While watching the LA Riots from 1994, after the Rodney King police beating on The American History Channel, it became clear to me that there is a need for more African Americans to tell our stories. Watching the black male prosecutor tell Rodney King’s story to the Court, where the jurors were made up of seven whites, one Asian and one Latina persons completely, and how his portrayal did not persuade them. The jurors found the white police officers not guilty.
This was not the first time I had seen this story; in fact, I was 19 years of age when it happened, and I remember the verdict and the resulting riots. But this time it was different. Maybe it is because I am now 47 and at a totally different place in life. Nonetheless, I have now processed the Rodney King beating, Sandra Bland, George Floyd, and countless other situations like these in a way that has ignited a fire in my soul to do something more.
Watching this program made it unequivocally clear that:
- I love to learn.
- I love to express.
- I have been trained to speak and write effectively.
- I am a storyteller
While practicing law is a form of storytelling, my purpose goes far beyond the courtroom. My primary purpose is to make a difference, to encourage and inspire people to change their negative thoughts and behaviors. I am to help others keep their faith, hold on to their hope and never stop loving despite all the barriers and challenges they may face. Most of all, I realize that my purpose is to use my spirit creatively to bring love, peace, and joy.
Storytelling is what I will do for the rest of my life. I will not only tell my stories, but I will join others who too believe that storytelling is the catalyst to help bring about massive change. After all, it is false stories that have created and nurtured the current environment in which we live. As Oprah Winfrey would say, this was an “ah ha” moment. Finally, the light went off in my head and all the old sayings and scriptures started to make sense. I have always wanted to get an understanding and I have always tried to provide it to others. Storytelling is a great way to provide a clear understanding. And where there is understanding there can be growth; and where there is growth, change will follow.
The vision is clear now – I am purposed to tell true stories that will lead to a change of hearts and minds in people. I am purposed to encourage others, especially people of African descent to share their stories that will lead to positive transformation in our culture, the culture of others and people around the world.
This moment of clarity is a breakthrough in my heart and mind. While I was confident that I would create a business to serve others I struggled over the last decade plus to figure out how to carry out this plan. You see, I went to law school to become a civil rights lawyer, or at least that is what I thought I wanted to do. Then after graduation everything except what I had planned happened. First, I would find myself jobless and homeless. You are probably in shock by this information, I was too. Unfortunately, graduating from law school did not bring the joy I expected. Instead, it appeared as though I had died and gone to hell.
The fact that I had stepped out on Faith by leaving my “secure” corporate job to return to graduate school and law school full-time already had me at the top of the ghetto gossip column for people making stupid choices. You know it is hard when people cannot see your vision, so imagine what it must have been like for me. I graduated from law school in one of the worst recessions in American history. It was the first time that I would not get the job I desired most. Worst of all I had turned down the other offers before being sure that I had the offer I wanted.
How could I have been so stupid? I asked myself this question repeatedly, particularly when I felt a bit overwhelmed with my life struggles. This was the first time I had a major flaw with my Faith. Prior to this point in my life, my Faith worked like a charm. I had received whatever job I wanted every other time before and up to that point. I was devastated by the turn of events after law school. Then to make matters worse, within the less than six months after graduation, I heard my inner voice, the Holy Spirit tell me to make God known to others. What? I hissed like a cat to myself. Then thought, I know God is not trying to get me to become a minister. I remember saying to myself no way I had just finished law school only to become a minister. Besides, what would my Uncle Booker think after he co-signed a year of my loans to attend law school.
No way God! Yes, that is what I said, no way! There was no way I, a sinner could become a minister. Not to mention how I was going to get paid. I said Lord I am too poor to minister to anybody. Who can I help? Look at me, I was supposed to be a lawyer and now I am nothing. And you want me to become a minister, I must have heard wrong I thought to myself.
Though I tried to reject God’s plan, it was divinely destined that I would travel a path of pain that would ultimately lead to my power and purpose. You see I had sown many seeds of Faith, and so did my family, friends and even strangers. And it is harvest time baby! The seeds have blossomed into trees of freedom, influence, love, power, strength, and wisdom.
This is my harvest time. I am now bearing the fruit that will continue to undergird my Imani (Faith) which is necessary for me to carry out my Nia (Purpose). You see, I went to law school to do civil rights work. At least this was my plan, noble right. However, practicing law is different from the way in which I will do my greatest work. I now know that the last thirteen (13) years have been purposely pruning and preparing me to powerfully fulfill my purpose. Most of all, this time has increased my faith 100 times so that if I dare to pause at the idea of forging ahead by living out my purpose, I will not hesitate. Instead, I will happily and humbly keep moving, knowing that regardless of what I feel, or others think, so long as I keep the faith I will never fail.
“This is my Harvest time!”