and all of
that... so how did you...
00:13:51.02\00:13:53.54
well, let me back
up for a second...
00:13:53.58\00:13:55.31
you just said that academically
there was the threat
00:13:55.35\00:13:59.87
of even being retained...
so you are having issues with
00:13:59.90\00:14:04.39
reading
comprehension and all of that...
00:14:04.43\00:14:06.86
how did you get out of that...
how did things turn around...
00:14:06.89\00:14:12.30
how did God turn
them around for you...
00:14:12.33\00:14:14.05
Well, from a very
little boy I always prayed...
00:14:14.08\00:14:17.08
I prayed for a lot of
things... my grandmother...
00:14:17.12\00:14:20.00
she was very influential
in terms of, you know,
00:14:20.04\00:14:22.27
talking about God...
and a lot of things...
00:14:22.30\00:14:24.49
I didn't
understand... as a young boy
00:14:24.53\00:14:26.06
but she said, "Certainly, if
you are praying and asking God
00:14:26.10\00:14:28.81
for guidance...
He'll always protect you
00:14:28.84\00:14:30.87
and He'll always...
He'll never leave you
00:14:30.90\00:14:32.86
nor forsake you He will
always take you into the
00:14:32.89\00:14:35.15
direction once you seek him...
" and so, that stuck with me...
00:14:35.18\00:14:38.38
Yes... ... for
years... and when things
00:14:38.41\00:14:40.18
got tough I
always just remembered...
00:14:40.22\00:14:41.92
going to Him and saying...
"God, please, rescue me... "
00:14:41.96\00:14:44.00
you know what I
mean... "rescue me...
00:14:44.04\00:14:45.40
please remove these
ill feelings from me...
00:14:45.44\00:14:48.46
help me out in
school... help me to do better
00:14:48.50\00:14:51.49
in the Community...
make sure that I'm a
00:14:51.53\00:14:53.66
better person and that I can
contribute something to Society"
00:14:53.69\00:14:56.28
and so, my grandmother,
she was a very pivotal person
00:14:56.32\00:14:59.68
in terms of
spirituality but also guidance
00:14:59.72\00:15:02.70
because she used to
always tell, she'd say,
00:15:02.73\00:15:04.60
"Son, if you can read or write,
you can accomplish anything
00:15:04.64\00:15:07.35
in life... " and
so, I tried my best
00:15:07.39\00:15:09.82
to make sure, even
though I failed continuously...
00:15:09.85\00:15:12.96
you know, subject after subject
and failed and did poorly
00:15:13.00\00:15:15.88
in school... I always
had an effort and tried to do
00:15:15.92\00:15:18.85
the best that I could...
and I always had a thing where
00:15:18.89\00:15:21.79
you know, "If you
try... if you take one step...
00:15:21.83\00:15:23.95
God will help take
another and more steps
00:15:23.99\00:15:25.49
He will always protect
those who seek Him"... but also
00:15:25.53\00:15:28.28
He had something bigger
for me that I didn't know
00:15:28.31\00:15:31.00
until many years later...
that I was going to be able
00:15:31.03\00:15:33.22
to have an impact on
the world. Come on now...
00:15:33.26\00:15:35.74
Absolutely He did...
absolutely He continues to...
00:15:35.77\00:15:39.57
and that is
something that is so important
00:15:39.61\00:15:42.31
for our viewers to
know that even though
00:15:42.35\00:15:45.02
you were on a path...
really... that was destined...
00:15:45.05\00:15:49.45
in which you were
destined to fail...
00:15:49.49\00:15:53.03
God had a better path for you...
He had another way for you,
00:15:53.07\00:15:57.78
He had His own
divine plan for you
00:15:57.81\00:16:01.03
and I'm thankful that you
had the spirit to persevere
00:16:01.07\00:16:06.97
because a lot of
times... people give up
00:16:07.00\00:16:09.25
a lot of times, they
are overwhelmed themselves
00:16:09.29\00:16:12.29
by their circumstances...
and they just give up...
00:16:12.33\00:16:16.09
but thankfully, that seed
was planted in your life...
00:16:16.13\00:16:19.86
in your spirit... your
grandmother planted that
00:16:19.89\00:16:23.08
seed that you can go to God
when there's something going on
00:16:23.12\00:16:26.92
and He will help you...
and so, thankfully you had that
00:16:26.96\00:16:30.73
to hold on to... as
you negotiated through
00:16:30.76\00:16:33.88
this murky thing that we call
life... God was there for you...
00:16:33.92\00:16:38.71
so, you had difficulty
trusting, was this your maternal
00:16:38.74\00:16:43.37
or paternal grandmother...
this was my mom's mom...
00:16:43.41\00:16:47.44
Okay... Yes... yes...
00:16:47.47\00:16:49.38
And so, she was there for you
00:16:49.41\00:16:51.45
and she saw what was
going on with her daughter
00:16:51.48\00:16:54.24
but your grandmother was
there to kind of hold you up
00:16:54.28\00:16:58.64
through all of that...
Yes, she was the frame...
00:16:58.68\00:17:02.01
you know... she was the
glue that kept us together
00:17:02.05\00:17:05.34
because at one
point when my mom suffered
00:17:05.38\00:17:09.29
from mental
breakdown, she wouldn't allow
00:17:09.33\00:17:13.18
the Social Services to take
us into custody for adoption
00:17:13.21\00:17:16.46
she wouldn't allow that...
she would come and take care
00:17:16.49\00:17:19.70
of us before she would
let us go into the State...
00:17:19.73\00:17:22.06
and that is something
that she always vowed...
00:17:22.09\00:17:24.34
she said, "I'll never leave
you guys... I want you to always
00:17:24.38\00:17:26.97
be around and I'll take
care of you" when my mom just
00:17:27.01\00:17:29.64
physically or mentally...
she just couldn't do it.
00:17:29.68\00:17:32.24
So, this story is so compelling,
and I thank you so much
00:17:32.28\00:17:39.49
for being so transparent with us
because so many of our viewers
00:17:39.52\00:17:43.13
are going through
similar circumstances
00:17:43.17\00:17:45.93
and they don't know
where to turn or what to do.
00:17:45.96\00:17:49.34
What should they do?
If there's a little boy
00:17:49.37\00:17:52.71
right now that's going
through what you went through
00:17:52.75\00:17:55.50
what should he do, Dr. Reynolds?
I tell you, one of the first and
00:17:55.53\00:17:59.70
foremost thing that
needs to be done is...
00:17:59.73\00:18:02.42
he needs to develop
a relationship with God
00:18:02.46\00:18:05.09
because... once you do
that... you communicate with God
00:18:05.12\00:18:09.34
and once you begin to
communicate with God...
00:18:09.37\00:18:11.83
He communicates back
to you... All right...
00:18:11.87\00:18:14.69
that's number one...
but the second thing...
00:18:14.73\00:18:17.52
and the number
one thing right now...
00:18:17.56\00:18:19.63
that I found in the last
few years that's really ailing
00:18:19.66\00:18:22.43
our Communities and
continue to ail our communities
00:18:22.47\00:18:25.31
is we need to learn how to read,
that is something that, I mean,
00:18:25.34\00:18:30.97
can you imagine
being in a household
00:18:31.00\00:18:34.36
where everybody is
functionally illiterate...
00:18:34.39\00:18:38.23
and if we teach young kids
how to read... at an early age
00:18:38.26\00:18:43.78
he or she has a
greater chance of succeeding
00:18:43.82\00:18:46.47
in anything in
life... I'm going to tell you
00:18:46.51\00:18:49.09
what it will do... it
will also teach a young boy,
00:18:49.13\00:18:51.48
not just a boy,
but it will teach him,
00:18:51.51\00:18:53.89
once he knows how to
read, it will teach him...
00:18:53.93\00:18:56.37
how to avoid conflict...
how to communicate effectively,
00:18:56.40\00:19:00.64
it will teach him how to build
relationships but it will also
00:19:00.68\00:19:04.52
teach him how to be a
productive citizen in society
00:19:04.56\00:19:08.49
so that he and
others can go back and teach
00:19:08.53\00:19:12.43
and bring other people
you have to be a role model
00:19:12.47\00:19:14.63
and all too many
times, especially...
00:19:14.67\00:19:16.85
and I am going to throw
this number here because
00:19:16.88\00:19:18.97
data does not steer
us in the wrong way...
00:19:19.01\00:19:23.81
87 percent of African-American
children right now...
00:19:23.85\00:19:27.82
87 percent of
children in the Black Community
00:19:27.86\00:19:31.59
are functionally illiterate...
that means... they are reading
00:19:31.63\00:19:34.34
below proficient level...
now that's a very staggering
00:19:34.37\00:19:37.67
and disheartening number
for us to realize and say,
00:19:37.70\00:19:40.46
"What are we doing...
" you know, if I can just
00:19:40.50\00:19:43.18
interject right now... you
know that I'm a psychologist
00:19:43.22\00:19:46.67
by education... I'm not
sure if you read that...
00:19:46.71\00:19:48.61
Yes... yes... ...
but one of the things
00:19:48.65\00:19:50.89
that we fail to
do... and when I say "we"
00:19:50.93\00:19:53.14
I'm talking about
myself... because I like to take
00:19:53.17\00:19:55.48
accountability... one of
the things as psychologists
00:19:55.51\00:19:58.91
that we fail to do...
we fail to get kids tested
00:19:58.95\00:20:01.97
for reading... we
made a lot of, what I call,
00:20:02.01\00:20:04.96
misdiagnosis and we are
quick to call kids ADD, ADHD
00:20:05.00\00:20:10.67
but we fail
relentlessly in identifying...
00:20:10.70\00:20:14.29
what the actual problem was
00:20:14.32\00:20:16.10
and that's kids being
functionally illiterate...
00:20:16.13\00:20:19.52
What a great point... so
many kids are labeled ADD,
00:20:19.56\00:20:23.21
ADHD... that
basically... just can't read...
00:20:23.25\00:20:26.45
if they could read, maybe their
behavior would be different...
00:20:26.49\00:20:29.83
is that what you're saying?
I'm absolutely saying it...
00:20:29.94\00:20:32.94
and I was there...
00:20:32.97\00:20:34.18
let's say we get referrals
00:20:34.22\00:20:36.67
from the school...
and the first thing...
00:20:36.70\00:20:38.13
in order for us to be
able to make a diagnosis...
00:20:38.17\00:20:41.51
we have to be able to sit down
00:20:41.55\00:20:42.96
and look at what Johnny
does... so... the teacher says,
00:20:43.00\00:20:45.79
"Johnny... he's
distracted, he's out of focus,
00:20:45.82\00:20:48.61
he can't sit
still, he talks a lot,
00:20:48.65\00:20:50.97
he can't get his work,
he's failing this class"
00:20:51.01\00:20:54.87
so when they come to us
then, we have to sit down
00:20:54.91\00:20:58.28
and make a diagnosis...
well, that identifies
00:20:58.31\00:21:01.65
right there...
that he has ADHD...
00:21:01.69\00:21:04.41
so immediately we make
a diagnosis of ADHD, ADD
00:21:04.44\00:21:08.97
and so now we have
labeled... mislabeled a child
00:21:09.00\00:21:12.87
instead of going and
finding out what the real root
00:21:12.90\00:21:16.73
of the problem is
which is illiteracy...
00:21:16.76\00:21:19.69
hey, listen... how would
you feel... if you couldn't read
00:21:19.73\00:21:22.76
and you sat in a
classroom... do you think
00:21:22.79\00:21:24.71
that you could sit
still... do you think
00:21:24.75\00:21:26.60
that you could pass
Science if you can't read?
00:21:26.64\00:21:28.94
We get mad at
kids... keep in mind...
00:21:28.97\00:21:33.62
when I say "we" I'm talking
about me... accountability
00:21:33.66\00:21:36.38
this is what has
happened in the past...
00:21:36.42\00:21:37.74
we get made with
kids... they come home with "Ds"
00:21:37.78\00:21:39.92
and we say, "Oh, you're
just not studying hard enough...
00:21:39.96\00:21:42.44
you're not focused... "
you know, "you talk too much"
00:21:42.47\00:21:44.50
but these kids can't read...
and so, if I'm sitting in class
00:21:44.54\00:21:49.20
with 29 kids and 19 of the kids
can't read.. what does that say?
00:21:49.23\00:21:53.85
That's huge... that is huge...
and what you just pointed to
00:21:53.89\00:22:01.36
is something that
is really important...
00:22:01.40\00:22:03.54
the root cause...
let's get to the root cause
00:22:03.58\00:22:06.94
of these problems...
so, what are you doing...
00:22:06.98\00:22:09.88
what is your Organization...
your website... all that...
00:22:09.92\00:22:13.27
tell us about
what you're doing...
00:22:13.31\00:22:14.78
Well, I've been
so... I mean... it has been
00:22:14.81\00:22:17.67
life changing for me, you
know, a very prominent educator
00:22:17.70\00:22:21.56
literally opened my eyes up
to some of these root problems
00:22:21.60\00:22:25.42
that are really
ailing our Community...
00:22:25.45\00:22:27.19
and what he told me
was, he formed it in a way...
00:22:27.23\00:22:30.96
that when I got off
the phone with him...
00:22:30.99\00:22:33.19
it really made
think... because...
00:22:33.22\00:22:35.28
we talked about mentoring...
we talked about tutoring...
00:22:35.32\00:22:38.49
we talked about "big
brother" "big sister"
00:22:38.52\00:22:40.75
we talked about kids who are
in the juvenile justice system
00:22:40.79\00:22:43.94
and he asked me some of the
antidotes and things that I had
00:22:43.98\00:22:47.10
what would I do... and I
would give him those things
00:22:47.14\00:22:49.51
but the one question that he
asked me... and changed my life
00:22:49.54\00:22:54.30
was... "Have you
taught them how to read?"
00:22:54.33\00:22:57.21
Hmmmm... "Have
you taught a young man
00:22:57.24\00:23:00.05
how to read... because
if you teach a young person
00:23:00.08\00:23:03.02
how to read... you're going
to change his life forever"
00:23:03.05\00:23:06.17
That's right... that's right...
... and so what we're doing
00:23:06.20\00:23:09.28
right now... I'm so blessed
and honored to be on this
00:23:09.31\00:23:12.70
campaign for transforming
the lives of young kids...
00:23:12.73\00:23:16.04
of all kids and for the Company
it's called testourkids. com
00:23:16.08\00:23:21.44
and what we're doing is two-fold
one... we serve as an informer
00:23:21.47\00:23:26.79
we educate people in the
awareness of how important
00:23:26.83\00:23:30.26
it is to get your kid tested
to see if he or she can read...
00:23:30.29\00:23:33.59
one of the things
that I hear so often
00:23:33.62\00:23:36.99
and it really tears me down...
I get angry when I hear people
00:23:37.03\00:23:41.15
say... and educators
say... "Parents don't care"
00:23:41.19\00:23:44.51
that's not true... and I
totally disagree with it.
00:23:44.55\00:23:47.83
Parents do care and
they have a right to know
00:23:47.87\00:23:51.21
if their child cannot read...
so that's the first thing
00:23:51.25\00:23:54.60
that we do... we
bring the awareness
00:23:54.63\00:23:56.64
to educators, administrators,
00:23:56.68\00:23:59.86
community activists,
00:23:59.89\00:24:00.97
and more importantly parents
so that they can find out
00:24:01.00\00:24:03.59
if their kid can read...
and we have a diagnostic test
00:24:03.62\00:24:06.86
that's right on our website
that you can sit, right there,
00:24:06.90\00:24:10.50
and have your kid tested to
see if he or she can read...
00:24:10.54\00:24:14.10
And what age
group does this cover?
00:24:14.14\00:24:17.51
We're looking at...
age is from 4 to 14...
00:24:17.55\00:24:20.92
and the reason why that
age is... it's a gap there
00:24:20.96\00:24:24.69
is because right now...
the US Department of Education
00:24:24.73\00:24:28.25
and other big Foundations
found in this Country
00:24:28.29\00:24:30.63
that 68 percent of the kids
that are leaving the third...
00:24:30.66\00:24:33.92
going to the fourth grade
are functionally illiterate
00:24:33.96\00:24:37.19
68 percent... and I'm
going moderate with that
00:24:37.22\00:24:41.05
but it's higher than that...
68 percent because what we're
00:24:41.09\00:24:43.99
finding now...
what we found is that
00:24:44.03\00:24:46.26
by the time... if
kids don't know how to read
00:24:46.30\00:24:48.21
and they get to the third grade,
they rarely catch up... ever...
00:24:48.25\00:24:51.24
Yes... ... and so
by the time they get
00:24:51.28\00:24:53.05
to Middle School...
they're failing relentlessly...
00:24:53.09\00:24:56.33
I mean... they
just never catch up...
00:24:56.37\00:24:58.24
because they haven't had
any dynamic interventions
00:24:58.28\00:25:01.84
early on... so
when we talk about
00:25:01.87\00:25:04.22
intervention implementation
we're talking about...
00:25:04.26\00:25:07.14
K- Kindergarten
to about 3rd grade
00:25:07.18\00:25:09.67
those are the most
formidable, critical years
00:25:09.71\00:25:13.71
of reading intervention...
if you can get a kid taught
00:25:13.74\00:25:16.89
how to read between
Kindergarten and third grade...
00:25:16.93\00:25:19.65
I guarantee you... he'll
succeed in school and in life.
00:25:19.68\00:25:22.37
That's tremendous...
reading opens up the world...
00:25:22.40\00:25:27.54
to you... it's
amazing to me when I see that
00:25:27.57\00:25:31.34
children can't read...
that adults... can't read...
00:25:31.38\00:25:34.89
and can't write really
well, it's amazing to me...
00:25:34.93\00:25:38.86
so, tell me... because I cannot
believe how quickly this program
00:25:38.90\00:25:42.70
has gone by... we only
have about two minutes left
00:25:42.74\00:25:45.60
tell me, your
website, at your website...
00:25:45.64\00:25:48.13
it tests
children's reading ability
00:25:48.17\00:25:51.22
and then based on that
00:25:51.25\00:25:52.76
where do you go from there?
Well, thank you for asking...
00:25:52.79\00:25:55.78
but on the
website... you actually...
00:25:55.82\00:25:58.54
and this is so great because
you can do this in the confines
00:25:58.58\00:26:01.98
of your own house
at your computer...
00:26:02.01\00:26:03.70
there are probably very few
people who do not have access
00:26:03.73\00:26:07.05
to a computer and you sit
down... and listen to this,
00:26:07.09\00:26:10.87
even the parent does not
have to be a literate person
00:26:10.91\00:26:14.42
to sit down with a young
person follow the lesson plans
00:26:14.45\00:26:17.88
all they're doing
is facilitating...
00:26:17.92\00:26:19.43
because what we're doing is
we're going back to the basics
00:26:19.47\00:26:21.94
the phonics, the sounds,
00:26:21.98\00:26:24.16
the spelling, you can't
comprehend until you learn
00:26:24.19\00:26:28.03
the sounds... you
cannot pronounce the word
00:26:28.06\00:26:30.09
until you go
back to the phonics...
00:26:30.12\00:26:31.53
so, you go on to the website,
you look at the assessment,
00:26:31.56\00:26:34.61
take the assessment,
we have facilitators there
00:26:34.65\00:26:37.34
to set up the
reading actual test...
00:26:37.37\00:26:40.03
they walk you
through it, then you find out
00:26:40.07\00:26:43.47
where your kids read...
and then comes the lessons
00:26:43.51\00:26:46.57
15-20 minutes a
night... on the computer.
00:26:46.60\00:26:48.85
Six weeks... I guarantee you...
you'll see your kid start to
00:26:48.89\00:26:53.16
improve drastically in 6
weeks. That is so tremendous...
00:26:53.20\00:26:57.41
I am so thankful that we
can bring this to our viewers
00:26:57.45\00:27:01.89
because even if somebody
watching doesn't know about this
00:27:01.93\00:27:06.34
or doesn't have a
child that can use this,
00:27:06.37\00:27:11.73
they know somebody who does...
00:27:11.76\00:27:13.48
and they can share
this information...
00:27:13.51\00:27:15.74
And that is so true,
and what's so important
00:27:15.77\00:27:17.88
lastly about the
awareness it brings...
00:27:17.91\00:27:20.30
let people hear
about this, what I did was,
00:27:20.34\00:27:22.66
when I started this
campaign, I actually ordered my
00:27:22.70\00:27:25.37
transcripts from
Kindergarten to 12th grade...
00:27:25.40\00:27:27.56
and guess what I
discovered? What...
00:27:27.59\00:27:29.82
that I read two to three grades
below where I was supposed to be
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in my entire school... So,
if you had had some program
00:27:33.40\00:27:37.21
like this... it would
have changed your life...
00:27:37.24\00:27:39.86
It would have
changed my whole life
00:27:39.90\00:27:41.06
and how to deal with
just life in general...
00:27:41.09\00:27:43.28
If I had certain type of
intervention like this...
00:27:43.31\00:27:45.69
because we didn't have this...
you know, we have to get back,
00:27:45.73\00:27:49.12
there's too much technology
today for anyone to be walking
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around... especially kids...
functionally illiterate...
00:27:51.90\00:27:54.78
in this country today.
Absolutely, thank you so much
00:27:54.82\00:27:57.66
Dr. Reynolds... God
bless you, God bless you.
00:27:57.70\00:27:59.75
Thank you... thank you...
Thank you for having me...
00:27:59.79\00:28:01.40
Thank you... and
thank you for viewing...
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Next time, tune in,
because you know what...
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It just wouldn't be
the same... without you.
00:28:07.78\00:28:10.58