MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH

Speech:

  First off I would like to bid my brothers a good afternoon.

   My name is Sicksdot (you suckers aren't slick!) CHief Executive Officer and founder of FLYTE LYFE entertainment. Managing Partner of its parent company Abstract Music and Co-Founder and chairman of a community based organization called the BBLG or The Brown Bag Lunch Gang.

   I decided to introduce myself as such for two reasons, 1. Because I'm pretty much an open book and 2. Not to wave my accolades around,but more so to profess that I am a living testimony to the fact that there is hope.

     Now statistics say that most of us as young black males by the age of 25 or so will end up either dead or in jail. Well, I'm 33 standing here before right now which leads me to believe two things, 1. I have defied the odds and 2. There is hope.

      As a kid growing up 20minutes north of here in liberty City. I would always hear my grandmother say,"keep your faith." Now as a kid you can't begin to even PATHOM how significant those three words are. Fast forward 20 odd years or so later while watching my childhood friend receive a 60 year prison sentence at the age of 24. Fast forward only months after that and having to knock on another child hood friend's sister's door to tell them that her brother had died in my arms. Fast forward months after and having to watch my aunt lose her battle to cancer. Those same three words that I struggled to make sense of showed me two things, 1. Your will/faith will be tested and 2. If you keep your faith, there is hope.

     If it hasn't sunk in by now, my purpose here today is to remind you that, no matter what the odds may appear to be. No matter how much your will is tested, there is hope. No matter how hard life may appear to be, if you keep your faith, there is hope.

     Now as I scan left to right throughout this room. Where som would simply see a group of college students. Maybe it's just my view on life,but I see a lot more. I see two things. 1. I see a group of individuals taking the necessary steps needed to achieve a goal. 2. I see a group of people whom despite what their peers may have said about them, they kept their faith and thus, I see hope.

      Understand gentlemen, people are gonna talk down, talk about you regardless of what you are doing in life. If it's, school they want to know why you went to school. If it's sitting home they want to know why you sitting home etc. etc. the way I view life is simple. The goals that you have set for you in life are yours. The dreams you have the aspirations you have are all yours and they should not be dictated altered or simply killed by the opinion of some one who isn't you. Let them talk. In the case of the people in this room currently, we should worry when they are no longer talking because that means we have stopped working and they no longer have anything to talk about.

     One case in particular. I know this young man who has a story beyond belief. This young man was at rock bottom,but set a goal to climb out. He dared to create change and despite the nat Sayers currently in his path both past and present he continues to grind. I personally don't like to tell him how much he inspires me to be great simply because I like to keep him grounded and humbled. I think it's safe to say that his ego would probably fill this room to capacity. Non the less he's a prime example of keeping the faith and that beacon of light which let's me know there's hope. You guys will soon see because though you guys have the privilege to call him your president, for 33 long hard years I have had the honor and the blessing to call him my uncle and that young man is Walter Stanley the 3rd..

  All in all I won't stand up here and talk you guys ears off,but I want to leave you with this quote, "live as if you are going to die tomorrow,but dream as if you are going to live forever!" 

Dare to dream gentlemen. Dare to become that change. When you feel that it's getting to hard,go harder because someone is listening to your heart. Someone is listening to these dreams and aspirations that you say you have and that person is gonna test your will which InTurn will test your faith. The hard part isn't a set back of any type. It's simply that person who is listening, wants to see if you want it as bad as you say you do. So show him and I guarantee he'll show you the way.

   Thank you for time and remember to keep your faith.