0:00:00.030,0:00:04.170 you were not a mistake you were not an 0:00:01.949,0:00:05.430 accident you were here for a reason I 0:00:04.170,0:00:07.560 know you're going through some hard 0:00:05.430,0:00:09.510 times I know life at times might feel 0:00:07.560,0:00:11.250 rough or you might feel weird or things 0:00:09.510,0:00:13.230 might be frustrating but it's not going 0:00:11.250,0:00:16.770 to always be like this your condition 0:00:13.230,0:00:18.420 it's not your conclusion I've got to 0:00:16.770,0:00:21.060 just take me five minutes to kind of 0:00:18.420,0:00:24.180 just unpack my story so that you have an 0:00:21.060,0:00:28.740 idea of who I am and why I speak with 0:00:24.180,0:00:30.359 the passion that I speak with there was 0:00:28.740,0:00:33.390 a time when I was in a really dark place 0:00:30.359,0:00:35.190 you know my mom had me when she was 16 0:00:33.390,0:00:37.739 years old I grew up without my 0:00:35.190,0:00:39.989 biological father in my life I struggled 0:00:37.739,0:00:42.540 with years for drug and alcohol abuse 0:00:39.989,0:00:45.300 and I just found myself in a really 0:00:42.540,0:00:47.129 really really weird and dark place I had 0:00:45.300,0:00:49.110 to repeat the seventh grade and when the 0:00:47.129,0:00:50.579 eighth grade came around I'll never 0:00:49.110,0:00:53.730 forget hearing at a parent-teacher 0:00:50.579,0:00:56.280 conference a teacher tell my mom that I 0:00:53.730,0:00:58.379 was a high school material and I came to 0:00:56.280,0:01:00.300 tell you that words are powerful and 0:00:58.379,0:01:02.879 when I heard that statement I remember 0:01:00.300,0:01:05.189 feeling like wow you know like I am 0:01:02.879,0:01:07.229 really really a failure you know like 0:01:05.189,0:01:08.729 it's one thing to tell a student hey 0:01:07.229,0:01:09.060 okay you're about to graduate from high 0:01:08.729,0:01:11.369 school 0:01:09.060,0:01:12.930 you're not college material you're not 0:01:11.369,0:01:15.299 gonna go to the Ivy League maybe you 0:01:12.930,0:01:17.159 should go to a tech school like I've 0:01:15.299,0:01:19.020 heard that right like different people 0:01:17.159,0:01:20.909 have different paths but but how do you 0:01:19.020,0:01:22.560 tell middle school kid that they're not 0:01:20.909,0:01:25.229 ready for high school like it affected 0:01:22.560,0:01:28.290 me and I'll never forget going that next 0:01:25.229,0:01:30.210 year and after a series of events a lot 0:01:28.290,0:01:31.560 of fighting a lot of struggling that 0:01:30.210,0:01:33.750 school in there kicking me out 0:01:31.560,0:01:36.070 they got all bent out of shape because I 0:01:33.750,0:01:38.990 cut the electricity off 0:01:36.070,0:01:40.759 the next year I went to another school 0:01:38.990,0:01:43.130 got the report card at the end of the 0:01:40.759,0:01:45.110 year and because I did not do well and I 0:01:43.130,0:01:49.369 did not put good in when I got that 0:01:45.110,0:01:51.320 final report card all s1c and my mom is 0:01:49.369,0:01:52.580 this tall but when she gets mad she 0:01:51.320,0:01:54.350 turns into the Hulk 0:01:52.580,0:01:56.960 you know and I'm thinking like this is 0:01:54.350,0:01:58.159 not gonna be pretty but I came up with a 0:01:56.960,0:02:01.039 plan I said you know what i'ma change my 0:01:58.159,0:02:01.729 grades so I went to the library I got 0:02:01.039,0:02:03.619 that right out 0:02:01.729,0:02:05.750 I brushed off all the FS in the seat I 0:02:03.619,0:02:07.729 took a fancy pin in the ruler and I put 0:02:05.750,0:02:09.709 some smaller dots and lines and I gave 0:02:07.729,0:02:11.780 myself all A's and two V's then I made a 0:02:09.709,0:02:13.549 copy of it and as soon as I got home I 0:02:11.780,0:02:15.290 gave it to my mom she took one glance 0:02:13.549,0:02:18.500 and was like boy where your real report 0:02:15.290,0:02:20.239 card at I said mom let me explain she 0:02:18.500,0:02:22.970 said no no I don't want to hear it I 0:02:20.239,0:02:25.430 know what happened say you do she said 0:02:22.970,0:02:27.170 yes you probably lost it how you always 0:02:25.430,0:02:29.420 lose stuff and you went to the office 0:02:27.170,0:02:34.790 and they had to make a copy up there so 0:02:29.420,0:02:36.380 father I said yeah yeah you know mama 0:02:34.790,0:02:40.579 she's like I'm now I'm like you know 0:02:36.380,0:02:43.400 everything she's like I know but at the 0:02:40.579,0:02:45.549 end of that summer at the end of that 0:02:43.400,0:02:48.709 summer well my real report car came in 0:02:45.549,0:02:51.109 it was really rough I'll never forget 0:02:48.709,0:02:53.120 like when I first tricked my mom and she 0:02:51.109,0:02:54.739 saw it she was like I'm so proud of you 0:02:53.120,0:02:56.420 she started crying I haven't got 0:02:54.739,0:02:58.880 emotional I was like girl told you my 0:02:56.420,0:03:00.200 mama make you proud she's hugging me I'm 0:02:58.880,0:03:01.970 hugging her we got like a breakthrough 0:03:00.200,0:03:03.530 and you're probably wondering like 0:03:01.970,0:03:06.530 Jeremy why were you crying like you know 0:03:03.530,0:03:09.319 you didn't really earn all A's and two 0:03:06.530,0:03:11.170 beans well for the first time in a long 0:03:09.319,0:03:13.850 time I didn't feel like a failure 0:03:11.170,0:03:16.040 like I actually felt successful like 0:03:13.850,0:03:17.450 worthy like I felt like I was good 0:03:16.040,0:03:19.819 enough for so I that was a bit of 0:03:17.450,0:03:21.560 emotional moment but it wasn't real 0:03:19.819,0:03:23.930 because I didn't really earn those 0:03:21.560,0:03:24.980 grades now with my school to my River 0:03:23.930,0:03:27.980 Park our home 0:03:24.980,0:03:29.930 my mom saw it she was in denial my baby 0:03:27.980,0:03:32.390 mayonnaise and B so she called to school 0:03:29.930,0:03:35.750 I was like Oh hang up the phone mama 0:03:32.390,0:03:40.720 hang up the phone and again she's in 0:03:35.750,0:03:43.370 tears but now what was once tears of joy 0:03:40.720,0:03:45.319 not was tears of sorrow tears of pain 0:03:43.370,0:03:47.120 tears of frustration and she's trying to 0:03:45.319,0:03:48.860 figure out like I wish my baby would 0:03:47.120,0:03:52.129 just get it together and I was so hurt 0:03:48.860,0:03:54.379 but I felt stuck I was depressed I was 0:03:52.129,0:03:55.970 tired I was struggling I felt like I was 0:03:54.379,0:03:58.099 an accident like what's the purpose of 0:03:55.970,0:03:59.870 life like why am I here you know I felt 0:03:58.099,0:04:01.250 like I wasn't I couldn't fit in when it 0:03:59.870,0:04:02.690 was time to read I didn't want to read 0:04:01.250,0:04:04.459 cuz somebody was gonna tease me because 0:04:02.690,0:04:05.840 I wasn't a good reader we was always 0:04:04.459,0:04:07.340 getting the fights people was bullying 0:04:05.840,0:04:09.230 me then there was a time when I was a 0:04:07.340,0:04:11.810 bully like I just struggling I was like 0:04:09.230,0:04:13.190 what's the point of it all and my mom is 0:04:11.810,0:04:15.650 a great mom so she moved me to another 0:04:13.190,0:04:17.810 school so now I'm at the school now 0:04:15.650,0:04:21.289 called Huntsville hi this is my third 0:04:17.810,0:04:22.940 school for the 9th grade now I'm at this 0:04:21.289,0:04:24.919 new school and I don't know how to 0:04:22.940,0:04:26.949 explain it to you but I got a group of 0:04:24.919,0:04:29.660 teachers I felt like they were weird 0:04:26.949,0:04:33.080 they were saying stuff like Jeremy we 0:04:29.660,0:04:35.690 believe in you I'm like me what teachers 0:04:33.080,0:04:37.639 like oh yeah Jeremy Anderson over top on 0:04:35.690,0:04:38.030 man ah this is gonna be the best year 0:04:37.639,0:04:42.680 ever 0:04:38.030,0:04:44.330 I'm like okay what teacher I had to ask 0:04:42.680,0:04:45.950 myself wait a second y'all are way too 0:04:44.330,0:04:47.479 enthusiastic did y'all get my 0:04:45.950,0:04:49.849 transcripts like y'all got the right 0:04:47.479,0:04:51.229 Jeremy they was like yeah we got the 0:04:49.849,0:04:54.410 right Jeremy but you're in a new season 0:04:51.229,0:04:56.120 now so you don't have to worry about the 0:04:54.410,0:04:57.770 past I was like yeah but you do know 0:04:56.120,0:04:58.970 about lashing yup I said you know those 0:04:57.770,0:05:00.440 two my third school it's like we're not 0:04:58.970,0:05:02.720 worried about that again Jeremy you're 0:05:00.440,0:05:05.990 in a new season now so let's not bring 0:05:02.720,0:05:07.729 all things into a new season and they 0:05:05.990,0:05:09.560 began to speak life to me they begin the 0:05:07.729,0:05:11.090 recurrence me they be get to affirm me 0:05:09.560,0:05:12.860 and because I was young and I was 0:05:11.090,0:05:14.419 immature I kind of felt like well you 0:05:12.860,0:05:15.830 don't really understand my story you 0:05:14.419,0:05:17.479 don't come for a while I come from and I 0:05:15.830,0:05:21.889 try to build the wall up but you know 0:05:17.479,0:05:23.120 we're not that wall down it's love you 0:05:21.889,0:05:24.940 know we're knock that wall down 0:05:23.120,0:05:26.680 it was perseverance you know 0:05:24.940,0:05:28.930 knock that wall down it was like 0:05:26.680,0:05:30.880 unwavering commitment and support and I 0:05:28.930,0:05:32.770 realized you can be black white purple 0:05:30.880,0:05:34.270 blue green we need each other 0:05:32.770,0:05:35.890 and if you're sewing up because you 0:05:34.270,0:05:39.130 believe in me and you see great things 0:05:35.890,0:05:44.680 inside me like maybe just maybe I could 0:05:39.130,0:05:47.650 do great things your mindset your belief 0:05:44.680,0:05:50.020 system is everything and it is so 0:05:47.650,0:05:51.880 powerful and so I came all the way from 0:05:50.020,0:05:54.310 Atlanta Georgia to tell you you are not 0:05:51.880,0:05:56.140 a mistake you are not an accident you 0:05:54.310,0:05:57.610 were here for a reason I know you're 0:05:56.140,0:05:59.770 going through some hard times I know 0:05:57.610,0:06:01.150 life at times might feel rough or you 0:05:59.770,0:06:02.950 might feel weird and things might be 0:06:01.150,0:06:05.380 frustrating but it's not going to always 0:06:02.950,0:06:07.450 be like this your condition it's not 0:06:05.380,0:06:09.100 your conclusion there is so much more 0:06:07.450,0:06:11.230 that's going to take place there is so 0:06:09.100,0:06:13.450 much more power that's inside you if you 0:06:11.230,0:06:15.430 make up in your mind I choose to believe 0:06:13.450,0:06:17.410 that I could do great things and I 0:06:15.430,0:06:19.210 promise you my young friends I got to a 0:06:17.410,0:06:21.010 point in life when I was like man I got 0:06:19.210,0:06:23.140 these teachers they must really care 0:06:21.010,0:06:25.090 like when you start having teachers that 0:06:23.140,0:06:26.920 get diagnosed with cancer but they still 0:06:25.090,0:06:28.960 show up to school one of my teachers had 0:06:26.920,0:06:30.760 arthritis so bad she couldn't even write 0:06:28.960,0:06:32.500 on the chalkboard other teacher was 0:06:30.760,0:06:33.820 going through a divorce another one that 0:06:32.500,0:06:35.590 just buried her child 0:06:33.820,0:06:38.020 I'm looking at all these teachers that's 0:06:35.590,0:06:40.840 going through life just like you just 0:06:38.020,0:06:44.200 like me but they kept showing up so 0:06:40.840,0:06:46.990 something inside my brain said maybe I 0:06:44.200,0:06:49.990 am working something inside me said 0:06:46.990,0:06:51.850 maybe I can't do great things for them 0:06:49.990,0:06:53.950 to jump through all these hoops and go 0:06:51.850,0:06:55.300 out of their way to kind of connect with 0:06:53.950,0:06:58.240 me for them to make these sacrifices 0:06:55.300,0:06:59.540 maybe it is possible for me it's the 0:06:58.240,0:07:02.689 same way with you 0:06:59.540,0:07:02.689 [Music] 0:07:03.189,0:07:06.889 sometimes I go back to like being that 0:07:05.300,0:07:08.569 little boy in the hallway that ever 0:07:06.889,0:07:10.159 heard that teacher tell my mom that I 0:07:08.569,0:07:11.449 wasn't high school material then I have 0:07:10.159,0:07:14.300 to remind myself like no no no no no 0:07:11.449,0:07:15.680 that no that's not true I am that I 0:07:14.300,0:07:17.210 can't do that I can't achieve that 0:07:15.680,0:07:19.550 sometime I have to remind myself what am 0:07:17.210,0:07:20.780 I telling you my life can be hard life 0:07:19.550,0:07:22.879 can be rough but there's something 0:07:20.780,0:07:25.729 special and there's something powerful 0:07:22.879,0:07:27.620 about the human mind and about the human 0:07:25.729,0:07:29.449 spirit and about the human will 0:07:27.620,0:07:31.430 will you tell yourself I won't give up I 0:07:29.449,0:07:33.440 won't surrender I won't quit I'm gonna 0:07:31.430,0:07:35.120 sort of every single day and do the best 0:07:33.440,0:07:38.539 that I can and here's the beautiful 0:07:35.120,0:07:40.819 thing about you is while you're going 0:07:38.539,0:07:42.680 through your process and while you're 0:07:40.819,0:07:44.780 trying to navigate these waters and 0:07:42.680,0:07:47.240 while you're still you know trying to 0:07:44.780,0:07:48.800 tweak some stuff within yourself you 0:07:47.240,0:07:51.050 still got the power to save somebody 0:07:48.800,0:07:53.360 else's life you got the power to speak 0:07:51.050,0:07:55.159 up for others you got the power to be 0:07:53.360,0:07:56.569 the voice of reason for someone who 0:07:55.159,0:07:58.669 might be on the verge of doing something 0:07:56.569,0:08:00.800 they shouldn't do you have the power to 0:07:58.669,0:08:03.590 brighten somebody's day your words are 0:08:00.800,0:08:05.060 powerful your energy is powerful and so 0:08:03.590,0:08:06.529 I don't want you all to think that you 0:08:05.060,0:08:08.360 have to have it all together and 0:08:06.529,0:08:09.949 everything for you has to be perfect and 0:08:08.360,0:08:12.110 in order for you to be a leader no no no 0:08:09.949,0:08:13.759 no you can make an impact you can make a 0:08:12.110,0:08:16.300 difference you can save somebody's life 0:08:13.759,0:08:18.440 right now but you just being 0:08:16.300,0:08:20.569 unapologetically you and you're walking 0:08:18.440,0:08:22.639 in that calling and you speak life and 0:08:20.569,0:08:24.979 you affirm and you in the other snow I 0:08:22.639,0:08:25.219 see you and I with you and I got your 0:08:24.979,0:08:27.259 back 0:08:25.219,0:08:29.120 and you're not by yourself and I will 0:08:27.259,0:08:31.940 hold your hand as you go throughout this 0:08:29.120,0:08:33.910 journey and even though I'm struggling 0:08:31.940,0:08:36.960 by they on behalf of new 0:08:33.910,0:08:36.960 figure this thing out together 0:08:37.770,0:08:45.450 keyword together we're gonna figure this 0:08:42.839,0:08:47.010 thing out together there's something 0:08:45.450,0:08:51.180 beautiful about us having that mindset 0:08:47.010,0:08:53.310 of us being together you know saying not 0:08:51.180,0:08:56.220 black white asian Hispanic not 0:08:53.310,0:08:58.500 Republican Democrat independent not gay 0:08:56.220,0:09:00.120 or straight not like male to female like 0:08:58.500,0:09:02.970 us coming together saying man we are 0:09:00.120,0:09:05.220 human we are healed and I believe that 0:09:02.970,0:09:07.140 there is more that makes us together 0:09:05.220,0:09:10.320 there is more than we have in common 0:09:07.140,0:09:12.270 than we had that's not a common and I 0:09:10.320,0:09:15.480 believe there are differences it what 0:09:12.270,0:09:18.380 makes us both are both amazing our 0:09:15.480,0:09:18.380 differences 0:09:19.660,0:09:24.860 think about that right like there are so 0:09:22.279,0:09:26.689 many amazing things and there are so 0:09:24.860,0:09:28.879 many different amazing personalities and 0:09:26.689,0:09:34.250 there is nobody else on this planet 0:09:28.879,0:09:35.689 exactly like you and so I believe then 0:09:34.250,0:09:38.209 we make a decision that say you know 0:09:35.689,0:09:40.939 what we will come together as a people 0:09:38.209,0:09:43.250 we will come together as a nation we 0:09:40.939,0:09:45.350 will come together as a state we will 0:09:43.250,0:09:47.240 come together as the city we will come 0:09:45.350,0:09:49.069 together as a district we will come 0:09:47.240,0:09:50.839 together as a school we will come 0:09:49.069,0:09:53.180 together as a grade we will come 0:09:50.839,0:09:54.980 together as the class and we will value 0:09:53.180,0:09:56.899 each other we will speak life to one 0:09:54.980,0:09:59.560 another and we will help each other go 0:09:56.899,0:09:59.560 to that next look 0:10:03.470,0:10:07.589 you know what I'm not just a student you 0:10:06.060,0:10:10.020 don't say that just happening mean this 0:10:07.589,0:10:12.060 gray I'm not just here at the school I'm 0:10:10.020,0:10:13.649 here for a reason you don't say you got 0:10:12.060,0:10:15.810 to tell yourself man I feel like I've 0:10:13.649,0:10:17.250 been pushed down in the dirt I feel like 0:10:15.810,0:10:19.140 people have been stopping on me 0:10:17.250,0:10:20.640 I feel like stuff has been raining on me 0:10:19.140,0:10:22.920 but you didn't realize as my young 0:10:20.640,0:10:24.779 friends you was just a seed so you got 0:10:22.920,0:10:26.459 to tell yourself no no no I haven't been 0:10:24.779,0:10:28.170 pushed down on the dirt and I haven't 0:10:26.459,0:10:30.330 been stuffed on I've been planted and 0:10:28.170,0:10:32.610 I've been placing this pot for a reason 0:10:30.330,0:10:34.500 and we are at this arena here to be able 0:10:32.610,0:10:35.670 to have a conversation they say what 0:10:34.500,0:10:37.560 does it look like to go to that next 0:10:35.670,0:10:39.540 level and so I need you want to do the 0:10:37.560,0:10:41.279 same thing when you leave here if you 0:10:39.540,0:10:43.110 feel like you're in a weird place if you 0:10:41.279,0:10:45.120 feel stuck if you feel like you know 0:10:43.110,0:10:47.010 what I feel like I need some help you 0:10:45.120,0:10:49.140 get the help you need that's how you 0:10:47.010,0:10:52.740 show how strong and how bold and how 0:10:49.140,0:10:54.270 powerful you are what's the next app 0:10:52.740,0:10:55.740 that you're going to create you don't 0:10:54.270,0:10:56.970 send some time I wonder like you know I 0:10:55.740,0:10:59.070 said are you gonna come up with a cure 0:10:56.970,0:11:00.360 for Alzheimer's dementia or are you 0:10:59.070,0:11:01.740 going to come up you know saying what 0:11:00.360,0:11:03.480 something that can purify water for 0:11:01.740,0:11:05.550 people across the globe are you going to 0:11:03.480,0:11:07.260 create the next app that can connect us 0:11:05.550,0:11:08.910 are you going to be the next teacher or 0:11:07.260,0:11:11.160 superintendent are you going to be the 0:11:08.910,0:11:12.660 next leader in our community like why 0:11:11.160,0:11:13.680 I'd be wondering sometimes like what are 0:11:12.660,0:11:16.260 the great things that you're going to 0:11:13.680,0:11:17.579 accomplish and there are times when I 0:11:16.260,0:11:20.310 look at what's happening in the world 0:11:17.579,0:11:21.600 and imma be discouraged I've got a 0:11:20.310,0:11:23.310 seven-year-old daughter and a 0:11:21.600,0:11:24.750 one-year-old baby boy sometimes I look 0:11:23.310,0:11:26.550 at the crazy stuff that's happening in 0:11:24.750,0:11:29.579 this world and I'm like man what kind of 0:11:26.550,0:11:31.860 world am i racing my kids in but then 0:11:29.579,0:11:33.930 I'm encouraged because I get to come to 0:11:31.860,0:11:35.700 events like this and I get to look in 0:11:33.930,0:11:37.380 your faces and connect with you and I 0:11:35.700,0:11:39.089 have no doubt that there's great things 0:11:37.380,0:11:40.740 decides you and that you're going to 0:11:39.089,0:11:43.770 experience some amazing things inside 0:11:40.740,0:11:45.959 your life if you make a decision to say 0:11:43.770,0:11:47.820 I'm gonna speak up I'm gonna stand up 0:11:45.959,0:11:50.100 I'm gonna save a life if you tell 0:11:47.820,0:11:51.839 yourself I will be a leader if you tell 0:11:50.100,0:11:53.790 yourself I'm gonna show up every single 0:11:51.839,0:11:55.529 day of my school and I'm gonna go above 0:11:53.790,0:11:57.270 and beyond because there are some kids 0:11:55.529,0:11:59.070 and some different countries and some 0:11:57.270,0:12:01.470 different places that wish they had the 0:11:59.070,0:12:03.640 opportunity to be at my school to have 0:12:01.470,0:12:09.519 floors and lights 0:12:03.640,0:12:11.320 and screens and technology I've been 0:12:09.519,0:12:12.970 some places my young friends where I 0:12:11.320,0:12:15.010 walked in some schools in some different 0:12:12.970,0:12:17.079 countries doing some volunteer work and 0:12:15.010,0:12:19.630 I'm seeing the facilities they're here 0:12:17.079,0:12:21.550 i knows I've met some kids that would 0:12:19.630,0:12:23.589 love to come here and be able to go to a 0:12:21.550,0:12:25.390 school that has a gym or be able to go 0:12:23.589,0:12:27.130 to a school that has a seat or to be 0:12:25.390,0:12:28.240 able to go to school that has desk or to 0:12:27.130,0:12:29.649 be able to go to school where they get 0:12:28.240,0:12:30.910 their own books and there's some of 0:12:29.649,0:12:33.610 y'all tablets and all these extra things 0:12:30.910,0:12:35.680 we are so privileged what do we do with 0:12:33.610,0:12:37.899 this opportunity that we have I want to 0:12:35.680,0:12:42.220 challenge you to make the most of it to 0:12:37.899,0:12:43.660 speak life to love to encourage to wrap 0:12:42.220,0:12:45.490 your arms around those who are 0:12:43.660,0:12:46.690 struggling and you let them know you 0:12:45.490,0:12:49.329 know where you're not in this by 0:12:46.690,0:12:50.769 yourself what we're not going to do is 0:12:49.329,0:12:52.120 we're not gonna quit what we're not 0:12:50.769,0:12:53.649 going to do is we're not gonna surrender 0:12:52.120,0:12:55.209 what we're not going to do is we're 0:12:53.649,0:12:56.649 gonna just you know saying just stay in 0:12:55.209,0:12:59.589 this place we knew that eventually 0:12:56.649,0:13:01.810 things would change like eventually it's 0:12:59.589,0:13:03.730 gonna turn around for my good and we'll 0:13:01.810,0:13:05.470 be stronger from it and we'll be better 0:13:03.730,0:13:07.899 equipped and this will make us better 0:13:05.470,0:13:10.060 people now you can't always control what 0:13:07.899,0:13:13.620 happens to you my friends but you can't 0:13:10.060,0:13:13.620 control how you respond to it 0:13:14.160,0:13:33.070 [Music] 0:13:41.900,0:13:50.009 [Music] 0:13:52.460,0:14:01.409 [Music]