[00:01:48]
WHAT, CHRIS, YOU TOLD ME TO HOLD UP.
YOU READY? NOW? SIT OVER THERE.
SO, SO THE FIRST THING, NO, NO, NO.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS THING, RIGHT? WE HAVE, UH, BISHOP GIBSON HERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO PRAY THAT EVERYTHING GOES WELL.
THE SPEAKERS ON OUTSIDE KYLE, THEY'LL HEAR IT.
START US OFF WITH AN OPENING PRAYER.
YEAH, YOU GONNA BE RIGHT HERE.
DON'T LET ME HAVE TO SNATCH THE MIC FROM YOU.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU AND HONOR YOU FOR THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE STUDENTS WHO HAVE WORKED ENTIRELY TO REACH THIS PLATEAU.
THANK YOU FOR FAMILY OF FRIENDS WHO HAVE COME, AND THOSE THAT EMBRACE THEM AND ENVELOPED THEM.
YOUR PROTECTION, YOUR COVERING KEEPERS IS BY PRAYER.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT, UH, BISHOP GIBSON AND HIS ROLE WITH TWO A A LITTLE LATER.
BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE VIDEO.
NOW WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE VIDEO.
[00:05:51]
I LEARNED A LOT OF MATH, HONESTLY, A LOT OF MATH.UM, I LEARNED MYSELF, MOST IMPORTANTLY, LIKE HONESTLY, HOW STRONG I CAN BE.
I LEARNED A LOT OF WISDOM FROM A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE.
UM, FROM THE WORDS THAT THEY GAVE ME, OH MY GOD, I LEARNED A LOT.
I LEARNED, UH, ABOUT MAD AND OTHER PEOPLE.
I LEARNED THAT I HAVE OTHER THINGS GOING ON WITH MYSELF THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF.
AND I, MOST OF ALL, I LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU OPEN UP TO PEOPLE YOU NEVER KNOW WHO CAN HELP YOU.
I LEARNED THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT ASPECTS TO CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THERE'S A UNIQUE ORGANIZATION, MORE THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS.
IT'S, UH, REALLY BASED ON WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD TOGETHER.
I ACTUALLY LEARNED A LOT IN P TWO A.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT MANAGING MY FINANCES, UH, ABOUT ORGANIZING THE COMMUNITY, UH, RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
UH, I LEARNED ABOUT THE POLITICS BEHIND WHY UNION IS NECESSARY.
I LEARNED HISTORY ON THE UNION.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR ME TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND, UM, I LEARNED ABOUT MY CLASSMATES, ALSO MET SOME FRIENDS.
UM, AND I JUST LEARNED HOW BLESSED I AM, MAN.
EACH WAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD AND THAT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY OUT, GET BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE COME FROM AND HELP UPLIFT EACH OTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKING THE POU TO THE STEPS TO THE FUTURE.
MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER FOR ONE ANOTHER.
WELL, YOU GOTTA TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU GOTTA BE PRESENT AND LEARN.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE IF YOU TRYING TO, YOU TRYING TO DO SOMETHING AND BETTER YOURSELF.
'CAUSE IF YOU REALLY WANT IT, YOU STILL GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO GET IT.
I LEARNED THAT SECOND CHANCES ARE THERE, SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEM.
SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH THE STRUGGLES TO, TO FIND THE GOLD.
YOU GOTTA DIG THROUGH DIRT TO FIND GOLD.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, IT REALLY GAVE, GAVE ME A, A SECOND CHANCE.
YOU KNOW, SO AN OFFER THAT IN MYSELF.
SO I LEARNED THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN DO IT.
I JUST HAVE TO LOOK HARD ENOUGH AND, AND TAKE ADVANTAGE WHEN THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES.
I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A LOT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW.
NOT AS MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THE MATH AND EDUCATIONAL PART.
JUST HOW THERE WAS SO MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT WERE FOR US.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, I'M, I'M WHAT YOU WOULD CALL, YOU'RE BETTING ON ME.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUT HERE DEFINITELY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE FOR US, YOU KNOW? AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
I THOUGHT I HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT ALL ON MY OWN.
SO GETTING TO KNOW THAT IS ENCOURAGING.
HOW WE ALL CAME TOGETHER AND LIKE, UH, WE STARTED FROM IT.
IT WAS KIND OF ROUGH IN THE BEGINNING, BUT WE JUST GOT THAT CAMARADERIE AND WE JUST ALL CAME TOGETHER.
IT JUST BROUGHT, IT, BROUGHT EVERYBODY IN ONE AND JUST LIKE, UNITY.
AND THEN IT'S LIKE, PRETTY MUCH IS EXAMPLE OF LIKE THE UNION UNIONIZING.
MY FAVORITE PART OF P TWO A WAS JUST LEARNING NEW THINGS, BRUSHING UP ON MATH, UM, JUST GETTING IT ON MY CLASSMATES, THE COORDINATORS, EVERYBODY AND WHATEVER.
AND IT WAS JUST LIKE, YOU JUST SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE JUST REALLY WANT US.
AND I JUST LOVE COMING HERE AND JUST BEING A PART OF THE PROGRAM.
MY FAVORITE PART WAS, IT WAS A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A PERSON THAT'S BEEN LOOKING FOR SEEKING EMPLOYMENT OR EVEN SEEKING GETTING A UNION OR ANYTHING.
IT'S NOT EASY TO GET INTO A UNION OR EITHER A CONSTRUCTION JOB, PERIOD.
[00:10:01]
CONSTRUCTION SITES TO TRY TO, OH, THEY HIRING, THEY HIRING.OH, WE'RE NOT HIRING MORE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
SO I TOOK THE GAS TO THE INFORMATION SESSION.
I SAID, WHY NOT GET IT? DON'T HURT THE TRUCK.
WORST THING YOU GET IS NO, OR DON'T GET CALLED BACK.
GOT AN INTERVIEW, GOT ACCEPTED.
MY FAVORITE PART OF P TWO A, GETTING TO KNOW THE STAFF AND MY FELLOW CLIENTS.
MY FAVORITE PART OF P TWO A WAS ON A CAREER.
YOU KNOW, HAVING THE D OPINION, UH, KNOW THAT I HAVE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. JOHN BLIDEN FOR THAT.
UM, MY FAVORITE EVERYDAY COMPANY WITH HOPE, KNOWING THAT I'M GONNA START A CAREER.
UH, MY FAVORITE PART WAS CONNECTING WITH THE OTHERS, WITH MY PEERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BOND THAT WE BUILT, HELPING EACH OTHER OUT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE UH, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY WAS, WAS, UH, SHARP WITH THE MATH.
SO, YOU KNOW, US HELPING EACH OTHER OUT, BUILDING THE FRATERNITY AMONG OURSELVES.
UH, THAT, THAT, THAT HAD TO HAVE BEEN MY FAVORITE, FAVORITE PART.
I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND P TWO A FOR OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ANY, UH, PAST CRIMINAL HISTORY OR ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL IS, UH, DETERRENT YOU FROM STARTING A CAREER.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN A CONSTRUCTION, OF COURSE, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT UNIONS INVOLVED.
UM, YOU HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS YOU CAN TAKE.
AND EVEN THE KNOWLEDGE OUTSIDE OF CONSTRUCTION IS GOOD FOR LIFE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE'VE BUILT SOME GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH POWERFUL PEOPLE.
UM, AND IT IS JUST, IT'S INVALUABLE.
LIKE YOU CAN'T PUT A NUMBER ON ON WHAT WE HAVE.
I WILL DEFINITELY RECOMMEND VTA FOR ANYONE WHO I WOULD SAY GENUINELY WANTS TO CHECK AND NEED SUPPORT IS DEFINITELY THE PLACE FOR, IS FLOWING IN SUPPORT AND NOT JUST, UM, WITH THE WORK, BUT THEY CO THEY CARE.
THEY LITERALLY CARE ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL, WHAT'S GOING ON AT HOME.
THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, TIME WHERE YOU CAN COUNSEL WITH ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER, OR EVEN YOUR CLASSMATES.
YOU FIND THAT THEY BECOME LIKE YOUR FAMILY.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND P TWO A TO SOMEONE I STRONGLY RECOMMEND, RECOMMEND P TWO FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
'CAUSE IT GIVES YOU PEOPLE'S SECOND OPPORTUNITY WAS, WHICH WAS A BLESSING FOR ME.
IT WAS, I, I, I SEEN AN OPPORTUNITY, A LIFE CHANGING OPPORTUNITY, AND I JUST TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT.
I, I, I'M TELLING EVERYBODY ABOUT IT.
BROTHERS, BROTHERS, FRIENDS, COUSINS WHOSE, ANYBODY THAT'S OF AGE, I'LL COME HERE AND TRY TO GET THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY.
IS IT BEEN A, BEEN A PLAN SIX WEEKS? UM, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BRUSH UP ON THEIR, ON THEIR MOUTH AND STUFF.
BUT, UM, FAR AS IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY TRYING TO HELP YOU TO BETTER YOURSELF JOB AND WANT YOU TO HAVE A CAREER AND WOULD BE GREAT AND SUCCEED IN LIFE.
SO OF COURSE, I RECOMMEND P TWO A FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
IT'S OPPORTUNITY'S DIRECT ENTRY.
IT'S OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO LEARN NEW THINGS, TRADES, AND IT'S OTHER, YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST STAY IN P TWO A.
SO IT IS, I I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND IT TO OTHER PEOPLE.
'CAUSE IT WOULD, IT OPENED MY DOORS TO OTHER THINGS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD BE IN THIS POSITION.
SO JUST REALLY HAPPY I GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND P TWO A FOR OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE, UM, AN INITIAL PATHWAY INTO GETTING INTO CONSTRUCTION AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTO CONSTRUCTION, CARPENTRY, ELECTRICIAN, UM, OR PLUMBING.
UM, THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO SWITCH CAREER PATHS AND DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF AS WELL AS YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FUTURE.
I TOLD A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS THAT COME FROM SIMILAR BACKGROUND AS ME, THAT, YOU KNOW, WANTED BETTER THEIR LIVES.
AND I'M JUST WAITING FOR THE NEXT INFO SESSION TO LET 'EM KNOW WHEN IT IS.
AND SO THEY CAN HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT I'VE BEEN GIVEN.
I'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN RECOMMENDED IT, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO GET MY LITTLE BROTHER TO LICK, GO HIS LITTLE JOB THAT HE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IT WAS HARD.
I LEFT THE JOB TO COME HERE, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS LIKE, MAN, THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING.
IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THIS? BUT LIKE, WHY WOULDN'T IT IF THE, IF THE OPPORTUNITY WAS THERE.
[00:15:46]
HIS PURPOSE AND WE NO LONGER NEED IT.SO, SO, SO BISHOP WHO DID THE OPENING PRAYER ALSO HAD A, A, A SPECIAL ROLE.
UH, HE REALLY DID SOME CASE MANAGEMENT WITH EVERYONE, UH, SAT DOWN, TALKED TO THEM, UH, ALL THE STUDENTS REALLY GOT TO KNOW THEM.
AND YOU HEAR SOME OF THE, UH, STUDENTS TALK OUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAME, UH, DON'T HIT ME IN THE HEAD.
AND FOLKS REALLY CARING ABOUT THEIR SITUATIONS AT HOME, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
BISHOP WAS ONE OF THOSE FOLKS WHO REALLY MADE THAT INITIAL, UH, SAID, DON'T HIT ME IN THE HEAD.
BISHOP WAS ONE OF THE ONES WHO REALLY CONNECTED.
ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF WITH NJRC AND JUST, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY FROM P TWO A, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY, REALLY
IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE WHO, UH, GRADUATING, WHO ARE GRADUATING HERE TODAY, ARE SUCCESSFUL, UH, UH, IN THEIR ENDEAVORS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH ME.
AND THIS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, UH, BIDEN IS THE, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF P TWO A AND CO-FOUNDER.
AND MY NAME IS WAYNE RICHARDSON.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF P TWO A AND CO-FOUNDER OF P TWO A NEW JERSEY.
SO I, WE GONNA LET THAT PLAY FOR A LITTLE.
THEY PICKED A, YOU KNOW, IT CAN HAPPEN.
IT'S HAPPENING IN THE, SO BEFORE WE BRING UP SOMEONE WHO IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR PROGRAM, FIRST CLASS, AND SHE WAS THE, UH, SHE DID THE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AND SHE DID IT SO WELL.
WE HAD TO HAVE HER BACK, UH, FOR OUR SECOND CLASS AND OUR REBRANDING OF THE CLASS.
UH, AND THAT'S NEWARK CITY COUNCIL
[00:20:01]
PRESIDENT LAMONICA MACGYVER.SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE HER COME UP.
SHE COULD TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HERSELF AND WHY SHE'S HERE, PLEASE.
SO, I ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WENT THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH, BUT IT'S HARD GETTING IN THIS BUILDING.
ANYBODY ELSE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM? SEE, LOOK, BECAUSE IT WAS A STRUGGLE GETTING IN HERE, BUT I MADE IT.
HOW Y'ALL FEELING TODAY? WONDERFUL.
OH, WE COULD DO BETTER THAN THAT.
YES, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
I WANNA THANK, UM, OF COURSE, UM, THE, UH, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT, UM, FOR HAVING ME, UH, MR. RICHARDSON, AS WELL AS THE STAFF HERE.
UM, IT FEELS LIKE WE WERE JUST HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO, HAS HOW, THAT'S HOW FAST THE YEAR, UM, GOES BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, SEEMS LIKE I WAS JUST HERE FOR THE FIRST GRADUATION, UM, AND JUST TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
I REMEMBER WHEN THE, UH, PRESIDENT BROUGHT IT TO US AND SAID HE WAS GONNA BE DOING IT.
I WAS LIKE, OH, THIS SOUNDS GREAT.
UM, AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE THAT WAS YESTERDAY.
AND HERE WE ARE WITH A SECOND, UM, GRADUATING CLASS, AND I'M DEFINITELY PLEASED.
I KNOW ONE OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES ARE GONNA BE JOINING US AS WELL.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONSTANTLY, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF NEWARK, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HELP GET A LOT OF PEOPLE ONTO THESE CONSTRUCTION SITES.
WHEN I WAS WATCHING A VIDEO, I WAS LISTENING TO WHAT EACH OF YOU WAS SAYING.
YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB, UM, WHO WERE IN THE VIDEO.
BUT I WAS WATCHING, LISTENING TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AND WHY, WHY YOU WERE IN THE PROGRAM, WHAT IT DID FOR YOU, AND IF YOU WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW.
AND TO ME, THAT WAS REALLY ENLIGHTENING TO HEAR.
I MEAN, I WAS TUNED IN TO WATCHING, UM, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I'M JUST HAPPY THAT YOU MADE IT THIS FAR, FIVE LONG WEEKS.
UM, AS THE PRESIDENT SAID, I AM THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, UM, REPRESENTING THE CITY COUNCIL HERE.
AND THIS IS MY SIXTH YEAR IN OFFICE.
IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS, UM, IN OFFICE.
TIME GOES BY FAST AND IT WORKS.
YOU, SOMEBODY IN THE VIDEO SAID THEY EVEN LEARNED ABOUT POLITICS AND INTEREST IN POLITICS.
COME SEE ME AFTERWARDS IF YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
BUT IT IS DEFINITELY A VERY, VERY, UM, TRYING, UH, DIFFICULT JOB.
BUT IT'S REWARDING FOR DAYS LIKE THIS TO BE HERE AND TO BE CELEBRATING, UM, FOLKS WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, REACHED ANOTHER JOURNEY IN THEIR LIFE.
SO, DEFINITELY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
UM, P TWO, P TWO, A NEW JERSEY HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO HELPING THOSE FROM NEWARK AND SURROUNDING URBAN COMMUNITIES TO GAIN ACCESS AND TRAINING TO VARIOUS REGISTERED BUILDING TRADES PROGRAMS. AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.
LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WHY.
HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, THERE IS A TON OF CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING.
YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH A BLOCK SOMETIMES WITHOUT SEEING A CONSTRUCTION SITE.
YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT'S GOING UP NOW? WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT'S THIS? THAT'S HOW MUCH THINGS ARE MOVING HERE IN THE CITY.
AND UNDERNEATH OUR GREAT MAYOR AND THIS NEWARK MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, WE WORK HARD IN PUTTING TOGETHER POLICIES, UM, HERE IN THE CITY THAT BASICALLY GIVE NEWARKERS FIRST DIBS AND RESIDENTS AND EVEN ADVOCATING FOR UNION TRADES TO GIVE FIRST DIBS TO THE JOBS.
AND MANY TIMES, THE NUMBER ONE THING WE HEAR WHEN THEY COME BACK, THE DEVELOPERS, THE OWNERS, THEY COME TO THE TABLE WITH US AND WE ASK THEM, HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? HOW'S IT GOING? HIRING, YOU KNOW, LOCALS HERE IN, THEY CAN'T WHERE THEY'RE AT.
THEY CAN'T DO THE JOBS WE NEED THEM TO DO.
AND SO WE GOT TIRED OF HEARING BECAUSE IT'S TIRING.
CC CONTINUALLY HEARING WITH, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THE OWNERS AND THE DEVELOPERS THAT WE
SO WE DID A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT IT.
ONE, WE CREATED AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OFFICE.
WE ADDED MORE TEETH TO OUR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICIES, UM, WORK WITH DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS TO DO JOB FAIRS AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE, TO NOT HEAR THE EXCUSE ABOUT YOU.
LET US HELP YOU FIND THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE, JUST NOT LOOKING IN THE RIGHT PLACES.
THEN WE ALSO PARTNER WITH PEOPLE LIKE THE COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT TO HELP PUT TOGETHER PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AND HELP HIM, EVEN WITH HIS UNION, TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED.
BRINGING, BRINGING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE GAINING ACCESS TO THE JOBS AVAILABLE OUT HERE.
BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY OUT HERE IN CONSTRUCTION.
OH, Y'ALL SHOULD BE CLAPPING FOR THAT.
[00:25:01]
I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, LET ME TELL YOU'ALL WOULD'VE SAVED MYSELF TWO DEGREES IN, IN LIKE A HUNDRED K IN STUDENT LOANS, AND I PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN AN ELECTRICIAN.THE NEXT TOP CLASS LET ME KNOW.
I MIGHT COME THROUGH HERE AND HAVE TO LIKE, SIGN UP.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
PEOPLE LOOK AT JOBS AND BUILDING TRAYS, AND THEY'RE LIKE, I DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
LET ME TELL YOU, THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY.
I MEAN, ELECTRICIANS AND PLUMBERS, TRADES, THEY MAKE MORE MONEY THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE ADVANCED DEGREES.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE A PHD THERE, SOME PEOPLE ARE UNEMPLOYED WITH A PHD.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT IN AMERICA.
BUT WE WOULD SPEND ANOTHER DAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT IN TRADES, THERE IS SO MUCH MONEY TO BE MADE.
AND I JUST THINK PEOPLE LOOK AT IT AND THEY THROW THE JOB TO THE SIDE AND THEY SAY, WELL, I AIN'T GONNA DO THAT.
DO IT BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WILL QUALIFY, WHO HAVE THE TRAINING, WHO WE CAN CALL ON AND SAY, HEY, NO, GIVE THAT JOB TO THAT BROTHER OVER THERE.
GIVE THAT JOB TO THAT SISTER OVER THERE.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON THESE SITES WHO LOOK LIKE US, WHO ARE FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHO CAN BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN THE CITY.
THAT IS WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS.
PEOPLE LIKE, OH, WHAT'S ECONOMIC? THAT IS WHAT ECONOMIC, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BUILDING.
IT'S ABOUT HOW ARE THE COMMUNITIES AROUND BENEFITING FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITIES.
NO MATTER IF IT'S NEWARK, IRVINGTON, EAST ORANGE, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN NEWARK.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS REALLY WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
I REALLY HOPE FROM THE VIDEOS, FROM THE TESTIMONY I HEARD THAT YOU DON'T STOP HERE.
YES, THIS WAS GREAT FIVE WEEKS IN, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO GATHER AND GET SO YOU CAN REALLY EXECUTE THE FIELDS OUT THERE THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE US.
THEY'RE ON THOSE SITES AND WORKING
SO HOPEFULLY IT INSPIRES YOU TO KEEP GOING, TO KEEP PUSHING, TO KEEP LOOKING FOR RIMS TO GO AND BE KICKING DOWN THE DOORS AT THE UNION HALLS, BECAUSE YOU GOTTA DO THAT.
WE, WE WON'T GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT TODAY, BUT YOU GOTTA KICK DOWN THE DOORS AT THE END OF THE DAY TO, YOU KNOW, GAIN ACCESS AND GET OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
SO I'M JUST PROUD THAT WE ARE DOING ANOTHER CLASS.
I KEEP SAYING TO, UM, THE COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT, WE SHOULD BE HAVING MORE THAN ONE CLASS, UM, A YEAR, JUST PUTTING MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE EXPECTATIONS ON HIM AS, AS WELL AS THE STAFF HERE, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
UM, I WON'T BORE YOU WITH MORE OF TALKING.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TALKING.
I WAS FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK.
UM, AND I KNOW IT WAS NATIONAL APPRENTICE WEEK, AND YOU HAD SOME REALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE AND POLITICIANS LOVE TO TALK, UM, TO COME
BUT DEFINITELY CONGRATULATIONS.
I WANNA SAY TO THE FAMILIES, THANK YOU.
YES, CLAP IT UP FOR YOUR FAMILIES.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU, SOMETIMES, DEPENDING ON THE JOURNEYS YOU'VE BEEN WAITING TO GET TO THIS DAY, TO BE HERE, UM, TO SEE YOUR LOVED ONES BEING ABLE TO CROSS A FINISH LINE AND GET TO SOMETHING THAT THEY LOVE, THAT THEY HAVE SOME INTEREST IN.
SO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THEM.
I KNOW THAT GOES A LONG WAY BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE WITHOUT SUPPORT SOMETIMES.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DEDICATED TO THIS JOURNEY TODAY.
AND I'M TELLING Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL, MANY OF Y'ALL GONNA GO OUT HERE AND GET Y'ALL OWN LITTLE COMPANY, CALL ME.
I KNOW HOW TO DO A LITTLE WIRING.
THERE'S A LITTLE, LITTLE SOMETHING I KNOW HOW TO DO A LITTLE BIT.
I WILL COME WORK FOR ONE OF Y'ALL SOON, ONE DAY.
UH, AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
SHE COVERED A LOT OF TOPICS AND, BUT THAT LAST TOPIC IN TERMS OF BECOMING ENTREPRENEURS, YOU CAN DO THAT, RIGHT? YOU CAN BE BUSINESS OWNERS, RIGHT? THE SKY'S THE LIMIT.
AND, AND TO THE FAMILIES, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING YOUR PEOPLE.
UH, SUPPORT FROM AT HOME IS SO VITAL, RIGHT? ENCOURAGEMENT, LETTING FOLKS KNOW THAT YOU CAN, AND YOU ARE, YOU ARE WITH THEM AND YOU TRUST THEM AND, AND YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO BETTER, TO DO MORE, RIGHT? AND THIS IS WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT, RIGHT? BUILDING HOPE, EXPECTATIONS, BUT BEYOND HOPE, SOMETHING TANGIBLE, SOMETHING YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAND ON.
SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN DREAM OF, BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET THERE BECAUSE WE'VE PAVED THAT ROAD FOR YOU.
AND LIKE THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAID, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS WHO
[00:30:01]
WERE HERE FOR NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK, SOME VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN YOUR GROWTH, NOT JUST GRADUATION DAY AND NOT JUST PAST ONE THIS PAST MONDAY.BUT GOING FORWARD, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO REALLY, TRULY CARE ABOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND THEY WANT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO SUCCEED.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER, AND THE, UH, NEXT GENTLEMAN WHO I'M GONNA BRING UP IS DE MARCO, AND HE IS THE APPRENTICESHIP LEADER FOR THE LABOR.
MET HIM IN CLASS, I THINK HE SPOKE TO, BUT HE HAS SOME SAY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR ANY, I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE ALL HEARD ME SPEAK BEFORE AND I, I CAN'T DEAL WITH, WELL, MONICA, THAT WAS, THAT WAS GREAT.
I COME TO TOWN AND THEY TELL YOU
NOW I'M THE DIRECTOR OF APPRENTICESHIP FOR LABORERS IN NEW JERSEY.
AND I, I'M TELLING YOU, THEY HAVEN'T TALKED TO THE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO HAVING THE SAFE, MOST SKILLED AND MOST PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
SO I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS HERE, RIGHT? THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE AS THE, THE, UH, APPRENTICESHIP DIRECTOR ENCOURAGING YOU, UM, TO APPLY TO OUR PROGRAM.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS.
BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHEN YOU COME, YOU, UH, ENTER AN APPRENTICESHIP.
YOU'RE ENTERING, UM, AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS THE PEOPLE BEAT YOU GUYS UP WITH MATH THAT'S GONNA HELP YOU ALL AS YOU TRY ATTEMPT TO ENTER OUR PROGRAM.
AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU WILL, AND YOU'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
I'VE SEEN THAT WITH THE FIRST CLASS THEY DID.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH HOW THAT'S OBVIOUSLY, UH, KEPT THAT GOING.
AND, UM, I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY.
I WAS ALSO VERY HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH TWO A PROGRAM.
AGAIN, WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESS IN THE PAST.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, SOME OF THOSE, UH, DURING THAT VIDEO, UH, ONE OF THE ONE OF YOU ALL SAID SOMETHING ABOUT, UM, IF YOU'RE BETTING ON ME, IT'S A LONG SHOT, RIGHT? YOU'RE BETTING ON A LONG SHOT, RIGHT? WELL, I'M TELLING YOU, UNA IS GONNA BET ON YOU.
OKAY? YOU COME INTO OUR PROGRAM, WE'RE BETTING ON YOU.
YOU'VE COMPLETED SOMETHING REAL HERE, OKAY? WHAT YOU'VE DONE TODAY AND THESE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, YOU'VE COMPLETED SOMETHING THAT'S REAL.
IT PROVE TO ME YOU'RE COMMITTED TO THIS AND YOU'RE COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO APPLY TO UNA'S, UH, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT UNA DOES, OKAY? WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S WHAT YOU ALL DO WITH THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.
SO I AM REAL SHORT AND TO THE POINT, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE, BUT WE STARTED WITH A VERY LARGE GROUP ON THAT FIRST NIGHT.
AND HERE I'M SEEING 11 SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES AT THIS POINT, WHO I KNOW WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
WAYNE ASKED ME TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU THAT WE ARE TESTING ON DECEMBER 7TH.
UH, I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION ALREADY, BUT THERE, THERE WILL BE A TESTING SESSION, UH, FOR, UH, IMPLIED MATHEMATICS AND UNDERSTANDING WORKPLACE DOCUMENTS ON DECEMBER 7TH.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL THERE.
GOTTA ORDER, BECAUSE I KNOW JOE AND KEVIN, UH, KEVIN, YOU'RE STAYING.
SO JOE HAS ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT.
SO, BUT THANKS, LET'S THANKS JOE AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU WILL BE SEEING HIM
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW IS WE HAVE PARTNERS
[00:35:01]
FROM, UH, NEW JERSEY REENTRY CORPORATION, AND WE HAVE, UH, A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VITAL TO YOUR SUCCESS AS WELL.AND I WANT TO START OFF WITH, UH, MS. JENNIFER PENA, DIRECTOR OF NEW JERSEY REENTRY CORPORATION.
PLEASE COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, SO MY NAME IS JENNIFER PENA.
UM, I'M THE SITE DIRECTOR AT NEW JERSEY REENTRY CORPORATION.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, NEW JERSEY REENTRY CORPORATION FOR THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE, UM, WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COURT INVOLVED.
UM, WE HELP THEM WITH, UH, SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING, SOCIAL SERVICES, UM, LEGAL SERVICES PERTAINING TO, UM, OBTAINING THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES AND, UM, OTHER IDENTIFI IDENTIFICATION CREDENTIALS THAT, THAT ARE NEED, THAT ARE VITAL IN ORDER FOR THEM TO, TO GET A CAREER.
UM, SO IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, I'M HERE TO REPRESENT NEW JERSEY REENTRY CORPORATION AND ALSO TO THANK P TWO A FOR THE AMAZING PARTNERSHIP, UM, THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED.
I ALSO WANTED TO, TO STATE ON P TWO A, UM, YOU GUYS, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN FOR SIX WEEKS HOUSED WITH US.
UM, WE DEVELOPED A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
WE ALL BECAME LIKE A, IT'S A GOOD MARRIAGE, A GREAT FAMILY TO HAVE THE STUDENTS, BUT ALSO TO HAVE THE GREAT TEAM.
I MEAN, YOU GUYS SHARE THE SAME EXACT PASSION THAT NEW JERSEY REENTRY SHARES.
UM, AND JUST WANT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, THAT OUR DOORS JUST LIKE THEM ARE ALWAYS OPEN FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS ALL HAVE CASE MANAGERS.
MANAGERS, HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO COME IN AND SPEAK TO US.
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE THERE FOR, TO, TO HELP AND ASSIST YOU GUYS.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CONTINUED TO STRIVE IN YOUR PASSION.
THIS IS A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY, UM, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HANDED.
UM, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE TO KEEP HELP YOU DEVELOPING IN THIS CAREER PATH.
UM, AND TO YOU STUDENTS, I JUST WANNA SAY WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS.
UM, WE ADMIRE YOUR DEDICATION TO EVERY DAY.
YOU GUYS WERE THERE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE EIGHT 8:00 AM READY TO, TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
LOOKING FOR THE COFFEE FROM NJRC, BUT
UM, BUT JUST REALLY PROUD OF YOU GUYS.
UM, AND WE JUST SAID, ADMIRE YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR HARD WORK.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
SO WHEN SHE TALKS ABOUT BEING THERE EARLY OR BEING ON TIME, IF YOU, YOU COME, IF THE PROGRAM STARTS AT EIGHT AND YOU GET THERE AT EIGHT, YOU'RE LATE.
BEING THERE BEFORE TIME, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
THEY HAD TO BE ON EVERY DAY, AND YOU CAN'T MISS A DAY UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE NO MAKEUP DAYS.
SO I WOULD, I ASKED THEM A QUESTION AND I I'M GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION ONE MORE, MORE TIME.
WHEN I FIRST MET THEM, I ASKED THEM, IF YOU WERE AN EMPLOYER, WOULD YOU HIRE YOU TODAY? NOT MANY HANDS WENT UP, BUT IF I ASKED YOU THAT QUESTION TODAY, WOULD YOU HIRE YOU IF YOU WERE AN EMPLOYER, WOULD YOU, ALL OF THEM WOULD TODAY.
THAT'S THE COMMITMENT FROM THE STAFF FROM JOHN BLYDEN AND, UH, AND, UH, UH, WHERE IS HE, CHRIS AND, UM, AND OTHERS, UH, WHO WERE A PART OF THE PROGRAM.
BUT NEXT WE HAVE ANOTHER GENTLEMAN FROM NJRC.
HE'S LOOKING AT ME LIKE, DON'T CALL ME.
AND THIS IS MR. ANTHONY HAWTHORNE, WHO IS THE INTAKE COORDINATOR FOR NEW JERSEY.
JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE SOUTH WARD COUNCILMAN AND MY FRIEND, MY BROTHER PATRICK COUNCIL WHO CAME AND
[00:40:01]
SPOKE TO YOU.I'M THE INTAKE COORDINATOR AT NEW JERSEY REENTRY.
I'M ALSO THE PASTOR OF THE NO STONE LEFT AND TURN RECOVERY CHURCH.
AND LIKE, YO, WE'VE BEEN AT, WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR THIS WHOLE FIVE WEEKS.
AND, UM, LIKE THE COUNCIL, LIKE THE, THE PRESIDENT SAID, LIKE, GETTING UP, GETTING UP.
UM, YOU KNOW HOW I KEEP IT? I GOTTA KEEP IT A HUNDRED.
LIKE, Y'ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT WE BEEN, HE THEM TO SEE THEM.
LIKE, AIN'T THAT, WELL, I'M JUST A WHOLE LOT BETTER TODAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND WHEN PEOPLE COUNTING ON YOU DO BETTER, SHOW UP BETTER.
IT MAKES YOU, IT MAKES YOU WANT TO BRING BETTER.
'CAUSE SOMEBODY COUNTING ON YOU, HIL AS PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO ANYTHING OR ANYBODY, THEY A DANGEROUS HUMAN BEING.
BUT PEOPLE THAT ARE ACCOUNTABLE, THEY'LL BE ACCOUNTABLE.
THEY CAN ACCOUNT ON YOU COULD LOOK TO 'EM.
AND I GOT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL Y'ALL.
AND YOU READ ONE TIME, ONE TIME, GLORY TO GOD.
AND TO SEE Y'ALL AND TO WORK FOR NEW JERSEY REENTRY, CHECK IT, RIGHT? I WORKED FOR NEW JERSEY REENTRY, BUT I'M A PRODUCT OF NEW JERSEY REENTRY.
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE NEW JERSEY REENTRY WHEN I CAME HOME.
BUT WHEN I REENTERED, I REENTERED LIFE AND I WANTED TO MAKE IT.
AND I FOUND REASON FOR PURPOSE FOR LIVING THAT DRIVE ME TO WANT TO GET UP EVERY MORNING AND TO SHOW UP AND TO LISTEN.
Y'ALL GIVE ME THAT ENERGY, I WATCH Y'ALL DO IT.
LIKE, I'M SO GASSED TO SEE THAT Y'ALL DOING THIS.
LIKE, UH, WHAT ELSE COULD I SAY? NEW JERSEY REENTRY.
IT'S A PLACE THAT GET LIKE, WE, WE, UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, SATAN DON'T WANNA SEE NO GOOD THING HAPPEN LIKE NOTHING.
SO WHEREVER THERE'S SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENING, HE KEEP MESS GOING.
THAT'S WHY WE MOVE THE WAY WE MOVE AT NEW JERSEY REENTRY, BECAUSE WE ARE EMPOWERING, WE ARE CHANGING LIVES.
WE ARE GIVING HOPE PEOPLE TO, HOPE PEOPLE TO HELP SAVE LIVES.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE, THE, THE PRESIDENT, THE CHAIRMAN.
Y'ALL KNOW HOW TO KEEP IT LIKE I'M A BELIEVER.
I AIN'T TRYING TO CONVERT TO NOBODY.
I AIN'T TRYING TO PREACH TO NOBODY, BUT I'M A BELIEVER.
AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT GOD IS ELIMINATING EXCUSES.
HE'S JUST MAKING ROOM FOR EVERYBODY.
CHANCES GO ROUND, CHANCES BECOME RARE, BUT CAN'T, WASN'T MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
AND I LOOKED GUYS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT? CHECK IT.
I, WHEN I THINK IT WAS THE COALITION WHO WAS RUNNING DOWN ON, ON, ON UM, SITES BECAUSE PEOPLE WASN'T GETTING HIRED.
THEY WAS FIGHTING, THEY WAS GOING TO BAT FOR 'EM.
BUT TO SEE THESE PEOPLE COME BREAK UP, LIKE, UM, I DON'T LIKE CHRIS NORBERT CARR, BUT I GREW UP TO LOVE THEM.
YOU KNOW, COPY HIS COFFEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR REAL, I LOOK, IT'S, OH AND THE BISHOP WHOLE CASE MANAGEMENT THING.
YO, YOU KNOW WHAT? I GET TO WORK EVEN T NOW BECAUSE Y'ALL BE THERE.
I'LL BE
LIKE I'M TELLING YOU, I'M GRATEFUL FOR RY AND UM, CHRIS AND ARD THEN THAT THEY SAID IS TRUE.
WHERE YOU GOING TO FIND A JOB OR AN ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATION THAT'S GOING HOLD YOUR HAND, BELIEVE IN YOU.
'CAUSE A LOT OF US DON'T BELIEVE IN OUR, TO HELP US BELIEVE IN US.
AND THEN WE COME TO BELIEVE IN US.
THAT'S THE DRIVE WE NEED TO COME TO BELIEVE.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE HELPING US DO THAT.
AND THEY SAYING, CHECK THIS OUT AND YOU GOING TO EAT GLORY TO GOD.
ALL Y'ALL, Y'ALL TAKE IT DOWN.
NEVER WANT TO GO BEHIND A PREACHER
HE GET EVERYBODY RILED UP, ALL EXCITED.
AND, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY.
THAT'S WHY I'M NOT ACTUALLY GOING NEXT.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M SMARTER THAN I LOOK, RIGHT? SO HERE'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE YOU, YOU ANOTHER YOUNG MAN WHO IS JUST AS DYNAMIC, WHO IS JUST AS INSPIRATIONAL, WHO IS A LOCAL BORN AND BRED NEWARK.
HE IS A CITY COUNCILMAN FROM THE SOUTHWARD OF THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK.
AND HE'S ALSO A PASTOR, RIGHT? SO HE CAN BRING IT.
LET'S GIVE A HAND FOR MY FRIEND, MY BROTHER, SOUTHWARD COUNCILMAN PATRICK
[00:45:01]
O COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, PRESIDENT AND AND FOUNDER OF P TWO FOUR PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS.UH, MY GOOD FRIEND COMMISSIONER, UH, PRESIDENT WAYNE RICHARDSON TO, UH, PROBABLY ONE OF THE, UH, GREATEST COUNCIL PRESIDENTS IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT LAMONICA R AVA, TO, UH, TO BISHOP, TO ALL OF YOUR FAMILY REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE HERE TO MY COMRADES, RADES, UH, IN THE STRUGGLE FOR THIS IS A STRU.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH YOU, UH, AND TO SHARE WITH YOU PRIOR.
AND IT COMES FULL CIRCLE, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND WHAT MAKES IT SO UNIQUE.
AND THEN TO ADD BACK TO THE JOURNEY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ON, IT JUST LEADS US TO THE POINT TO REALLY BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE RACE IS NOT GIVEN TO THE SWIFT NOR TO THE STRONG, BUT TO HE WHO ENDURES.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE HEAR THAT AND THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY AND ETYMOLOGY OF WHAT THE TEXT IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT.
BECAUSE IN THE TEXT, IT HAS A LITTLE BUS POINT THERE TO REALLY TALK ABOUT ENDURANCE.
16 STARTED THE RACE, BUT ONLY 11 FINISHED.
AND IT'S NOT THAT, UH, THE
AND THE REASON THAT YOU COMPLETED WASN'T BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT YOU.
IT WAS WHAT WAS DRIVING YOU, THE ENDURANCE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS IN YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU COMPLETED THE RACE THAT WAS BEFORE YOU.
AND SO NOW YOU HAVE A MOMENT, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO REFLECT, BUT YOU HAVE A MOMENT AND OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FORWARD AT WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR YOU.
BECAUSE ALSO THERE'S A GREAT TEXT THAT SAYS THAT I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK FOR THE HIGH CALLING.
AND IN ORDER TO PRESS FORWARD, THAT MEANS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME OR OPPORTUNITY LOOK BEHIND YOU BECAUSE THE, THE BEHIND YOU ARE THE THING NOT PRESSING YOU TO PUSH TOWARDS THE GREATNESS THAT IS ALREADY IN YOU.
THE STUFF THAT IS BEHIND YOU WAS THE STUFF THAT THE ENEMY WANTS YOU TO LOOK BACK AT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD.
IT SAYS, GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THAN HE THAT IS IN THE EARTH.
AND SO BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT IS GREATER IN YOU IS CONTROLLING AND MOVING YOU, IS GOING TO PUSH YOU TO PREVAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY TIME THE ENEMY, THE NEIGHBOR, THE NAYSAYER TRIES TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE TO GET YOU TO LOOK BACK.
YOU'RE GONNA LOOK FORWARD AT WHERE PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS HAS TAKEN YOU.
AND NOT ONLY WHERE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE HAS TAKEN YOU, BUT THE ENDURANCE THAT YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE IT BECAUSE YOU FOUND SOMETHING THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU LOST.
AND BECAUSE YOU FOUND IT, IT NOW BECOMES NEW AND FRESH TO YOU.
IT PRESENTS FRESH OPPORTUNITIES.
IT PRESENTS FRESH WAYS FOR YOU TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND IT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU NOW TO GO BACK AND PULL SOMEBODY ELSE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T BRING NOBODY ELSE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, THEN THE RACE THAT YOU'RE RUNNING IS SELFISH.
AND IF YOU PLAN ON RUNNING A SELFISH RACE THAT IS NOT INCLUSIONARY OF HELPING TO PULL OTHERS UP BEHIND THE BOOTSTRAP, THEN THIS IS NOT THE RACE FOR YOU.
YOU SIGNED UP FOR THE WRONG RACE.
BUT IF YOU PLAN ON GOING BACK, INVOLVING, ENGAGING, AND GETTING OTHER PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE AND REALIZE THAT IF SOMEBODY BROUGHT ME ACROSS, THEN I GOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING SOMEBODY ELSE ACROSS TOO.
THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU SUCCEED.
AND IT'S GOING TO HELP YOU RAISE AND CHANGE THE NARRATIVE OF HOW YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR PEERS LOOK AT YOU.
WHY? BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT QUITE FRANKLY, THEY AIN'T WANT YOU TO BE HERE.
THE BLUE CAP LOOKS GOOD, THE GOWN LOOKS GOOD, BUT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT STILL NEED YOU BACK ON THE BLOCK.
THERE'S STILL SOME PEOPLE THAT WANT YOU IN COURT.
THERE'S STILL SOME PEOPLE THAT'S LOOKING TO GET YOU FOR CHILD SUPPORT.
THERE'S STILL SOME PEOPLE THAT THINK THAT YOU OWE THEM SOMETHING, THAT YOU DON'T OWE THEM ANYTHING.
AND THE GREATEST THING ABOUT WHY THEY STILL BELIEVE WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN GET OUT OF YOU, YOU'VE TURNED THE CORNER AND THE CORNER THAT YOU'VE TURNED HAVE LEFT THEM LOOKING FOR YOU IN A DIRECTION THAT IF THEY ONLY WANT TO FIND YOU, THEY, THEY GOTTA TRAVEL DOWN THE STRAIGHT STREETS THAT YOU'VE JUST SAID TO GO.
AND BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING DOWN THAT STREET BECAUSE YOU'RE VENTURING OFF ON THAT PATH,
[00:50:01]
YOU'VE INCLUDED A LOT OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS. YOU HAVE A COUNCILMAN IN THE SOUTH WARD THAT'LL SUPPORT YOU, A COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND A CENTRAL WARD THAT WILL SUPPORT YOU.YOU HAVE CLERGY BEHIND YOU, YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT, BUT THE BIGGEST SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE COMES FROM THE PERSON THAT MADE YOU SIT IN THAT SEAT.
BECAUSE NOBODY CAN TAME YOU OR CAN CONTROL YOU OR CAN ANALYZE YOUR DESTINY OR FORECAST WHERE YOU'RE GOING OR WHERE YOU'VE BEEN, BUT THE ONE THAT CREATED YOU.
AND SO BECAUSE YOU ARE WONDERFULLY AND PERFECTLY MADE, BECAUSE YOU CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE ONE WHO PUT YOU IN THIS POSITION TO BE ABLE TO SUCCEED AND TO MOVE ON EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO WALK INTO.
YOU DON'T OWE IT TO ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM, BUT YOU GIVE THANKS TO HIM.
AND WHEN YOU GIVE THANKS TO HIM FOR WHAT AND HOW HE'S CONTROLLING IT, CONTROLLING IT, THEN HE'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU HAVE THAT MADE IT SO I CONGRATULATE YOU, WISH YOU WELL, YOUR FAMILY AND EVERYONE HERE THAT HAS ORGANIZED AND ORCHESTRATED THIS ACTIVITY THAT'S GRADUATION EVENT BECAUSE IT'S WELL DESERVED.
SO GOD BLESS YOU GUYS AND KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.
AND I'M STILL NOT GOING NEXT
JUST, JUST, JUST, JUST BREATHE THAT IN FOR A SECOND.
'CAUSE WHILE I WAS OVER THERE, LIKE, WOW, HE WAS SO TOUCHED AND SO TOUCHING AND INSPIRATIONAL.
HE EVEN CHANGED THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM,
IT IS NO LONGER PATHWAYS TO APPRENTICESHIP, IT'S PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS.
SO NEXT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HAVE SOME STUDENTS SPEAK AND THESE ARE THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT WOULD PICK BY THE CLASS, THE CLASS PICK TWO REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKERS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH SIERRA WATSON, PLEASE COME UP.
YOU ALMOST MADE ME CRY BACK, DEAR FIRST, SO LET ME GET IT TOGETHER.
OKAY, P TWO A, PATHWAYS TO APPRENTICESHIP NEWARK NJ.
IN JUST SIX WEEKS, WE BECAME A NEW FAMILY, BIG LOVE FOR MS. GERALD, MS. GWYNN, BISHOP GIBSON, JOHN BLYDEN, AND WAYNE RICHARD MACARI, WHO MADE EVERYTHING CLEAR.
NOW LET ME GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY PEERS.
TIM, WITH THE BEAUTIFUL LOCKS HAS AMBITION, WHICH NEVER STOPS.
IF I NEEDED HELP IN CLASS, I CALLED JEROME, HE'S THE HIP GUY.
IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE, BUT HIS COMPASSION THAT DAY.
MALCOLM, A MAN WITH UNSTOPPABLE DRIVE.
MALCOLM, A MAN WITH UNSTOPPABLE DRIVE.
HE DEFINITELY MADE THE CLASSROOM FEEL ALIVE.
IF FOCUSED HAD A NICKNAME, IT WOULD BE ENRIQUE AND JANAE'S.
BRIGHT SMILE REASSURED US EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY.
THIS NEXT GUY VERY WELL COMPOSED, STAYED ON HIS TOES WITH HIGH ESTEEM.
I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR GUY, RAHEEM.
CHRIS WE KNOW IS AN INTELLIGENT GUY WITH SO MUCH PERSEVERANCE HE COULD TOUCH THE SKY.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LEWIS'S DETERMINATION SUSTAINED THE DURATION.
IT WAS PART OF OUR FOUNDATION TO MAKE IT TO THIS GRADUATION.
THANK YOU TO GOD WHO IS MY ROCK.
AND TO ALL THE COORDINATORS, FACILITATORS, THE STAFF
[00:55:01]
IF YOU THINK PUBLIC SPEAKING IS PUBLIC SPEAKING IS EASY AND, AND IT IS A DIFFICULT THING TO ASK ANYONE WHO ISN'T TRAINED AND EVEN FOLKS WHO SPEAK A LOT, IT STILL IS DIFFICULT TO GET UP HERE.AND FOR ME, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I'M SPEAKING TO TWO PEOPLE OR 200 OR 2000, I STILL GET BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH BEFORE I, UNTIL I START TALKING.
AND SO THIS IS THE SECOND SPEAKER WHO WAS PICKED BY HIS PEERS AND WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HIM A BIG HAND.
AND THAT IS CHRISTOPHER DICKERSON.
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING OUT THERE?
UM, UH, THAT WAS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW ALSO.
WE HAD SO MANY MEN OF GOD UP HERE.
AND UM, IT'S SUCH AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO REPRESENT P TWO A.
THE CLASS OF 2023 COMING OUTTA NEW JERSEY, NOT DELAWARE.
NO, BUT, UM, UH, NO, SERIOUSLY, UH, WE DEFINITELY HAD TO PERSEVERE.
YOU HEARD WHAT CIARA SAID ABOUT MY PERSEVERANCE DAD, BISHOP GIBSON.
NAH, BUT SERIOUSLY, UM, UH, WE, WE HAD TO PUSH OUR BODIES AND OUR MINDS TO THE LIMIT.
WE WERE INTRODUCED WITH SOME UNFAMILIAR MATH CONCEPTS AND WE HAD TO APPLY THEM.
UM, AND, UH, FOR SOME OF US IT WAS A STRUGGLE.
UM, LIKE THE COUNCILMAN SAID, IT WAS 16 IN THE BEGINNING, NOW IT WAS 11.
AND, UM, FOR ME IT WAS THE WORKING OUT.
UM, AND FOR OTHERS, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS THE MATH.
NO, BUT, UM, NO, SERIOUSLY, I'M, I'M VERY, VERY, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE.
UH, SO I WANT TO THANK MR. JOHN BLYDEN FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UH, PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER, MS. RICHARDSON, UH, BISHOP GEORGE GIBSON.
UH, THE WHOLE STAFF, UH, MS. PENA, UH, REVEREND HAWTHORNE, UH, MS. ROJAS, UH, LEWIS HELPED ME GET MY LICENSE BACK.
WITHOUT THAT, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
I WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BAKARI CHAPMAN, THE PROFESSOR.
UH, CHRIS CAPERS, A CO-PRO PROFESSOR.
AND THE MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, CHRIS, CHRIS GOT ME IN SHAPE.
UM, AND ALL THE LOCAL UNION ORGANIZERS, EVERYBODY THAT'S GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND, UH, WE, WE REALIZED THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE THAT COMES WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HOW WE HAVE TO CARRY OURSELVES AND BE AN EXAMPLE TO OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WHEN I SAY FAMILIES, I MEAN OUR CHILDREN AND, UM, OUR FRIENDS.
UM, AND ALSO WE WANT TO REMIND OURSELVES NOT TO LOOK BACK AND NOT TO HANG OUT WHERE WE USED TO HANG OUT OR, OR, UH, EXPOSE OURSELVES TO MOLD IN OUR BUILDING BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING OURSELVES AND WE'RE GONNA BE BUILDING A COMMUNITY.
WE GONNA BE BUILDING AMERICA, LITERALLY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND SO, UM, THANK YOU.
SO, SO YESTERDAY WHEN I STOPPED BY THE CLASS, UH, SIERRA ASKED ME, SHE SAID SHE WAS READY.
SHE HAD WRITTEN HER WHAT SHE WAS GONNA SAY, AND CHRIS ASKED ME, SAID, UH, I'M READY TOO.
YOU WANT TO HEAR IT? HE HAD LIKE EIGHT PAGES.
WHAT? WELL, WHAT HAPPENED?
NO, THE, IT'S, WHEN IT COMES FROM THE HEART, IT COMES FROM THE HEART.
SO I WANT TO INTRODUCE NEXT, THE TWO PROFESSORS
[01:00:01]
WHO THEY TALKED ABOUT.AND I WANT 'EM BOTH TO COME UP HERE.
UH, PROFESSOR BAKARI CHAPMAN AND CO-PRO.
YEAH, THEY ADDRESS ME AS LITTLE BROTHER IN THE CLASS.
'CAUSE YOU GUYS INSPIRED ME EVERY DAY.
SOMETIMES I'LL BE THE ONE GETTING IN THERE LATE.
AND THEY ALL THERE LOOKING AT ME LIKE, WHAT'S UP WITH GUY
YOU GUYS DID EVERY, EVERYTHING WE ASKED YOU STAYED STRONG.
AS YOU SEE, WE STARTED 16, WE ENDED 11.
AND THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE EXPERIENCE, MAN.
UM, I'M THE PROFESSOR AS WELL.
I, I, UM, I I CAME THROUGH THE, I I CAME THROUGH THE PROGRAM TOO, UH, IN 2014.
IT WAS IN, UH, JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.
SO, UH, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TEACHING YOU GUYS.
UM, JUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
AS YOU COULD SEE, THIS ROOM IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE THAT'S HERE TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS.
AND I WANT TO THANK PUBLICLY, THANK, UH, THE COMMISSIONER, JOHN BLIDEN AND, UH, THE BISHOP, NJRC.
'CAUSE IT DEFINITELY FELT LIKE FAMILY THERE.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU GUYS SUCCESS.
SO, UH, LIKE I SAID, DON'T TAKE THIS LIGHTLY 'CAUSE YOU GUYS WORK FOR IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND, UM, JUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
GOAL, WE HAVE, UM, A FEW GIFTS FOR OUR GRADUATES, UH, SOME NICE BOOTS TO GET YOU STARTED AND SOME TOOLS TO GET YOU STARTED.
AND BAKARI AND CHRIS WILL PASS THOSE OUT.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER GIFTS, UH, SOME OTHER ITEMS AS WELL.
WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FROM THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE SOMETHING FROM OUR UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN, DONALD PAYNE JR.
THE 10TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE CERTIFICATES ALSO FROM PATHWAYS, UH, TO APPRENTICE.
SO UNDERSTAND THESE CERTIFICATES, RIGHT? LIKE THAT COMES FROM THE CONGRESSMAN, AND YOU GOT ONE THE OTHER DAY FROM A CONGRESSWOMAN.
YOUR
IT, IT WILL SIT THERE IN PERPETUITY.
YOUR KIDS, YOUR GRANDKIDS CAN GO AND LOOK UP YOUR NAME AND IT WILL APPEAR THERE.
WHAT YOU GET FROM THE COUNTY WILL ETCH YOUR NAMES IN THE HISTORICAL BOOKS OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND WILL BE THERE IN PERPETUITY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK A YEAR AND LOOK IT UP, YOU'LL SEE THE DATE THAT YOU WERE GIVEN THESE RESOLUTIONS.
SO IT'S BIGGER THAN JUST A PIECE OF PAPER HANDED TO YOU, RIGHT? IT'S HISTORICAL.
SO YOU COULD HAND THEM TO THEM WHERE THEY ARE, OR THEY CAN, IT'S UP TO YOU HOW YOU WANT TO DO THIS.
OKAY? SO THEY'RE GONNA CALL YOU UP, HUH? ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT? SO NOW YOU ALL KNOW, RIGHT?
[01:05:26]
NEXT UP IS RAHEEM BAY.AND, AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE A BOARD.
REMEMBER MATT RICHARDS? HE'S ON ORDER OF P TWO A AND, AND, AND I'M GONNA MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOW WHERE SHE DIDN'T ACTUALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT SAY YES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ENCOURAGE HER TO TAKE A BOARD POSITION WITH P TWO A.
AND THAT'S COUNCIL PRESIDENT LAMANA VER WE'RE GOING TO ENCOURAGE HER TO DO SOMETHING.
[01:10:03]
BROTHER.WE'RE BETTING ON, YOU KNOW, YOU GOING TO DO IT.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST SIERRA WATSON.
YEAH, SHE GOT SOME, SHE GOT SOME RHYMING SKILLS.
YEAH, SHE GOT, SHE GOT SOME SKILLS.
AND SO NOW WE'VE PRETTY MUCH COME TO THE END OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, VERY EXCITED FOR THE POSSIBILITIES THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU PRESENT, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND LIKE THE PASTOR TALKED ABOUT, SO I'M NOT A BIBLICAL GUY.
I DON'T KNOW LIKE BIBLE STORIES OR ANY OF THAT STUFF.
I, I, I DO REMEMBER ONE STORY WHERE THEY WERE LEAVING SOMEWHERE AND IT WAS ON FIRE AND THEY SAID, DON'T LOOK BACK.
AND SOMEBODY LOOKED BACK AND TURNED INTO SALT OR SOMETHING.
'CAUSE THEY MIGHT BE GAINING ON YOU.
SO LOOK FORWARD, ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD.
THE NEXT YOUNG MAN I'M GONNA CALL UP IS THE CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF P TWO A NJ, WHO'S BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING P TWO A TO NEW JERSEY.
HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH P TWO A, NEW YORK, WENT DOWN AND FOUNDED P TWO A DELAWARE, CAME TO NEW JERSEY, HELPED ME FIND, FOUND, CO FIND P TWO, A NEW JERSEY.
AND YOU, YOU GUYS KNOW HIM AS THE, AS THE SITUP KING.
HE WAS TRYING TO DO A WHOLE LOT OF SITUPS AND HE'S IN COMPETITION WITH HIS BROTHER TRYING TO DO ALL THEM PUSHUPS.
AND THAT'S THE DAY HE FELL OUT, RIGHT? HE, I, I WASN'T THERE, BUT I HEARD ABOUT HIM.
NO, HE, HE, LISTEN, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T GO TO THE GYM WITH HIM.
[01:15:01]
HE CRAZY.I'M TELLING YOU THE STUFF HE DOES.
I DON'T GO WITH HIM EITHER, BUT HE'S, UH, HE'S A MONSTER IN THAT GYM.
BUT THIS IS THE CO-FOUNDER AND MY PARTNER MR. JOHN BLIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD, I DUNNO.
BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD UNION LABOR IS GOOD AS GOLD UNION.
LO AND TRICKS WILL NOT DIVIDE.
LO AND TRICKS WILL NOT DIVIDE WORKERS STANDING SIDE BY SIDE, WORKERS STANDING SIDE BY SIDE.
WHO GOT THE POWER? WE GOT THE POWER.
WHO GOT THE POWER? WE GOT THE POWER.
WHAT KIND OF POWER? UNION POWER.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN WE HAD AN INFORMATIONAL SESSION, UM, I DID THAT CHANNEL WHOSE CITY IT WAS KIND OF SHAKY, OUR CITY, WHOSE WORK, OUR WORK.
THEN AFTER THE CHANNEL, I ASKED THEM, IS IT REALLY YOUR WORK WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE CITY, PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE YOU? ARE YOU WORKING? AND THE ANSWER WAS NO.
AND THAT WAS THE THING THAT GAVE ME THE FIRE TO GO ON THIS JOURNEY.
BUT I HAVE TO MENTION A BROTHER NAMED VAUGHN CHAMBERS IN NEW YORK.
HE WAS A PART OF A COALITION, UH, JIM HORTON'S COALITION WHERE AFRICAN AMERICANS USED TO HAVE TO ACTUALLY FIGHT TO GET ON JOBS IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY LIVE.
AND VAUGHN CHAMBERS WAS ONE OF THOSE GENTLEMEN THAT WAS HIGHER UP IN ONE OF THOSE COALITIONS AND WAS LET INTO THE LABORS UNION AND WOUND UP WORKING THE CHAIN SHORTLY BEFORE HE RETIRED.
UH, WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN DELAWARE CREATE A P TWO A, THEY WERE TO CONNECT WITH VAUGHN BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS HE DID BEFORE HE RETIRED.
SO I'M REALLY KIND OF EMOTIONAL TODAY BECAUSE WE DONE WALKED THROUGH THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER, RIGHT? UM, I REMEMBER SINCE WE HAVE RIBBONS HERE, I GOTTA GIVE ME A A QUOTE, BUT, UH, ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE TODAY, AND LET ME ASK BY A SHOW OF HANDS BACK THERE, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE KNEW THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING DIED FOR THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS, BLACK WORKERS, THE FORMER UNION? SEE, VERY FEW OF US KNOW THAT.
AND THERE WAS A QUOTE WHEN HE CAME TO MEMPHIS THAT I REMEMBER, AND YOU GUYS REMEMBER, RIGHT? Y'ALL SEEN THE VIDEO AND IT'S SO FITTING TO TO SAY IT NOW.
HE SAID, THERE'S DIGNITY IN ALL LABOR, BUT WE ARE HERE DOING ANOTHER THING.
WE ARE REMINDING NOT JUST MEMPHIS, BUT REMINDING THE NATION THAT IT IS A CRIME FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS RICH NATION TO RECEIVE STARVATION WAGES.
WE BUILD GIGANTIC BUILDINGS TO KISS THE SKIES.
WE BUILT GIGANTIC WITH BRIDGES TO SPAN THE SEAS THROUGH OUR SPACESHIPS.
WE'RE ABLE TO CARVE HIGHWAYS THROUGH THE STRATOSPHERE THROUGH OUR AIRPLANES.
WE'RE ABLE TO DWARF DISTANCE AND PLACE TIME AND CHAINS THROUGH OUR SUBMARINES.
WE'RE ABLE TO PENETRATE OCEANIC DEPTHS.
BUT IT, I HEAR THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE SAY, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE DONE ALL OF THAT, I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU FED ME NOT WOW.
WHEN I SAW THAT VIDEO AND, AND THESE STUDENTS SAW THAT VIDEO THAT STARTED TO FIRE BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE THE SAME ENERGY TOWARDS ORGANIZING AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKERS.
I DIDN'T SAY THE SAME ENERGY IN ORGANIZING PEOPLE FROM SECOND CHANCE COMMUNITIES.
SO WHEN THAT DOOR OPENED UP, I GOTTA SAY THE LABORERS, THE LABORERS EASTERN REGION, MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR PROGRAMS LIKE PATHWAYS TO APPRENTICESHIP TO EXIST.
SO I WANT TO JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, FORGET THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE
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WHO LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.SO LEMME JUST GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS.
UM, WHEN WE STARTED RECRUITING, AND I GOTTA SAY, UH, COUNCILMAN PAT COUNCIL WAS, WAS OUT THERE.
WE WERE HANDING THE FLYERS OUT.
CHRIS WAS HANDING THOSE FLYERS OUT.
WE HAD 235 PEOPLE REGISTERED ONLINE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
WE HAD 139 PEOPLE COME TO INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS.
WE HELD THREE, WE GAVE OUT 99 APPLICATIONS.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO, I WANT Y'ALL TO THINK BACK, RIGHT? CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR A SECOND.
THINK BACK, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY? A FLYER, A EMAIL, A INSTAGRAM.
AND WHEN YOU GOT THAT NOTIFICATION, WHAT DROVE YOU TO MOVE FORWARD? SECONDLY, ONCE YOU CAME TO THAT INFORMATIONAL SESSION AND HEARD WHAT YOU HEARD, WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHTS? WHAT WAS THE THING THAT MADE YOU COME FORWARD FOR AN INTERVIEW? THEN I WANT YOU TO THINK SOME MORE.
WHEN YOU GOT THAT CALL THAT YOU WAS SELECTED AND YOU WERE 16 THAT WAS SELECTED, WHAT WAS THAT THING INSIDE YOU THAT MADE YOU CHALLENGE YOURSELF AND MAKE IT TO THE END? WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE? OKAY.
'CAUSE NOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU HEARD THOSE NUMBERS, RIGHT? A LOT OF PEOPLE MISSED THEIR OPPORTUNITY.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT RIGHT THING INSIDE OF 'EM THAT MAY SAY, I'M GOING TO GO TODAY.
RIGHT? YOU OBVIOUSLY GOT SOMETHING, BUT THAT'S, IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE THURSDAY.
NOW I GOTTA SAY WE PRETEST EVERYBODY WHEN THEY CAME IN, ONLY TWO PEOPLE PASSED WITH EIGHTIES.
UH, AS OF LAST WEEK, THE WEEK BEFORE LAST, WE HAD ALL BUT TWO THAT PASSED AND ONE WAS IN THE SIXTIES AND ONE WAS IN THE FORTIES.
I, I FOUND OUT THIS WEEK, EVERYBODY PASSED.
AND I GOTTA SAY, YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS BECAUSE WE LOST OUR INSTRUCTOR.
UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR INSTRUCTOR FOUR YEARS AND WE WAS ABLE TO HAVE LIKE SOME KIND OF SECRET INGREDIENT BECAUSE ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WAS A PROFESSOR AND GAVE US THAT INGREDIENTS, THAT GREEK LEARNING.
SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS THAT, UH, WE MAY LOSE OUR MAGIC BECAUSE LIKE JOE SAID, OUR FIRST CLASS, EVERYBODY TOOK, IT PASSED.
BUT I GOTTA SAY CHRIS AND BAKARI, I MEAN, THEY'RE SUPERSTARS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, THEY GOT SOME KIND OF COMMUNICATION.
I MEAN, SO, SO I SAW, I ASKED AKARI TO GIVE SOME INSTRUCTIONS, UH, SOMETHING, AND THE CLASS WAS SITTING THERE.
HE SAID, HEY, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
HE DIDN'T LOOK AT THEM AND THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT HIM.
SO I'M LIKE, WHAT WAS THAT? SO I, I SAID, HEY, DID Y'ALL GET WHAT HE SAID? YEAH, WHAT WAS IT? AND THEY REPEATED IT.
SO IT IS THE WILDEST THING, THIS NEW GENERATION, THEY DIDN'T EVEN GOTTA LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND TALK LOUD TO GET IN
BUT LET'S GET BACK TO A SERIOUS NOTE.
YOU GOT A WEEK AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THIS CLASS, THE STRONG HELP, THE WEAK TO THE POINT THAT THE WHOLE CLASS IS STRONG, RIGHT? WE GOT ONE MORE WEEK AND I, WE ARE GONNA MAKE IT AVAILABLE.
ANYBODY THAT WANNA CONTINUE TUTORING UNTIL THURSDAY, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
ALRIGHT? I ALSO WANT TO SAY, WE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND I WAS JUST SO HAPPY TO HEAR
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WHEN COMMISSIONER ASKED HIM FOR SOME VOLUNTEER WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, HALF THE CLASS SHOWED UP.NOW I KNOW THE HALF THAT DIDN'T SHOWED UP.
I KNOW THEY WAS P****D OFF, BUT THEY FOUND OUT, YOU KNOW, SOME STIPENDS WAS GIVING OUT, BUT
BUT, UH, YEAH, IT, IT WAS VOLUNTEER.
BUT, UM, WHAT I WANNA SAY IS LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET READY, LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT THAT NEXT HURDLE.
AND THAT'S THURSDAY, RIGHT? AND ONCE WE GET PAST THAT HURDLE, I WANT YOU TO KEEP ON THINKING ABOUT WHAT IT WAS TO KEEP YOU MOVING FORWARD.
BECAUSE THEN YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU GET THAT SHOT.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THAT TRAINING IN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
BUT YOU REMEMBER I MENTIONED TO YOU ABOUT WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE FIELD AND I USED TO BE WHEELING AND DEALING OUT IN THE STREET, BIG BALL IN THE STREET.
AND THEN I WENT ON THAT CONSTRUCTION SITE AND THEY TOLD ME, GET IN THE HOLE, AND THEY WAS TALKING TO ME NASTY AND SAY, YOU PICK UP THE COFFEE, YOU GET THE DONUTS.
AND, AND, AND, UH, THERE WAS ABOUT TWO TIMES I I WAS SAYING, GET THIS, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THEY TALKING TO, BUT SOMETHING INSIDE SAID, NO, SOMEBODY'S INVESTING IN ME.
NOW STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM AND NOW TO THE TOP.
SO REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE SOME CHALLENGING TIMES, YOU'RE GONNA BE ON JOB SITES WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE THE ONLY ONE THAT LOOK LIKE YOU.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU HAVE SUPPORT, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE AND YOUR FAMILY REMEMBER THAT.
SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
UM, I GOTTA SAY, I DEFINITELY WANNA SAY HE GONNA LET YOU KNOW THAT CHRIS, I GOTTA SAY, I GOTTA TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT CHRIS BACARDI.
YOU KNOW, HE'S THE DISCIPLINARIAN, RIGHT? RIGHT.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY TO KEEP THINGS STRAIGHT AND NARROW.
I I, I, EVERYBODY THOUGHT HE WAS ROUGH BECAUSE BAKARI, HE'S HE'S LITTLE BROTHER, SO HE'S A LITTLE SMOOTHER, RIGHT? AM I RIGHT?
AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF EVERYONE HERE.
JEN, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP? YES.
NOW, NOW TELL ME, DO Y'ALL REMEMBER WHERE DO YOU REMEMBER THIS CREW FROM? SAY IT LOUD INTERVIEWS.
I MEAN, I MEAN THIS CLASS, Y'ALL STOOD OUT LIKE SORE THUMBS.
WE WAS CONFIDENT IN THIS CLASS AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE MADE SOME GOOD DECISIONS, RIGHT? YES.
WE MADE SOME GOOD DECISIONS, RIGHT? AND YOU CAN'T SAY, YOU CAN'T SAY, I CAN'T SAY IT IN WORDS ABOUT OUR PRESIDENT, MR. WAYNE RICHARDSON.
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW EASY HE MAKE IT.
ALL I GOTTA DO IS FOCUS ON THE CLASS.
I DON'T GOTTA FOCUS ON NO POLITICS,
WE HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE FOR THAT.
ALL WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON IS YOU GUYS.
SO THIS WAS SO REWARDING AND WHAT I EXPECT IS LEARN.
AND Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT? SAY IT AGAIN.
I WANT YOU TO EARN AND NOW WE GONNA WANT YOU TO RETURN BECAUSE I'M LOOKING TO RETIRE IN A FEW YEARS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME FUTURE LEADERS.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE IN THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY 20 YEARS AGO.
THAT'S WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION.
YOU COULD BE ELECTED OFFICIAL.
YOU COULD BE ELECTED OFFICIAL.
YOU COULD BE A BUSINESS MANAGER, YOU COULD BE A TRAINING DIRECTOR, YOU COULD BE A PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MR. JOHN BLACK.
I WILL BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE CLERK OF THE BOARD, DEBRA DAVIS FORD AND HER STAFF WHO PUT ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS SEAMLESS.
UM, I'LL GET IN TROUBLE, BUT I DEFINITELY WANT
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TO HAVE MY, UH, BOARD IN P TWO, A DELAWARE BOARD TO STAND UP.SO NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO BAKARI AND CHRIS TO GIVE YOU BACK THE GIFTS THEY ALREADY GAVE YOU.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME PICTURES IF YOU LIKE.
WE'LL TAKE SOME PICTURES WITH THE GRADUATES.