>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE!

I'M REVEREND ELIJAH McDAVID, III, AND IT'S MY PROFOUND HONOR TO BE YOUR HOST TODAY.

I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM THE FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS WHERE I AM PRIVILEGED TO SERVE AS PASTOR.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] AND IT IS MY JOY TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR STATE'S 38th ANNUAL EVENT HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE REVEREND Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. WOULD YOU DO ME A FAVOR, IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME AT THIS EVENT, WOULD YOU MAKE SOME NOISE?

[ CHEERS ] NOW, IF YOU'RE GLAD TO BE BACK AT THIS EVENT, WOULD YOU MAKE SOME NOISE?

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] AND NOW WOULD EVERYBODY GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE OF EXCITEMENT FOR ALL OF OUR AWARDEES, OUR MUSICIANS, OUR FIRESIDE CHAT KEYNOTE.

[ APPLAUSE ] INDEED, ALL OF US BACK STAGE SHARE IN YOUR EXCITEMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRAVING THE COLD AND FOR SACRIFICING YOUR DAY OFF TO BE HERE FOR THIS SPECIAL OCCASION.

THIS MORNING, YOU ARE IN FOR A GREAT TREAT.

FOR THE PAST 38 YEARS, THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL HAS LOSTED AN EVEN TO -- HOSTED AN EVEN TO HONOR THE Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING'S LEGACY AND TO INSPIRE OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS THE GENERATIONS TO LIVE OUT HIS VISION.

TODAY WE GATHER TO COMMEMORATE ON WHAT WHAIVE Dr. KING'S 95th BIRTHDAY.

NOW, DURING OUR PROGRAM TODAY, WE WILL CELEBRATE SO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE DONE THE WONDERFUL WORK TO CARRY ON THE LEGACY OF Dr. KING'S VALUES, BUT WE KNOW THERE IS SO MUCH MORE ORK TO BE DONE.

WE LIVE IN A STATE INFAMOUS FOR ITS SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES AND BRUTAL ACTS OF POLICE VIOLENCE.

AND, SO, WE HEAR WITH POIGNANT URGENCY Dr. KING'S CALL FOR HUMAN DIGNITY, ECONOMIC EQUALITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN.

NOW, BEFORE I GO TOO FAR, I SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT MYSELF AS A WORD OF WARNING.

I AM THE PASTOR OF A BLACKITY BLACK CHURCH.

AN UNASHAMED AND UNAPOLOGETIC BLACK CHURCH.

AND, SO, WHILE I AM GRATEFUL TO BE HERE IN ALL HONESTY, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT THEY INVITED A BLACK BAPTIST PREACH TOWER CELEBRATE A PROPHET FROM OUR OWN RELIGIOUS TRADITION BECAUSE I COME FROM A TRADITION WHERE WE DON'T SANITIZE Dr. KING'S LEGACY OR CHERRY PICK HIS WORDS.

[ APPLAUSE ] WE DON'T TWIST AND MISQUOTE.

NO, AT MY CHURCH, WE BELIEVE IN LETTING Dr. KING'S WORDS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

SO, CAN I SHARE WHAT HE SAID DIRECTLY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLACK IN AMERICA FOR INDEED THESE WORDS ARE STILL TRUE TODAY.

Dr. KING SAID THAT BEING A NEGRO IN AMERICA MEANS TRYING TO SMILE WHEN YOU WANT TO CRY.

IT MEANS TRYING TO HOLD ONTO PHYSICAL LIFE AMID PSYCHOLOGICAL DEATH.

IT MEANS THE PAIN OF WATCHING YOUR CHILDREN GROW UP WITH CLOUDS OF INFERIORITY IN THEIR MENTAL SKIES.

IT MEANS BEING HARRIED BY DAY AND HAUNTED BY NIGHT BY A NAGGING SENSE OF NOBODINESS.

IT MEANS THE CHE AND THE ANGUISH OF LIVING IN SO MANY SITUATIONS WHERE HOPES UNBORN HAVE DIED.

Dr. KING DIDN'T JUST SHARE A PROPHETIC DREAM, HE ALSO SPOKE TO THE REALITY OF THE NIGHTMARE THAT HIS PEOPLE ERE EXPERIENCING.

AND I WANT TO HONOR THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM TODAY WHO ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THAT NIGHTMARE WHILE PRAYING EARNESTLY FOR THE DREAM TO COME TO PASS.

TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WAITING ON AMERICA TO BECOME ALL THAT IT CAN BE, I HONOR YOUR STRUGGLE AND YOUR TRAUMA.

AS A BLACK MAN, GASPING FOR AIR IN A COUNTRY THAT DOESN'T ALLOW PEOPLE LIKE ME TO BREATHE, ALLOW ME TO SHARE WHY THIS OLIDAY MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, I DROVE MY PARENTS TO ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND E PULLED ONTO THE CAMPUS OF MOREHOUSE COLLEGE AND BEGAN TO HAUL LUGGAGE OUT OF OUR CAR AND INTO THE TO REMEMBER TOWER -- DORMITORY.

AS I WAS LIFTING MY UGGAGE UP THE STEPS, ONE OF THE RESIDENTIAL ADVISORS TOLD ME AND MY CLASSMATES TO SLOW DOWN, WALK WITH REVERENCE, FOR WE WERE MOVING INTO THE SAME TOM WHERE MARTIN LUTHER KING LIVED AND STUDIED.

EVER SINCE THAT MOMENT, HIS LELACY HAS LOOMED LARGE OVER MY LIFE AND IT'S MY FERVENT PRAYER THAT MY LIFE IN MINISTRY WOULD NOT BE THE DISAPPOINTMENT TO THE ONE WHO SACRIFICED SO MUCH ON MY BEHALF.

THEREFORE, TODAY, I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME AS WE HOLD THIS HOLIDAY IN REVERENCE.

I KNOW AS AN EMCEE, I'M SUPPOSED TO TELL JOKES AND MAKE YOU SMILE, BUT Dr. KING WAS NOT A COMIC, HE WAS A MARTYR.

[ APPLAUSE ] WHICH MEANS THAT TODAY IS A DAY FOR US TO REFLECT RATHER THAN BE ENTERTAINED.

TODAY IS A DAY FOR US TO FEEL CONVICTED RATHER THAN FEEL COMFORTABLE.

TODAY IS A DAY FOR US TO BE INSPIRED RATHER THAN TO FEEL SATISFIED.

AND, SO, TODAY I INVITE YOU TO SIT WITH US IN THE TENSION OF THIS HOLIDAY AND PERHAPS IN THE STRANGE TENSION OF THIS MOMENT, WE MIGHT DISCERN A BETTER PATH FORWARD.

BUT LET US NOT AVOID THE TENSION.

IT'S STRANGE TO HAVE A HOLIDAY FOR A KING WHILE IGNORING THE GENOCIDAL DESTRUCTION OF PRECIOUS SOULS IN PALESTINE.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] Dr. KING REFUSED TO REMAIN SILENT ABOUT THE VIOLENCE IN VIETNAM AND WE SHOULD ALSO REFUSE TO REMAIN SILENT ABOUT VIOLENCE ANYWHERE.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] IT'S STRANGE TO HAVE A HOLIDAY FOR A KING WHILE WE FORCE MIGRANTS TO DROWN IN THE RIO GRANDE, RATHER THAN ALLOW THEM TO WALK SAFELY INTO THE AMERICAN DREAM THAT WE SO BROADLY ADVERTISE.

IT'S STRANGE TO HAVE A HOLIDAY FOR A KING WHILE BLACK HISTORY AND CULTURE IS BEING SYSTEMATICALLY GUTTED FROM OUR CHILDREN'S CLASSROOMS.

[ APPLAUSE ] IT'S STRANGE TO HAVE A HOLIDAY FOR A KING WHILE ALL OF OUR PROGRESS IN THE AREAS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION SIT ON LIFE SUPPORT.

AND, YET, WHILE THE POWERS THAT BE CONTINUE TO TEAR DOWN AND ROLL BACK SO MANY OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR ELDERS, WE GATHER IN DEFIANT BOLDNESS TO PROCLAIM Dr. KING'S WORDS THAT TRUTH CRUSHED TO THE EARTH WILL RISE AGAIN.

[ APPLAUSE ] JUSTICE AND PEACE WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY.

EVERY PROPHECY THAT WAS CONDEMNED SHALL COME TO PASS.

THE OPPRESSED AND THE MARGINALIZED WILL OVERCOME AND ONE DAY OUR COUNTRY AND OUR FLAG MIGHT GENUINELY PROCLAIM LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I INVITE US TO BEGIN TODAY WITH THE RESENTATION OF THE COLORS AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY THE HENNEPIN COUNTY HONOR GUARD.

LET US CELEBRATE WITH REVERENCE AND LET US HONOR THE FULLNESS OF Dr. KING'S DREAM AND HIS NIGHTMARE.

>> I APLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU ALL.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

THANK YOU TO THE HENNEPIN COUNTY HONOR GUARD FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION.

AND NOW WE WILL BE INSPIRED BY THE COMBINED VOICES OF THE ROBBINSDALE AREA SCHOOLS FAIR CRYSTAL SCHOOL YOUTH CHOIR AND THE BEST CHURCH CHOIR IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] THE FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY BALLPARK APPROXIMATE TEST CHURCH CHOIR.

THESE GROUPS ARE GUIDED BY TWIN CITIES MUSICAL LEDGE END AND GRAMMY WINNER, BILLY STEELE AND FAIR CRYSTAL CHORUS DIRECTOR KIMBERLY KEATON.

WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE THIS POWERFUL COMBINATION OF MULTIGENERATIONAL VOICES COMBINED TOGETHER IN ONE DELIGHTFUL CHORUS.

SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN AS WE WELCOME THESE GROUPS AND AS WE JOIN TOGETHER, WE WILL SHARE IN A SINGING OF THE GREAT NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM WHICH ECHOES THE SENTIMENTS OF AND -- AND HEARTS OF THIS HOLIDAY.

LET US RISE ONE MORE TIME AS WE JOIN OUR VOICES IN THE BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM, LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING.

THE LYRICS ARE LOCATED IN YOUR PROGRAM SO YOU MAY JOIN IN.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] ♪ ♪ LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING ♪ ♪ TILL EARTH AND HEAVEN RING ♪ ♪ RING WITH THE HARMONIES OF LIBERTY ♪ ♪ LET OUR REJOICING RISE ♪ ♪ HIGH AS THE LISTENING SKIES ♪ ♪ LET IT RESOUND LOUD AS THE ROLLING SEA ♪ ♪ SING A SONG FULL OF THE FAITH THAT THE DARK PAST HAS AUGHT US ♪ ♪ SING A SONG FULL OF THE HOPE THAT THE PRESENT HAS BROUGHT US ♪ ♪ FACING THE RISING SUN OF OUR NEW DAY BEGUN ♪ ♪ LET US MARCH ON TILL VICTORY IS WON ♪ ♪ STONY THE ROAD WE READY TO ♪ ♪ BITTER THE CHAST'NING ROD ♪ ♪ FELT N THE DAYS WHEN HOPE UNBORN HAS DIED ♪ ♪ YET WITH A STEADY BEAT ♪ ♪ HAVE NOT OUR WEARY FEET ♪ ♪ COME TO THE PLACE FOR WHICH OUR FATHERS SIGHED ♪ ♪ WE HAVE COME OVER A WAY THAT WITH TEARS HAS BEEN WATERED ♪ ♪ WE HAVE COME, TREADING OUR PATH THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE SLAUGHTERED ♪ ♪ OUT FROM THE GLOOMY PAST ♪ ♪ TILL NOW WE STAND AT LAST ♪ ♪ WHERE THE WHITE GLEAM OF OUR BRIGHT STAR IS CAST ♪ GOD OF OUR WEARY YEARS ♪ ♪ GOD OF OUR SILENT TEARS ♪ ♪ THOU WHO HAS BROUGHT US THUS FAR ON THE WAY ♪ ♪ THOU WHO HAST BY THY MIGHT ♪ ♪ LED US INTO THE LIGHT ♪ 6.

♪ KEEP US FOREVER IN THE PATH, WE PRAY ♪ ♪ LEST OUR FEET STRAY FROM THE PLACES, OUR GOD, WHERE WE MET THEE ♪ ♪ LEST OUR HEARTS, DRUNK ITH THE WINE OF THE WORLD WE FORGET THEE ♪ ♪ SHADOWED BENEATH THY HAND ♪ ♪ MAY WE FOREVER STAND ♪ ♪ TRUE TO OUR GOD ♪ ♪ TRUE TO OUR NATIVE LAND ♪ [ APPLAUSE ] >> YOU MAY BE SEATED AS WE GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME FOR THE FAIR CRYSTAL SCHOOL CHORUS AND THE FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH CHOIR.

WE THANK HEM FOR LEADING US AND DON'T WORRY, THEY'LL BE BACK TO GIVE US MORE SONG AND WONDERFUL INSPIRATION.

LISTEN, AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS ONLY MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK OF SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

CHIEF AMONG THOSE IS THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY.

THE COUNCIL'S PURPOSE IS TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., ARE RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

FIRST ESTABLISHED BY GOVERNOR RUDY PERPICH IN 1986, THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN RE-ESTABLISHED OR CONTINUED BY SUCCEEDING GOVERNORS.

THE FINE MEMBERS OF THE 2024 COUNCIL HAVE PREPARED AN AMAZING VENT FOR US.

AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO STAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.

[ APPLAUSE ] ALONGSIDE THE COUNCIL WE HAVE OUR AMAZING HOSTS AND SPONSORS.

TODAY'S EVENT IS HOSTED BY GOVERNOR TIM WALZ, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PEGGY FLANAGAN, AND THIS YEAR'S EXCLUSIVE DIAMOND SPONSOR IS U.S. BANK.

ALLOW ME TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE PRESENCE OF GOVERNOR WALZ ND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FLANAGAN.

CAN WE IVE THEM A WELL-DESERVED ROUND OF APPLAUSE?

[ APPLAUSE ] AND OW WE'RE PRIVILEGED TO HEAR GREETINGS FROM OUR SPONSOR, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME AS WE WELCOME TO THE STAGE Mr. GREG CUNNINGHAM, THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER FOR U.S. BANK.

LET'S WELCOME HIM AS HE COMES TO THE STAGE.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD MORNING.

IT REALLY IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE ON A DAY THAT HOLDS SUCH INCREDIBLE AND PROFOUND SIGNIFICANCE.

I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA'S Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY CELEBRATION.

I WANT TO ALSO THANK GOVERNOR WALZ AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FLANAGAN FOR INVITING ME AND ALL OF US HERE.

I WANT O ALSO THANK AND RECOGNIZE THE COMMITTEE LED BY THE INCREDIBLE Dr. STEPHANIE BURRAGE.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] IT IS INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THE COMMITTEE DOES AND WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF FUN DOING IT, TOO, I MUST SAY.

YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK OUT IN THE AUDIENCE, I SEE POLICY MAKERS, I SEE COMMUNITY LEADERS, I SEE STUDENTS, I SEE PARENTS, I SEE FAMILIES ALL HERE EAGER TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF Dr. KING.

BUT WHAT MAKES THIS EVENT SO SPECIAL IS THAT IT ALLOWS ALL MINNESOTANS TO LINK ARMS AND CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF THIS INCREDIBLE MAN'S LIFE.

THIS EYE TOWARDS TRUE INCLUSION IS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL REASONS U.S. BANK BECAME A SPONSOR AND A KEY PARTNER TO HELP MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE.

IN HIS FAMOUS I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH, Dr. KING SPOKE OF THE INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN CIVIL RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS.

HE BELIEVED SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED AND SO DO WE.

AT U.S. BANK, WE CARRY OUT Dr. KING'S MESSAGE WITH A FOCUS ON INCLUSIVE GROWTH.

WE LAUNCHED U.S. BANK ACCESS COMMITMENT A FEW YEARS AGO, WHICH WAS OUR LONG-TERM APPROACH TO HELP CLOSE THE WEALTH GAP IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

THROUGH ACCESS COMMITMENT, WE HELP PEOPLE BECOME HOMEOWNERS, WE PROVIDE CAPITAL FOR SMALL BUSINESSES ND ENTREPRENEURS SO HAT THEY CAN GROW.

AND WE ASSIST INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH.

ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE, WHEN I THINK ABOUT Dr. KING, I'M REMINDED OF THE IDEALS HE CHAMPIONED.

IDEALS THAT INSPIRE AND GUIDE ME WHENEVER I'M FACED WITH AN IMPORTANT DECISION OR DIFFICULT CHALLENGE IN MY OWN LIFE.

YOU KNOW, HIS WORDS AND ACTIONS TAUGHT ME TO HOLD ONTO MY OPTIMISM, TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN MY COMMUNITY, AND TO STRIVE ALWAYS FOR PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING.

HE ALSO TAUGHT ME TO NEVER SURRENDER EITHER TO MY OWN FEAR OR TO THE CHALLENGES THAT I'M FACED WITH.

I OFTEN REFLECT ON MY OWN JOURNEY, WHICH WAS DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE VALUES OF MY COMMUNITY.

GROWING UP, I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE POWER OF RESILIENCE, UNYIELDING SPIRIT OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO SURROUNDED ME.

I SAW IT IN MY FATHER, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, WHOSE BUSINESS WAS DESTROYED IN THE UNREST FOLLOWING Dr. KING'S ASSASSINATION.

AFTERWARDS, HE APPROACHED A DOWNTOWN BANK TO GET A LOAN TO RESTORE HIS BUSINESS, HIS LIVELIHOOD, AND HIS DIGNITY.

THE BANK SAID NO.

HOWEVER, IT WAS A WHITE MAN, Mr. LUTZ, WHO LENT MY DAD THE MONEY TO REBUILD.

AND THIS ASPECT OF THE STORY IS WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.

AS Dr. KING STATED IN HIS LETTERS FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL, IN A REAL SENSE, ALL LIFE IS INTERRELATED.

ALL MEN ARE CAUGHT IN AN INESCAPABLE NETWORK OF MUTUALITY.

TIED IN A SINGLE GARMENT OF DESTINY.

WHAT AFFECTS DIRECTLY, AFFECTS ALL OF US INDIRECTLY.

AND I CANNOT BE ALL I OUGHT TO BE UNTIL ALL OF YOU ARE ALL YOU OUGHT TO BE.

AND YOU CANNOT BE ALL YOU OUGHT TO BE UNTIL I'M ALL I OUGHT TO BE.

THIS IS THE INESCAPABLE FRAMEWORK FOR REALITY.

WHAT Mr. LUTZ UNDERSTOOD IN ADDITION O HIS INCREDIBLE COMPASSION WAS THAT WEALTH INEQUALITIES ARE BAD FOR ALL AMERICANS.

THIS IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE WE CAN ALL AGREE ON.

WEALTH DISPARITIES ARE A DRAG ON OUR ECONOMY AS A WHOLE AND NEGATIVELY AFFECTS THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN.

IN THIS WAY WE MUST LOOK FORWARD TOGETHER AND RIGHT HERE IN MINNESOTA WE'RE SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR THE ENTIRE NATION THROUGH OUR SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAMS, WHICH MAKE IT EASIER FOR PROSPECTIVE HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO GET LOANS AND THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OPERATION HOPE, WE'RE RAISING CREDIT SCORES, THROUGH FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND COACHING.

SO TODAY AS WE HONOR Dr. KING, LET US REMEMBER THE RESILIENCE OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US, LET US CARRY THEIR SPIRIT FORWARD, LET US CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR A ORLD THAT REFLECTS OUR SHARED VALUES OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY, AND A WORLD THAT AFFORDS GENUINE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE.

LET US GO FORWARD IN SERVICE, ENJOY THE EST OF THE PROGRAM, AND HAPPY MLK DAY.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> GOVERNOR WALZ, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FLANAGAN AND Mr. CUNNINGHAM, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THIS PROGRAM AND TO OUR STATE AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

YOUR EFFORTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

ONCE MORE, EVERYONE, LET'S CELEBRATE OUR HOST AND OUR SPONSOR THIS MORNING.

[ APPLAUSE ] NOW WE'VE COME TO THE TIME IN OUR PROGRAM WHERE WE GET TO HEAR FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE TO OUR STATE AND TO UR COMMUNITIES.

NOW, KNOW MANY PEOPLE IN YEARS PAST, I'VE BEEN TOLD, HAVE LAMENTED THE EXTENDED LENGTH OF THIS PROGRAM.

YOU ALL KNOW THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE QUITE ELOQUENT AND QUITE PASSIONATE AND THAT CAN TAKE US WELL INTO IS THE AFTERNOON HOURS, BUT WE WANT TO HONOR THE HOLIDAY AND HONOR YOUR TIME TODAY, SO WE'VE MADE A PIVOT, AN ADJUSTMENT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, TO RECEIVE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY.

[ APPLAUSE ] THIS YEAR, WE ARE REMINDING OURSELVES TO KEEP YOUTH AT THE FOREFRONT AND THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

AND, SO, WE'VE INVITED SEVERAL TALENTED AND AMAZING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THIS PORTION OF THE PROGRAM.

OUR YOUTH TRAVELED TO THE STATE CAPITOL TO GATHER ANSWERS TO SOME VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, SUCH AS, WHAT DOES Dr. KING'S DREAM MEAN TO YOU?

AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KEEP Dr. KING'S LEGACY ALIVE?

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AND LISTEN TO WHAT OUR YOUTH LEARNED THAT DAY AT THE CAPITOL.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> COME ON, WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.

LET'S CELEBRATE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

LET'S RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO INVEST IN THEIR DREAMS, THEIR POTENTIAL, THEIR HOPES.

[ APPLAUSE ] WE'RE SO GRATEFUL.

WAS THAT A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE LAST YEAR?

YOU ALL LIKED THAT FORMAT, LIKED HEARING FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ALONGSIDE OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

LISTEN, AS WE CONTINUE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT OUR FUTURE IS IN GOOD HANDS, NOW WE GET TO WELCOME BACK TO HE STAGE, SOME OTHER TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU JUST HEARD FROM THEM EARLIER, BUT SO WE'RE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME THE FAIR CRYSTAL SCHOOL BACK TO THE STAGE.

FAIRFAIR CRYSTAL SCHOOL IN THE ROBBINSDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS KNOWN AS A BEACON OF 21st CENTURY LEARNING, GROUNDED IN EQUITY, AND DEFINED BY ARTS AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, WHERE ALL STUDENTS ACHIEVE, THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF THE ARTS, TECHNOLOGY, CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND ACTIVE, COMMITTED COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

THESE STUDENTS HAVE WORKED VERY HARD.

IT'S NOT EASY TO STAND BEFORE A CROWD OF HIS SIZE AND, SO, I WANT US TO MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME TO CELEBRATE THEM AND TO POUR OUR LOVE ON THEM.

WON'T YOU HELP ME AS WE WELCOME THEM BACK TO THE STAGE AND AS WE GET PREPARED TO RECEIVE A BLESSED AND AMAZING MUSICAL SELECTION FROM THE FAIR CRYSTAL SCHOOL CHOIR.

GIVE IT UP FOR THEM ONE MORE TIME AS THEY COME.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, IN HONOR OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S DAY, IN HONOR OF Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S DAY, WE'RE GOING STAND UP FOR WHAT WE STAND FOR.

AND THERE ARE MANY OF US WHO STAND HERE IN HONOR - OF Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., AND IF WE HAVE TO LEAD OUR VOICES AND KEEP DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO STEAL WHAT WE RE HERE FOR TODAY.

[ APPLAUSE ] WE WILL STAND FOR WHAT Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., STANDS FOR.

AND WE ARE GOING TO RAISE OUR VOICES, JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, IN HONOR OF Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., TODAY!

[ APPLAUSE ] TODAY!

WE WILL NOT SIT DOWN AT ALL FOR ANY INJUSTICES.

KEEP CLAPPING.

KEEP STANDING.

LET'S YOUR VOICES BE KNOWN.

BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ABOUT.

WE WILL NOT -- WE WILL NOT STOP LEADING IN THIS SPACE.

[ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU, STUDENTS.

BECAUSE YOU EARNED A LESSON TODAY.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] THANK YOU.

WE NEVER STAND ALONE.

AND WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE AND STAND TOGETHER, WE WILL ALWAYS FIGHT INJUSTICE.

AND IF WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO IT AGAIN, WE WILL.

AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SPACE FOR OUR WONDERFUL STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO PERFORM TODAY.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] >> I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK.

BUT I JUST WANT TO LET MY STUDENTS KNOW HOW PROUD I AM OF THEM IN THIS MOMENT.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] AND I THINK IT'S SO APPROPRIATE THAT THE SONG THAT WE'RE GOING TO SING, THE CHORUS SAYS, "I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER."

AND IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE IGNORING THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE HEARD.

WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ALL MATTER.

AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING.

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH.

BUT TODAY, UT TODAY, TODAY WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOWARDS A PEACEFUL AGREEMENT, A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT.

IF NOT FOR ANYBODY BUT FOR OUR CHILDREN.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN.

SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE STUDENTS OF FAIR, AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM, I KNOW THIS WASN'T ON THE PROGRAM, BUT THESE ARE SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS, I TEACH ABOUT 300 CHOIR STUDENTS, AND THESE STUDENTS WERE SELECTED TO SING HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY SHOWED ME THAT THEY WANTED TO.

SO I BROUGHT THEM.

AND, SO, WE WILL SING A SONG CALLED "POWERFUL," AND THE WORDS ARE VERY POWERFUL.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[ APPLAUSE ] ♪ PEOPLE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT ♪ WE WON'T JUST STAND HERE IN SILENCE ♪ CAN'T STOP THE FIRE FROM RISING RISING ♪ OOH, OOH ♪ PEOPLE DON'T YOU BE AFRAID ♪ SO MANY INNOCENTS SLAIN ♪ THIS IS AN ERA FOR CHANGE ♪ CHANGE ♪ AND MALCOLM'S PROBABLY TURNING IN HIS GRAVE ♪ EVERY SHADE WAS BEAUTIFULLY MADE ♪ AND POWERFUL ♪ THERE'S SO MUCH STRENGTH IN YOU AND ME ♪ POWERFUL ♪ A BREATH AWAY FROM VICTORY ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ALL ♪ I MATTER, UOU MATTER, WE MATTER ALL ♪ POWERFUL ♪ POWERFUL ♪ I SEE A COLORFUL FUTURE ♪ WHERE SKIN DON'T DEFINE ANY HUMAN ♪ AND STARS ARE THE ONLY THING SHOOTING ♪ SHOOTING ♪ OOH, OOH ♪ MOTHERS WHO BURY THEIR CHILD ♪ HOW CAN WE SIT THERE AND HIDE ♪ CHANGE COMES WHEN ALL TAKE A STAND NOW ♪ STAND UP ♪ STAND UP ♪ MARTIN'S SPEECH STILL ECHOES IN MY BRAIN ♪ CYNTHIA ERIVO — STAND UP ♪ AND POWERFUL,.

♪ THERE'S SO MUCH STRENGTH IN YOU AND ME ♪ ♪ POWERFUL.

♪ A BREATH AWAY FROM VICTORY ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER, ALL ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ALL ♪ ♪ POWERFUL ♪ ♪ POWERFUL ♪ ♪ OH, OH, OH, OH, OH ♪ ♪ OH, OH, OH, OH, OH ♪ ♪ OH, OH, OH, OH, OH ♪ ♪ POWERFUL ♪ ♪ THERE'S SO MUCH STRENGTH IN YOU AND ME ♪ ♪ POWERFUL ♪ ♪ A BREATH AWAY FROM VICTORY ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER, ALL ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ALL ♪ ♪ POWERFUL ♪ ♪ POWERFUL ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER 7 ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU ATTER, WE MATTER ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ♪ ♪ I MATTER, YOU NORTH -- YOU MATTER, WE MATTER ♪ [ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] [ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] >> WE LOVE YOU, KIDS!

[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, FAIR CRYSTAL SCHOOL CHOIR - FOR REMINDING US THAT WE ALL MATTER.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND REMINDING US OF THE SACK RED DIGNITY OF ALL OF US WHO ARE GATHERED IN THIS PLACE.

REMINDING US ALL THAT WE HOPE TO BE.

WE'RE GRATEFUL THIS IS A MULTIGENERATIONAL GATHERING TODAY.

NOW THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, WE GET TO INVITE NOW BACK THE FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHOIR THAT I'M SO PROUD AND EXCITED TO INTRODUCE.

[ APPLAUSE ] FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IS AN AMAZING BEACON OF HOPE LOCATED IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS.

THIS CHURCH OF 1,000 MULTIRACIAL FOLKS, BLACK ARE DEDICATED TO FOSTERING GOD'S LOVE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH MINNEAPOLIS COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.

AND MUSIC SITS AT THE CENTER OF SO MUCH OF WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC.

IT HEALS OUR SOULS, COMFORTS OUR SPIRITS AND THIS AMAZING CHOIR OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AND THE TALENTED BAND HAVE HELPED SO MANY IN TIMES OF TRIAL AND GRIEF AND HEARTACHE.

THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE O SING AND REMIND AND OFFER WORDS OF HOPE, COMFORT AND WISDOM THAT LIFT OUR SPIRITS AND PREPARE US FOR THE WEEK AHEAD.

SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO ELCOME THEM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF SHANA MOSES AND GRAMMY WINNER BILLY STEELE.

WON'T YOU HELP ME CELEBRATE AGAIN HE FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH CHOIR.

[ APPLAUSE ] ♪ ♪ YEAH, YEAH ♪ ♪ WISH THERE WAS A PHONE NUMBER TO TEACH YOU ABOUT YOUR ANCESTORS' NAME ♪ ♪ I WISH THERE WAS A PHONE NUMBER ♪ ♪ LIKE 1-800 SAVE YOUR BROTHER ♪ ♪ THANKFUL FOR THE RADIO STATION ♪ ♪ NOT AFRAID TO PUT THE TRUTH IN ROTATION ♪ ♪ THERE IS CERTAIN CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU CAN ONLY GET IN CONVERSATION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ♪ ♪ TALK TO OLD PEOPLE ♪ ♪ IT WOULD MAKE US A BETTER PEOPLE ♪ ♪ ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ YES, IT WOULD ♪ ♪ AND IF OLD PEOPLE WOULD TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE ♪ ♪ IT WOULD MAKE US A BETTER PEOPLE ♪ ♪ ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ YES, IT WOULD ♪ ♪ YEAH, YEAH ♪ ♪ WE WENT FROM RADIO TO TV ♪ ♪ NOW WE'RE GOIN' LP O CD ♪ ♪ DON'T BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ I CAN HELP YOU WITH THE BRAND-NEW TECHNOLOGY ♪ ♪ HELP ME WITH THE AGE-OLD PHILOSOPHY ♪ ♪ SO MUCH WE CAN DO WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE ♪ ♪ TALK TO OLD PEOPLE ♪ ♪ IT WILL MAKE US A BETTER PEOPLE ♪ ♪ ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ YES, IT WOULD ♪ ♪ IF OLD PEOPLE WOULD TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE ♪ ♪ T WOULD MAKE US A BETTER PEOPLE ♪ ♪ ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ THEY SAY EVERY GENERATION GETS, THEY CALL IT GENERATION OLD CURSE BUT THESE PROBLEMS DON'T JUST FALL FROM THE SKY ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ LISTEN TO MA MAT MA -- AHATMA GHANDI'S WORDS, SEE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO BE IN THE WORLD, IT WILL MULTIPLY ♪ NOTE WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE -- ♪ WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE TALK TO OLD PEOPLE ♪ ♪ IT WOULD MAKE US A BETTER PEOPLE ♪ ♪ ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ OH, YES, IT WOULD ♪ ♪ IF OLD PEOPLE TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE ♪ ♪ BETTER PEOPLE ALL AROUND ♪ NEAT.

♪ AND IF BLACK PEOPLE WOULD TALK TO WHITE PEOPLE ♪ ♪ IT WOULD MAKE US A BETTER PEOPLE ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ YEAH, YEAH ♪ ♪ IF REPUBLICAN PEOPLE WOULD TALK O DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE ♪ IT WOULD MAKE US DIPLOMATIC PEOPLE ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ IT WOULD MAKE US BETTER ALL AROUND ♪ [ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] >> DO YOU FEEL BETTER TODAY?

[ CHEERS ] >> WHAT AN HONOR THAT WAS.

FELLOWSHIP CHOIR FEATURING MONIQUE BLAKELEY, WE THANK GOD FOR HER LEADING US IN THIS WONDERFUL SONG AND SELECTION.

NOW WE COME TO THE HEART OF OUR PROGRAM.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE Dr. STEPHANIE BURRAGE TO THE STAGE AS SHE COMES TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRESIDE CHAT SPECIAL GUESTS.

AS SHE MAKES HER WAY TO THE STAGE, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER TREMENDOUS EFFORTS.

LAST YEAR GOVERNOR WALZ RECOMMENDED Dr. BURRAGE AS MINNESOTA'S FIRST CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] Dr. BURRAGE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE CABINET TO CREATE THE NEW EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY OFFICE, CONNECTING EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS WITH STATE GOVERNMENT PARTNERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACHIEVING EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

COMING INTO THIS ROLE, Dr. BURRAGE AND HER TEAM TOOK ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SUPPORTING THE COUNCIL ON THE Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., HOLIDAY.

IN AN EFFORT TO AMPLIFY THE MANY VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES ACROSS OUR STATE, AND THEY TRANSFORMED THE CELEBRATION INTO A WEEK-LONG EVENT, CELEBRATING DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND INTERESTS.

IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT Dr. BURRAGE, YOU HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

WE ARE PROUD OF YOU.

WE THANK GOD FOR YOU.

WELCOME BACK.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

WE ARE SO GLAD THAT EVERYONE IS HERE TODAY AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

MY HEART IS FULL, WHENEVER WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE IN THE HOUSE, I ALWAYS LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE THE FUTURE FOR US AND WE ALWAYS NEED TO GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

SO LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[ APPLAUSE ] SO, LET ME SAY THIS, FOR ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME, MY NOTES ARE NOT HERE RIGHT NOW AND I NEVER WANT TO KIND OF HIDE BEHIND THINGS, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

IF SOMEONE COULD MAKE SURE HAT MY NOTES GET HERE, THAT WILL BE GREAT BUT WE ARE GOING TO START BECAUSE YOU KNOW I CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN WHEN T NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

[ APPLAUSE ] SO, I GET TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST PERSON WHO'S GOING TO HELP MODERATE TODAY.

THIS IS DALLAS DOWNEY.

THIS STUDENT IS AMAZING.

LET HIM COME TO THE STAGE.

DALLAS DOWNEY IS JUST AWESOME.

HE IS A STUDENT AT HOPKINS HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU CAN READ THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND SEE HIS BIO.

HE IS JUST AMAZING.

AND THIS STUDENT IS ONE OF OUR FUTURE LEADERS AND WE JUST KNEW HE HAD TO BE HERE TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT HE COULD MODERATE AND SHOW YOU WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.

SO DALLAS DOWNEY, PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE.

[ APPLAUSE ] NEXT WE HAVE HOUSTON WHITE, JR. [ APPLAUSE ] HOUSTON WHITE, JR., IS SPECIAL TO ME, AND I'M GOING TO DATE MY AGE A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE HOUSTON WHITE, JR., WAS MY FORMER STUDENT, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT.

HE IS DOING A LOT IN THE CAMDEN NEIGHBORHOOD.

HE IS LITERALLY CREATING SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER, FOR YOU TO SEE THEIR HUMANITY, AND I AM SO PLEASED TODAY THAT HOUSTON WHITE, JR., IS HERE TODAY AND WILL BE A PART OF OUR CONVERSATION.

SO HOUSTON WHITE, JR., PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] AND IF YOU MAKE IT OVER TO HIS BARBER SHOP, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE.

THAT IS THE NEW COUNTRY CLUB.

THAT'S WHERE YOU GO TO HAVE GOOD CONVERSATION AND GET A LITTLE COFFEE.

NOW, I DON'T DRINK COFFEE BUT I DO GO FOR THE SWEET POTATO STEAMED MILK, SO IT IS AMAZING OVER THERE.

HOUSTON, SO GLAD TO SEE YOU AND HAVE MUCH LOVE.

NEXT, CAROLINE WANGA.

OH, MY GOSH!

ICON.

SHE IS LEADING ESSENCE MAGAZINE, ESSENCE VENTURES.

I LISTEN TO HER PODCAST.

THIS WOMAN IS AMAZING.

WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER HERE TODAY.

AND, AGAIN, SHE'S FROM MINNESOTA AS WELL, SO WE ARE JUST HAPPY TO HAVE HER IN THE HOUSE.

CAROLINE A. WANGA AND WE ARE GOING TO GET STARTED HERE TODAY.

PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> SEE, THIS IS A FAMILY CONVERSATION.

WE'RE ABOUT TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A FAMILY CHAT.

>> I'M HOME.

>> OOH YES!

>> THAT'S LL RIGHT.

>> I'M AN ENGLISH TEACHER BY TRADE.

I DON'T HAVE MY JOURNAL.

I'M STRUGGLING BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TO HAVE MY BACK TOWARDS PEOPLE.

>> THAT'S A TEACHER FOR YOU.

I WAS THE KID YOU WERE PUTTING YOUR BACK TO.

>> OOH, NO, I LOVE, LOVE MY STUDENTS.

SO, TALK TO US, TODAY.

Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.'S BIRTHDAY.

HOW HAVE BOTH OF YOU SEEN Dr. KING'S DREAM REALIZED IN MINNESOTA AND HOW AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE?

AND YOU BOTH, EITHER, THIS IS A CONVERSATION.

>> THAT'S MY DADDY RIGHT THERE.

>> LET'S SAY HI, DAD.

WAVE YOUR HAND.

OH, GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[ APPLAUSE ] YES!

>> BECAUSE YOU KNOW I WOULD GET IN TROUBLE IF I HADN'T DONE THAT.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> THE MANGO DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.

>> THIS IS HOW YOU GET ME.

IT'S ONE OF THE PASSION FRUITS.

>> HOW HAS -- WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT IS QUITE AN HONOR TO BE SITTING HERE WITH ALL THREE OF YOU, BUT ESPECIALLY YOU TWO AMAZING WOMEN, WHO HAVE AFFECTED MY LIFE SO TREMENDOUSLY AT DIFFERENT POINTS.

Dr. BURRAGE WAS MY SEVENTH GRADE TEACHER.

[ APPLAUSE ] LITERALLY.

I USED TO SKIP SCHOOL AND SHE HELPED ME -- AND SHE HELD ME ACCOUNTABLE.

I STOPPED DOING THAT.

>> I WOULD HOW UP AT YOUR HOUSE TO MAKE SURE YOU MADE IT TO SCHOOL.

>> AND CAROLINE SAW ME, RIGHT, WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T.

>> YEAH.

>> Dr. DRE HAD THE CHRONIC FINISH.

>> GOOGLE IT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

HE WENT TO 18 LABELS.

AND THEY SAID NO.

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING THAT PERSON THAT SAID NO TO DRE WITH THE CHRONIC?

THIS ONE RIGHT HERE SAID HE GOT THE CHRONIC, RIGHT?

AND SHE SAW ME.

AND I WAS ALWAYS HERE.

AND, SO, WHEN YOU SAY, HOW HAS Dr. KING'S DREAM BEEN REALIZED, IT'S BEEN REALIZED THROUGH ME.

>> YEAH.

>> I'M A PRODUCT OF THIS COMMUNITY.

I LOVE MINNESOTA.

WE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.

WE GOT A LOT TO FIX.

>> OUNCIL, THEN I LOVE YOU, THEN -- ANYWAY.

>> I LOVE THIS PLACE.

BUT IT IS CONSIDERED THE SECOND WORST PLACE IN AMERICA FOR BLACK PEOPLE TO LIVE BY THE STATS.

BUT IT STILL PRODUCED ME, RIGHT?

SO I'M HOPEFUL.

>> YES.

>> BUT -- SO WHEN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION, IT HAS BEEN REALIZED, IT IS EING REALIZED, DIALECTIC IS - A REAL THING HERE.

LIKE IT'S SNOWING IN THE SPRING WHEN HAPPENS HERE OFTEN OF.

SO I FEEL LIKE MINNESOTA'S IN A DIALECTIC POSITION.

WE'VE GOT SOME DUALITIES THAT WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS.

BUT I'M HONORED TO BE HERE.

AND WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO.

SO NEXT YEAR WHEN WE COME BACK, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT SOME ACTION STEPS.

>> THAT'S GOOD STUFF.

YOU GUYS EVER MET PEOPLE AND YOU'RE JUST, LIKE, WE'RE FAMILY, I'M GOING IN THE REFRIGERATOR TO GET MY OWN DRINK, I'M TAKING OFF MY SHOES, I'LL BE IN YOUR ROOM ASLEEP.

RIGHT?

LIKE YOU DON'T TRY TO COULD THE -- TRY TO THE NICETIES, MANNERS DON'T MATTER WHEN YOU'RE BLOOD.

I HAVE TO START WITH BEING HERE.

DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT MY LIFE, I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 30 YEARS.

LIKE I'M NOT VISITING MINNESOTA.

I WAS BORN IN KENYA AND I LIVED IN MINNESOTA LONGER THAN I LIVED IN KENYA.

30 YEARS I WAS HERE.

SO, THE ESSENCE THING IS CUTE.

[ LAUGHTER ] WE'RE DOIN' IT?

>> WE'RE DOING IT.

>> BUT YOU SAW ME AT 1298 IN FALCON HEIGHTS NEXT TO THE STATE FAIR WHEN MY FATHER CAME HERE TO DO HIS DOCTORATE DEGREE, YOU SAW ME IN THE RONDO NEIGHBORHOOD ON GROTTO.

YOU SAW ME ON 16th AND EMERSON OVER NORTH.

YOU SAW ME ON LAKE AND CEDAR OVER SOUTH.

YOU SAW ME IN FARMINGTON, MINNESOTA, I PROBABLY LOOKED CONFUSED.

[ LAUGHTER ] IT AS DIFFERENT TERRAIN.

IT WASN'T QUITE LIKE THE NORTH SIDE.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I FOUND OUT I WAS PREGNANT ON THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CAMPUS.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I COULDN'T AFFORD CARE.

AND, SO, I WAS AT HE GREEN CENTRAL CLINIC SO THAT I COULD GET PRENATAL CARE.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I GAVE BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTER AT FAIRVIEW RIVERSIDE.

AND I WOULD HAVE HAD AN INSURMOUNTABLE AMOUNT OF MEDICAL DEBT HAD FAIRVIEW NOT HAD A PROGRAM TO FORGIVE COST.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I GRADUATED FROM EDISON HIGH SCHOOL IN 1995.

YOU DID.

I WAS THERE!

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR NOTHING ABOUT NORTH RIGHT NOW, GEHRING TO TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS.

>> WHATEVER, TOMMIES FOR LIFE.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I STARTED A SEMESTER AT HAMLINE UNIVERSITY ON A TRACK SCHOLARSHIP.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I TOOD AND SERVED YOU POPCORN AT GENERAL CINEMA IN THE MALL OF AMERICA WHILE I WAS PREGNANT.

YOU JUST COULDN'T TELL.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I WORKED AT CAMPFIRE BOYS AND GIRLS DOING DEVELOPMENT WORK FOR CHILDREN IN BOTH MINNEAPOLIS AND St. PAUL.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I WORKED AT THE YMCA OVER NORTH DOING THE LEARN AND EARN PROGRAM.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I WORKED AT TURNING POINT.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I WENT TO THIS PLACE THAT ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MY AGE WHO SIGNED AN NDA WILL EVER TELL YOU ABOUT BUT IT ALWAYS ENDED AT PERKINS ON RIVERSIDE AT 2:00 A.M.

IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW!

WE SEE EACH OTHER.

I KNOW MY FRIENDS, THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T CLAP IS, LIKE, WHAT IS PERKINS?

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, BABY.

IT WAS A CLUB.

[ LAUGHTER ] THAT WAS ME UP AT FIRST AVENUE.

WHEN I HAD A FADE, BETTER THAN MOST FELLA'S FADE, I'M THE GIRL YOU HOLIER WILLED AT.

BUT YOU ALSO -- HOLLERED AT, BUT YOU ALSO SAW ME WHEN I WAS PROBABLY THE THIRD WORST COMMUNITY CHAIR EVER OF THE MINNEAPOLIS NAACP BUT I WAS JUST LESS WORSE.

YOU SAW ME WHEN I LEFT MINNESOTA TO GO TO AN HBCU THAT HAD A PROGRAM FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, PARTIALLY FUNDED BY THE MINNESOTA UNCF.

AND THEN YOU SAW ME WHEN A COMPANY CALLED THE TARGET CORPORATION BROUGHT ME HOME.

AND YOU SAW ME RUN AROUND OUTSIDE LIKE I DIDN'T WORK THERE.

AND RUN AROUND INSIDE LIKE I'M FROM HERE.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE, TOO.

AND THEN YOU SENT ME OFF WITH THE GIFTS OF EVERYTHING YOU GAVE ME WHEN YOU SAW ME OVER THAT 30 YEARS, EVERYTHING YOU GAVE ME, YOU SEND ME OFF ON VOYAGE TO NOW BE MINNESOTA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE WORLD FOR BLACKS.

>> YES, YES, YES!

[ APPLAUSE ] >> I AM SEVERELY UNDERQUALIFIED FOR THAT JOB ON PAPER, BUT I AM OVERQUALIFIED IN LOVE AND COMMUNITY.

>> YES, YES!

>> AND I LEARNED THAT HERE.

HOUSTON AND I ON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER, WE JUST DO - THESE NONVERBAL CONVERSATIONS.

SEE, WHAT I TOLD YOU, RIGHT?

AND MOST OF YOU GUYS THAT ARE FRIENDS WITH ME, KNOW THAT LANGUAGE, IT'S USUALLY ME TRYING NOT TO CUSS, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT SESSION.

SO WHY DO I SAY THAT?

THERE ARE SO MANY QUOTES OUT THERE FROM Dr. KING THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE.

I AM IN A STAGE OF MY LIFE WHERE EVERYTHING THAT I TRIED TO MAKE SMALL BECAUSE OF HOW IT DID NOT BRING GOOD FEELINGS IS BEING DISMANTLED.

AND, SO, YOU COULD ARGUE THAT MY JOURNEY TO AUTHENTICITY IS WHAT BROTHER LANGSTON HUGHES CALLED A DREAM DEFERRED.

BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT Dr. KING, AND THIS IS IN ONE OF THE STATEMENTS THAT HE MADE ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR, BUT IT IS A QUOTE THAT SPEAKS TO ME DIFFERENTLY IN THIS STAGE OF MY LIVE, WHICH IS -- OF MY LIFE, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR BUT THIS QUOTE APPLIES BEYOND, THAT HE SAID, WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM BEING A THING SOCIETY AND BECOME A PEOPLE SOCIETY.

AND HE SAID THAT IN 1967.

HOW WE DOIN' ON THAT, Y'ALL?

WHY IS THAT STILL RELEVANT?

SO, MY JOURNEY TO AUTHENTICITY AS I THINK ABOUT ITS CONNECTION TO MARTIN LUTHER KING IS TO MAYBE THIS DECADE AND IN MY TIME ON THIS EARTH WE CAN MAKE THAT A TRUTH AND THAT THAT QUOTE IS NO LONGER RELEVANT, BUT IT FEELS WAY TOO RELEVANT RIGHT NOW, Y'ALL.

HE SAID IN 1967, WE OUGHT TO BE A PEOPLE SOCIETY, NOT A HING SOCIETY, AND WE ARE A BIGGER THING SOCIETY THAN WE WERE WHEN HE SAID IT.

AND, SO, BROTHER LANGSTON TALKS ABOUT A DREAM DEFERRED.

WHAT YOU SEE IN HOUSTON AND I, AND IF LANGSTON WAS ALIVE, I WOULD ASK HIM TO WRITE ANOTHER ONE, WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT IS TWO PEOPLE WHO ERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN A DREAM DEFERRED.

BUT WE STAND IN FRONT OF YOU, A DREAM UNDEFERRED BECAUSE WHEN WE HADN'T YET DISCOVERED THE GREATNESS WITHIN OURSELVES, WHEN WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE WORLD, WHEN WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT MONEY AND CHILDREN AND FIRST AVENUE AND PERKINS AND WHEN WE WERE STILL MEETING OURSELVES, WHO HELD THE DREAM FOR US?

YOU.

SO IF THIS COMMUNITY HAD NOT HELD THE DREAM THAT I COULDN'T SEE WHEN I THOUGHT MY LIFE WAS OVER AT 17 IN TERMS OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO, IF SOMEBODY HADN'T HELD THE TRUTH OF WHAT WAS POSSIBLE FOR ME WHEN I COULDN'T HOLD IT AND HADN'T DONE THE SAME FOR HOUSTON, THEN YOU WOULD BE TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE A DREAM DEFERRED.

BUT NOW YOU'RE TALKING TO TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE A DREAM UNDETERRED.

>> I LOVE IT.

I LOVE IT.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> AND IF YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU CAN DO MORE.

WE NEED MORE OF THIS.

AND WE'RE THIS.

BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU HELD FOR US UNTIL WE COULD DO US.

SO PLEASE GO SEE THE GIRL ON THE 80 TO THE MALL OF AMERICA WITH A BLUE STROLLER AND IS TRYING TO GET HER LITTLE BABY ONTO THE BUS SO SHE CAN GO TO BUS.

SEE HER.

AND DON'T JUST GIVE HER ONEY.

GIVE HER A RIDE.

>> ES.

>> BECAUSE IT'S COLD OUTSIDE.

AND MY BABY'S GOING TO GET SICK.

AND I DON'T HAVE INSURANCE.

BUT I GOTTA GO TO WORK.

SEE ME.

BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE ME, AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN YOU DIDN'T DO WHEN YOU SAW ME, WILL DETERMINE IF THE NEXT CAROLINE HAS A DREAM DEFERRED R A DREAM UNDETERRED.

THAT IS WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING'S LEGACY MEANS TO ME.

>> I LOVE IT.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT EVERYONE HERE, THIS IS A MULTIGENERATIONAL STAGE.

>> I'M GEN Z.

>> I'M HEAD OF YOU.

I'M AHEAD OF YOU.

REMEMBER, I'M HIS TEACHER SO THAT MAKES ME OLDER.

>> I STILL WANT TO SEE SOME ID.

>> I'LL TAKE IT, I'LL TAKE T. AND WE HAVE DALLAS HERE.

>> YES!

GIVE A HAND TO DALLAS PLEASE.

[ APPLAUSE ] YOU COULD BE GEN Z, DALLAS, I'LL LET YOU BE GEN Z.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> TELL US, DALLAS, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING BEFORE YOU ASK YOUR NEXT QUESTION, BECAUSE THAT TIES INTO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK THEM.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

>> SO, I AM A INDIGENOUS -- AFRO INDIGENOUS ARTIST OVER HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YES, THANK YOU.

RECENTLY I WORKED ON A CAMPAIGN ALLED NO KIDS IN PRISON.

IT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL ART XHIBIT.

WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE IN THIS CITY WHERE YOUTH INCARCERATION IS SUCH A BIG DEAL, SO MANY YOUTH GET PUT IN THIS SYSTEM AND MARKED FOR LIFE AND TRAUMATIZED BY THE SYSTEM AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN FOCUSING MY LIFE ON FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, JUST ENDING THOSE SYSTEMS.

AND, YOU KNOW, BEING IN COMMUNITY AND BEING WITH SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE THROUGH ALL THESE EVENTS, IT REALLY WARMS MY HEART TO SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY CARES ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THEY CARE ABOUT THE YOUTH.

AND MY QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS IS, AS A YOUTH, DID YOU GUYS PARTICIPATE IN ANY MLK EVENTS GROWING UP HERE?

>> I'M STILL A YOUTH.

WHAT YOU MEAN?

>> I KNOW THAT'S RIGHT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> YOU KNOW, I DID.

I WAS A LITTLE TRAUMATIZED EVERY TIME MLK DAY CAME ALONG.

PERFECTLY HONEST, FOURTH THROUGH SEVENTH GRADE, WHAT I SAW CONSTANTLY REPLAYED ON TELEVISION WAS, I HAVE A DREAM, CLICK, BOOM!

RIGHT.

SO I'M LIKE, DID THIS MAN DO MORE THAN DREAM AND GET MURDERED?

AND I SAW THAT CONSTANTLY, LIKE, SO MOST TIMES WHEN MLK DAY CAME, WHICH WE HAD THE DAY OFF OF SCHOOL, -- >> ALWAYS WIN.

>> -- I COULDN'T SLEEP.

AND, SO, I WOULD STAY UP ALL IGHT AND THEN SLEEP MOST OF THE DAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THAT, LIKE I ISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE Dr. KING THAT MOVED HIS FAMILY INTO HE HOUSING TENEMENT, I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE Dr. KING THAT WAS -- I MEAN, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOWING THIS STUFF SO I COULD HAVE RELATED.

MY FAMILY IS FROM THE SOUTH, I LOVE TO TAKE VACATIONS, BUT THE Dr. KING WAS TAKING -- >> WHERE IN THE SOUTH?

>> I'M FROM MISSISSIPPI, MAN, FROM THE BOTTOM, YOU KNOW.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I PARTICIPATED IN A FEW EVENTS.

BUT FOR ME, HONESTLY, IT WASN'T UNTIL I CAME BAN -- I BECAME AN OLDER AN ND UNDERSTAND THE REVOLUTIONARY Dr. KING, THE ONE I MORE ALIGN WITH BEFORE I STARTED TO PARTICIPATE N A MEANINGFUL WAY.

>> I'VE SHARED BEFORE, I WAS BORN IN KENYA, CAME TO THE U.S. AROUND THE AGE OF 10, TO MINNESOTA, AS A -- THAT'S A THERAPY SESSION OF ITS OWN.

IN JUNIOR HIGH, THE GAUNTLET OF LIFE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT TRANSITION, A LOT OF THE HISTORIC NARRATIVE THAT PEOPLE LEARN IN SCHOOL BASED ON THINGS THAT ARE JUST TRUE IN THE U.S. ARE DEFERRED, RIGHT, LIKE THEY'RE LATER, BECAUSE I CAME HERE IN SIXTH GRADE, YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNEW, IF YOU GREW UP HERE, WHO AT EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS BY SIXTH GRADE, RIGHT, AND I WAS LEARNING IT THEN HAVING COME FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY.

SO THERE'S A PRIVILEGE AND A DISADVANTAGE TO THAT.

BUT THE PRIVILEGE OF IT WAS I GOT TO STUDY IT THROUGH THE LENS OF CHOICE, RIGHT?

BECAUSE I WAS LEARNING IT IN THE MOMENT, BUT IT HAD BEEN TRUE FOR OTHERS FOR LONGER.

AND, SO, I WASN'T THIS ENLIGHTENED IN THE SIXTH GRADE, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IT CREATED WAS A MOMENT WHERE NOBODY TOLD ME THIS, BUT I DECIDED IT, I GOT TO DECIDE WHAT I WANTED HIS LEGACY TO ME FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS LEARNING ABOUT IT AT 10, FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO I COULD DO THAT PROCESSING OF, OKAY, HE WAS A REALLY GREAT MAN, HE CHANGED THIS COUNTRY FOR PEOPLE, HE IS SO HIGHLY REGARDED, HE WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED, WHAT AM I GONNA O ABOUT THAT?

NOW, SIXTH THROUGH TENTH GRADE, I DIDN'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THAT QUESTION.

I'M NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU.

BECAUSE I WAS CAUGHT UP IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THERE'S FUN TO BE HAD.

LIKE JUST BE REAL.

WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I HAD NOT STARTED ANY PROGRAM.

INCLUDING THE ONES I WAS SUPPOSED TO ATTEND!

[ LAUGHTER ] SO 'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND LIKE I WAS THIS ENLIGHTENED 16-YEAR-OLD, I WAS JUST TRYING TO STOP FROM GETTING MY LICENSE BECAUSE MY MOM WAS GOING TO MAKE ME DRIVE MY BROTHERS AROUND.

AND THEN I WAS IN SPORTS.

RIGHT?

SO TRACK AND FIELD AND OTHER THINGS WERE WHERE MY LIFE WAS GOING.

I WAS GOING TO BE JACKIE JOINERKERCY, I DON'T CARE WHAT I LOOK LIKE NOW.

SO BY THE TIME I HAD TO RECONCILE IT AGAIN, IT WAS AT THE POINT THAT I WAS IN THIS COMMUNITY DOING COMMUNITY WORK, SEVEN YEARS OF MY BACKGROUND HERE IS NONPROFIT, Y'ALL.

I WASN'T BORN IN CORPORATE.

AND, SO, WHEN COMMUNITY WORK BECAME MY WORK, SUBCONSCIOUSLY THOSE TWO THINGS BECAME CONNECTED.

I'M OPERATING IN SERVICE OF HIS LEGACY IN THE JOB THAT I DO.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, I WORKED AT A CORPORATION, AFTER I WENT -- BY THE WAY, THE SECOND ONE WAS AT AN HBCU, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, GOOGLE IT, IT'S THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD.

BUT I LEFT HERE TO GO TO A HBCU AND I WAS BLACKITY BLACK BLACK AND SO WAS MLK.

AND THEN I CAME BACK AND WORKED AT A CORPORATION AND THIS IS WHERE THE DISSONANCE CAME.

BECAUSE I WORKED OR A RETAILER.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DAY OFF.

>> AND THAT STILL HAPPENS TODAY IN PLACES.

>> SO NOW IT BECAME, WHY AM I PISSED HAT WE DON'T HAVE THE DAY OFF?

BUT IF THE DAY OFF ISN'T ABOUT NOT WORKING AND IT'S ABOUT WORKING, THEN WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

AND, SO, TARGET AND OTHERS HAD THESE PROGRAMS WHERE PEOPLE WOULD GO VOLUNTEER AND WHATEVER.

BUT I LEAVE THAT AS MY LAST SPOT BECAUSE I WAS -- I GOT ANGRY BECAUSE -- I DIDN'T HAVE THE DAY OFF?

LIKE THAT WAS WHERE MY TREPIDATION WAS?

COME ON.

KING DIDN'T GET A DAY OFF!

HE HAD TO DO IT AS HE WAS LIVING AND BEING AND WORKING SO SO CAN I.

WHAT THAT STARTED WAS AN INDIGNANT MEETINGS OF UNDERGROUND HOW BLACK TALENT IS GOING TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL AT TARGET, WHAT THAT CREATED WAS IN MY ROLE IN DI, THE PERFORMANCE OF THE GROUPS THAT WAS UNDERREPRESENTED IT WAS NOT OKAY THAT THEY WERE DOING BETTER THAN BLACK AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SAY THE WORD SO I GAVE A POWERPOINT DECK.

I REMEMBER, I WAS SITTING WITH THE CHIEF HRO OF TARGET AND I GAVE HER A DECK AND THE FIRST LINE ON IT WAS, NO MORE 400 YEARS!

AND, SO, MY WORK IN DEI WAS ON BEHALF OF ALL COMMUNITIES.

MY LEGACY FOR KING WAS BLACK.

I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON ESSENCE'S RADAR IF I HADN'T MADE THE DECISION TO FIND MY AUTHENTICITY IN THAT JOB AND IF I HADN'T BEEN UNAFRAID TO DO FOR ALL BUT FOCUS ON BLACK AT THE RISK OF MY OWN SELF-PRESERVATION AND NOW I GET TO BE BLACKITY BLACK BLACK EVERY DAY.

>> EVERY DAY.

ALL RIGHT.

>> AND I GET TO TURN IT INTO CELEBRATION NOW.

IT'S NOT A BAD THING, IT'S A DOPE HING.

WHO'S THE NEXT IS MY FOCUS.

>> SO, AS YOU SAY THAT, YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT -- YOU BOTH TALK ABOUT THIS -- AND I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THIS, IF YOU HAVE NOT FAILED, LIKE FIVE TIMES, THEN IT'S NOT GOOD DAY BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN THE SPACE OF BEING OKAY ITH YOURSELF.

SO I WANT YOU BOTH TO TALK ABOUT THAT, AS YOU HAVE -- AS YOU'RE LIVING, AS YOU'RE BREATHING, AS YOU'RE DOING ALL OF THESE CREATIVE THINGS, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT SPACE OF FAILURE?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE YOUTH ABOUT FAILING?

>> BLAME THE PEOPLE WHO TAUGHT YOU WHAT FAIL MEANT.

>> FOR REAL.

>> I AM OFTEN MISTAKEN TO BE A CONFIDENT PERSON.

I'M NOT.

I'M ACTUALLY ONE OF THE LEAST CONFIDENT PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER MEET.

DON'T TRY TO TALK ME OUT OF IT BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF HOW I LEARNED THE WRONG LESSONS.

ACCEPT MY TRUTH.

DON'T TELL ME I'M CONFIDENT WHEN I TELL YOU I'M NOT.

BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT ME TO SAY IT.

IT'S MY WORDS, IT'S MY LIFE.

SO, WHAT ARE YOU OBSERVING WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE SEEING CONFIDENCE, IT'S COURAGE.

IT'S THE WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THE CONSEQUENCE.

IT'S THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR ME BECAUSE I GOTTA DO THIS EVERY DAY.

IT'S THAT PLACE WHERE I GO, I AIN'T GOT IT TODAY.

BUT NOBODY'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET UP TODAY BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET UP TODAY.

SO IF I GOTTA CRAWL ND JUST TOUCH, I CAN'T SAY I CAN'T DO SOMETHING TODAY.

A LOT OF THAT WORK OF OPERATING IN THE EFIANT COURAGE OF YOUR OWN FEAR BROUGHT UP THIS TOPIC OF FAILURE THAT I HAD ACCEPTED S IT HAD BEEN DEFINED FOR ME AS THE THING THAT YOU TRY NOT TO DO, WHEN YOU DO IT, COVER IT UP, HIDE IT, HOPE NOBODY SAW IT, BRIBE THEM NOT TO TELL ABOUT IT, AND PRETEND IT NEVER HAPPENED.

AND THEN PRESENT PERFECTION, PLEASE.

DON'T YOU DARE TELL YOUR STORY WITH WHAT DIDN'T GO RIGHT.

YOU BETTER BE A SUPERHERO.

AND, SO, MY WORK TO REFINED MYSELF THAT STARTED AT 36 YEARS OLD WHEN MY DAUGHTER LEFT THE HOUSE, WHEN I ENDED A RELATIONSHIP AND FOR THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO LIVE ALONE, I HAD NO IDEA WHO I WAS.

I WAS AT THE TOP OF A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY AND I DIDN'T HAVE HOBBIES.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

GO TO A VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

SO I HAD TO RECONCILE WITH MYSELF, AND IN THAT JOURNEY, I HAD TO DECIDE IF THE FAILURES OF MY LIFE WERE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HOLD ME HOSTAGE, SPECIFICALLY THE ONE WHERE I HAD A CHILD AND EVERYBODY STARTED TO RENEGOTIATE MY POTENTIAL WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND I LISTENED TO WHAT YOU SAID!

WITH YOUR EYES, WHEN I WAS STANDING ON BLOOMINGTON AND LAKE.

I LISTENED TO WHAT YOU SAID WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS CRYING IN THE AISLE BUT I WAS TRYING TO BUY GROCERIES AND YOU WANTED HER TO BE QUIET.

I LISTENED TO YOUR EYES.

I LISTENED TO YOUR EYES.

I LISTENED TO YOUR EYES.

I LISTENED TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T CALL ME ANYMORE AS IF PREGNANCY IS CONTAGIOUS.

BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE ASHAMED TO BE AFFILIATED WITH ME.

SO THERE WAS A LOT TO RESOLVE.

AND THE NLY WAY I COULD LIVE WITH IT WAS TO ACCEPT ITS POWER.

SO OVER A LOT OF TIME, AND I'M STILL WORKING ON IT, I JUST HAD TO REDEFINE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH IT BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE NOT THERE.

DALLAS, PLEASE DO NOT EVER LET ANYBODY TELL YOU THAT FAILURE DOESN'T HAPPEN.

IT DOES.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.

>> BUT IT'S NOT BAD.

BECAUSE IF YOU CAN REDEFINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH IT, THEN YOU CAN HAVE A FAIL, YOU GET TO DECIDE WHAT THAT IS, YOU CAN HAVE A BANK FOR HOW MANY YOU GET IN A DAY, FIVE FROM ME, TYPE A IS FINE, 3, WHATEVER, YOU'LL BE FINE.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS NO MATTER IF THE FAIL HAPPENS, I MAY BE PISSED, BUT WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO, MY PURPOSE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY DOESN'T GET COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF THAT.

I GOT FOUR MORE.

I GOT THREE MORE.

I GOT TWO MORE.

I GOT ONE MORE.

SHOULD PROBABLY GO TO BED.

[ LAUGHTER ] SIX FAIL DAYS DO HAPPEN.

BUT THE DECISION TO LIVE OFF FIVE FAILS A DAY WAS JUST A PROCLAMATION, AN ACTIVISM ACTION WITH MY AWE TENT TO SAY, I AM -- AUTHENTICITY TO SAY, I AM PARTICULARLY PROFICIENT AT FAILING, I AM WORLD CLASS, TOP 1%, DON'T WASTE THAT SKILL.

WHAT I'M NOT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO PRETEND I CAN'T HANDLE IT.

SO I ESTABLISHED FIVE FAILS A DAY SO THAT CAROLINE COULD GET THROUGH ACTIVATING HER PURPOSE AND AUTHENTICITY IN A DAY AND WHILE I MAY BE PISSED, DEBBIE, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN TODAY, DEBBIE DOESN'T GET TO STOP ME FROM DRIVING WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO FOR DALLAS.

SO, DALLAS, I EED YOU TO DO ME A FAVOR.

I NEED YOU TO PICK A NUMBER, TELL ME A NUMBER.

>> 8.

>> OKAY.

SO, DALLAS, CAN YOU FAIL EIGHT TIMES IN A DAY FOR ME, PLEASE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

>> AND THEN WHEN YOU FAIL EIGHT TIMES IN A DAY, CAN YOU PLEASE STILL CALL IT AN AWESOME DAY?

CAN YOU DO THAT FOR ME?

>> OF COURSE.

>> BECAUSE HERE'S WHAT -- AND I NEED YOU TO DO THAT.

BECAUSE I DISCOVERED IT OO LATE.

IF YOU START IT NOW, IT'S NO LONGER A PHILOSOPHY.

IT'S A NEW TRUTH FOR HUMANITY.

AND I NEED YOU TO BE THAT KIND OF ACTIVIST WHERE PEOPLE FORGET THAT FAILURE NEEDS A THRESHOLD ND IT JUST BECOMES HOW WE LIVE.

AND THE REASON WHY YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT IS BECAUSE AT 16, YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT KIDS IN PRISON.

AND I WAS BUYING COTTON CANDY.

SO, BABY, AT 16, YOU'RE DOING THAT.

YOU GET 45 FAILS BECAUSE YOU ARE CHANGING THE WORLD, AND IF YOU CAN JUST KEEP CHANGING THE WORLD, YOU'RE GOING TO MEET FAILURE, BUT IF YOU CAN PLEASE NOT STOP CHANGING THE WORLD, EVERYBODY THAT COMES AFTER DALLAS KNOWS NO REALITY WHERE FAVORITE GETS IN THE WAY, THEY KNOW IT AS A REPELLENT TO PURPOSE, I NEED YOU TO DO THAT.

TOUCH AND AGREE.

>> SEE, OH, MY GOSH.

[ APPLAUSE ] SO, HOUSTON, ON THE SAME TOPIC, LIFE HAS NOT BEEN EASY, IT NEVER IS.

HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO RIDE THE WAVES?

TO DEAL WITH THE FAILURES?

>> I LOOK AT MY MOM.

I LOOK AT THE REALITY OF THE VILLAGE THAT RAISED ME AND ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY ENDURED.

SO AT 40 YEARS OLD WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME I LIVED ALONE BECAUSE MY WIFE DIED.

>> 40, WOW.

>> DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

>> I LOVE TO ENTERTAIN.

AND I REMEMBER GOING TO THE STORE -- WELL, I REMEMBER WRITING OUT THE MENU, GOING TO THE STORE, COMING HOME, PREPPING, COOKING, GETTING DRESSED, ENTERTAINING, SERVING, CLEANING, AND I'M, LIKE, I USED TO BE SO, LIKE, SELFISH BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED FOR ME EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND I HAD NO CLUE, NO THOUGHT ABOUT GOING TO THE FRIDGE AND IT'S JUST FULL.

- HITTING THE SWITCH AND THE LIGHTS JUST COME ON.

MOM FIGURING OUT ALL OF THOSE INSANE THINGS THAT I WANTED FOR SCHOOL AND JUST IT MAGICALLY APPEARED.

AND, SO, WHEN I THINK ABOUT FAILURE OR THE STRUGGLE, I TAP INTO THE LEGACY OF THE PEOPLE THAT RAISED ME AND SAY, HOW DARE I COMPLAIN.

AND I'M TRULY LIVING THROUGH ALL OF THEIR SACRIFICE.

AND AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE I'VE HAD SUCH GREAT SUCCESS AND SUCH GREAT LOSS, I'VE BEEN TO THE TOP AND THE VERY BOTTOM, NOW I'M POURING INTO THESE YOUNGSTERS, RIGHT?

AND RYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, ASK THE QUESTION, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FAILURE BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO'S GONE BEFORE YOU THAT HAS STRUGGLED AND DONE THAT SAME THING, SO TAP INTO THE GENERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.

WE TALK ABOUT AT THE SHOP, WE NEED THE 20-YEAR-OLD NEEDS THE 40-YEAR-OLD, THE 40-YEAR-OLD EEDS THE 60-YEAR-OLD, THE 60-YEAR-OLD NEEDS THE 80-YEAR-OLD AND VICE VERSA.

>> AND THE SHOP IS THE COUNTRY CLUB, CORRECT?

>> THE SHOP IS THE COUNTRY CLUB.

THE BLACK MAN'S COUNTRY CLUB THAT HAS EXPANDED TO WELCOME EVERYBODY INTO THAT SPACE.

AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO, RIGHT?

I LOVE THAT WE'RE SITTING HERE WITH ALLAS.

I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WERE MY TEACHER.

YOU DON'T LOOK IT.

BUT SITTING HERE, THIS IS GENERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND THIS IS HOW WE MITIGATE, NOT FAILURE BECAUSE WE NEED IT.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I BUILT A $500,000 HOUSE AND IT WAS A HALF INCH OUT OF SQUARE.

AT THE FOUNDATION.

AND THE O.G.

SAID, WE GOT TO FIX THIS.

HE SAID, IF YOU DON'T, IT'S GOING TO BE TWO FEET OUT OF SQUARE BY THE TIME YOU GET UP TO THE ROOF.

AND I LISTENED, THANK GOD.

BUT THIS IS THE WORK OF OUR TIME TO GET MORE INTERCONNECTED SO WE CAN TRANSFER THE LESSONS, SO WE CAN MITIGATE NOT FAILURE BUT THE STING OF IT.

>> OOH, THE STING OF IT.

PLEASE.

>> DALLAS.

TRUST, RIGHT?

OKAY.

LOOK AT ME.

I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING.

YOU HAVE A PROGRAM.

SAY THE NAME OF YOUR PROGRAM AGAIN.

>> NO KIDS IN PRISON.

>> REMIND THE AUDIENCE WHAT IT DOES.

>> NO KIDS IN PRISON, THE NTERNATIONAL IMMERSIVE ART EXHIBIT, WORKING TO FREE THE FUTURE FOR YOUTH AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM YOU'RE FACING IN YOUR PROGRAM RIGHT NOW?

>> WOW.

>> TRUST.

>> I THINK THE PROBLEM WE FACE IS LACK OF LISTENING.

>> FROM?

>> PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT CHILDREN HAVE TO SAY BECAUSE WE ARE VIEWED AS LESS THAN OR INFERIOR, AND WE HAVE A LOT WE HAVE TO SAY.

>> SO, DALLAS, IF THAT IS THE BIGGEST -- FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE A PROGRAM AT 16.

AGAIN, MMM.

BUT, IF THE BIGGEST PROBLEM YOU'RE FACING IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN TO PEOPLE OUR AGE, AND I CAN MAKE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, WHAT WOULD YOU ASK THEM TO DO ABOUT THAT PROBLEM?

TELL THEM.

>> I WOULD TELL EVERYBODY TO GET EDUCATED AND STAY EDUCATED.

SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE, SPREAD THE LOVE AND THE KINDNESS AND JUST OPEN YOUR MINDS TO THIS FREE FUTURE THAT WE'RE DREAMING OF.

>> DO YOU NEED FUNDING?

>> YES.

>> ALWAYS.

WAIT, I NEED YOU TO SAY THAT STRONGER.

STRONGER, DALLAS.

>> DALLAS, I'LL GET YOU MONEY!

>> YES, DALLAS, SAY IT!

>> DO YOU NEED FUNDING?

>> YES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?

>> COME ON!

>> OH, MY GOODNESS.

>> SAY IT, DALLAS.

>> LET ME TELL YOU WHY I'M DOING THIS, Y'ALL.

THIS IS WHAT AIR COVER LOOKS LIKE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?

>> 50,000.

>> TELL THEM.

>> 50,000.

>> NO, NOW, WAIT, STOP TELLING HIM.

I'M PROVING A POINT.

STOP YELLING AT HIM ABOUT WHAT HE JUST SAID, PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN TO HIM BECAUSE HE'S A YOUNG PERSON.

I ASK HIM HOW MUCH HE NEEDS AND YOU ALL ARE TELLING HIM.

LET HIM TELL YOU.

HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?

>> I WOULD SAY 50,000 TO $75,000.

>> 50,000 TO $57,000.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

$75,000.

>> WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

>> WE NEED PEOPLE WITH OPEN MINDS, OPEN HEARTS TO HELP US BUILD THE FREE FUTURE AND FREE THE YOUTH THAT ARE INCARCERATED RIGHT NOW.

>> CAN THIS COMMUNITY GIVE DALLAS $50,000, PLEASE?

>> ALL RIGHT, NOW.

>> BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

>> OKAY.

>> DON'T CLAP IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE MONEY.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE CLAPPING, I'M COMING TO YOU FOR A CHECK FOR DALLAS.

AND I'M NOT PLAYIN'.

BECAUSE WE KEEP PRETENDING WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, UNTIL IT THREATENS OUR SELF-PRESERVATION.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE FAILING.

YOU CLAP.

BUT WRITE A CHECK.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

SO STOP CLAPPING AGAIN.

STOP.

ORDWAY, YOU HAVE CAMERAS?

[ LAUGHTER ] I'M GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW O FIND OUT WHO CLAPPED.

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO LOOK AT AT ALL.

AT Y'ALL.

I'M LOOKING AT THE LIGHTS.

>> IT'S HARD.

>> I'M GOING TO ASK A INTENTIONAL QUESTION.

IF YOU PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER, YOU BETTER CUT A CHECK.

I WON'T JUDGE IF YOU AIN'T CLAPPING, BUT I WILL IF YOU'RE CLAPPING AND DON'T GIVE A CHECK.

WHO HAS A CONTRIBUTION THAT THEY WILL OFFER TODAY TODAY?

I WILL STAND WITH DALLAS IN FRONT OF THIS STAGE WHEN WE'RE DONE O COLLECT IT.

WHO HAS -- DON'T CLAP YET.

WHO HAS A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION THAT DALLAS CAN PUT IN HIS HAND BEFORE WE LEAVE TODAY TOWARDS HIS $50,000 GOAL?

CLAP IF THAT'S YOU.

[ CLAPPING ] SO HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.

WHEN WE'RE DONE HERE, I'M GOING TO STAND RIGHT UP HERE WITH DALLAS, AND YOU BETTER BRING THAT MONEY UP HERE.

THAT'S NOT A THREAT.

IT'S AN OBLIGATION, COMMUNITY.

>> COME ON NOW.

>> THIS AIN'T COMFORTABLE O MORE!

OUR CHILDREN ARE DYING!

WE WILL BE RIGHT HERE, AND WE'LL SEE HOW SERIOUS YOU ARE.

BECAUSE DALLAS CAN'T ASK YOU THIS.

I ASKED HIM, WHAT DOES HE NEED, AND HE ALTRUISTICICALLY ANSWERED THE QUESTION, WHEN I GAVE HIM PERMISSION TO ASK FOR WHAT HE NEEDS.

YOU CLAPPED FOR HIM.

I WILL SEE YOU AT THE END OF THE SESSION.

THAT'S WHAT COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE.

>> I'M LOVING THIS.

LOVING THIS!

>> AND, DALLAS, YOU BETTER TAKE EVERY CHECK.

NONE OF THIS HUMBLE NONSENSE.

>> AND TRUST I WILL.

>> THANK YOU.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> AUNTIE SAID.

NO, I'M YOUR SISTER.

>> WELL, THAT LEADS US INTO OUR MINNESOTA NICE CONVERSATION.

>> YOU CAN DROP CHECKS OFF AT HOUSTON'S SHOP, TOO.

>> SO, WAIT.

THAT'S KIND OF LEADING INTO -- DALLAS AND I TALKED PRIOR TO THIS, THAT'S THE NEXT QUESTION.

HOW HAVE YOU NAVIGATED -- YOU JUST KIND OF OPENED THE DOOR TO IT -- BUT THE MINNESOTA NICE?

HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THAT?

>> I'M GOING TO LET YOU TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE MINNESOTA NICE?

>> I PERSONALLY DON'T.

I DON'T.

YOU NOW, YOU KNOW HOW YOU KNOW A SECRET AND YOU AND A COUPLE PEOPLE KNOW AND MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE DON'T KNOW?

AND THE SECRET I KNOW IS THE BEAUTY OF BEING COMMUNAL ND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMBRACING DIFFERENCE TO GROW, PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, CORPORATELY.

RIGHT?

AND THE REALITY IS, THAT BLACK CULTURE IS MAGIC.

YOU SPRINKLE IT ON ANYTHING AUTHENTICALLY AND IT JUST GROWS STUFF.

IT CHANGES THE WAY IT'S FELT, AND THE REALITY IS, I AM AN UNAPOLOGETICALLY CONSCIOUS CAPITALIST.

>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

NO, I'M ASKING FOR THE AUDIENCE.

IT'S NOT A JOKE.

>> THAT MEANS THAT I'M A YOUNG KID THAT GREW UP IN THE ERA WHERE FOLKS WERE SELLING ILLICIT PRODUCT TO GET THINGS TO IMPRESS PEOPLE.

SO THE VILLAGE SAID TO ME, WE RESPECT YOUR HUSTLE, BUT WE GOTTA PUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN YOUR HAND SO YOU AN GET WHAT YOU WANT.

AND, SO, THE CONSCIOUSNESS IS THAT I DON'T SELL THINGS THAT DAMAGE PEOPLE TO GET WHAT I WANT.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> AND I'M UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT THAT.

SO, WHEN YOU SAY MINNESOTA NICE, IT'S LIKE, WHEN PEOPLE SAY, TEACH YOUR KIDS TO SWIM AS A LIFE SKILL, RIGHT, EVERY KID -- FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY, KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 15 ARE MAJORITY/MINORITY.

SO, MINNESOTA NICE, RIGHT, LIKE, ON WHATEVER SIDE, WHAT'S THAT JOKE THAT PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA WILL GIVE YOU?

>> PEOPLE LIVE IN MINNESOTA WILL GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS TO ANYWHERE EXCEPT THEIR HOUSE.

I DIDN'T MAKE IT UP.

I HEARD IT IN CORPORATE AMERICA FROM SOMEBODY.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT THE JOKE'S ON THE PERSON THAT DOESN'T WANT FOLKS TO COME TO THEIR HOUSE.

BECAUSE, LIKE A LIFE SKILL OF SWIMMING, RIGHT, IMAGINE IF YOU'RE EVER FACED WITH THE REALITY THAT YOU NEED TO SWIM, WELL, IF YOU'RE NOT PREPARING YOUR KIDS FOR THE WORLD THAT IS BROWNING, THEY ARE AT A DEFICIT.

SO IT'S NO LONGER A "NICE TO DO," IT'S A SURVIVAL SKILL.

SO, WHEN I SAY I DON'T DEAL WITH IT, I HAVE EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T EMBRACE AND UNDERSTAND, ONE, THE POWER OF MY CULTURE AND LIVED EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT YOU NEED TO BE AROUND DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN ORDER TO BE YOUR BEST AND HIGHEST VERSION OF YOURSELF.

>> I STOPPED DEPENDING ON PEOPLE WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT ME.

SO, MINNESOTA NICE, SURE, WHATEVER, IF THAT HELPS YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT.

BUT IN THE REALITY, IT'S MINNESOTA NICE HERE, IT'S PASSIVE AGGRESSIVENESS SOMEWHERE ELSE.

LISTEN, WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO THEM BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FINITE MOUNT OF ENERGY IN THE WORLD.

SO THE MINNESOTA NICE THAT INVITES ME SOMEWHERE, BUT THEY DIDN'T MEAN IT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND DECLINE JUST SO THEY FEEL BETTER, I'M GLAD I COULD CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR FRAGILITY TODAY.

[ LAUGHTER ] BUT I DON'T HATE YOU.

I JUST KNOW YOU.

SO NOW I CAN PLACE YOU SOMEWHERE.

SO, NO, I'M NOT COMING TO THE CABIN SO YOU CAN TELL YOUR FRIENDS YOU HAVE A KENYAN FRIEND.

NO, I'M NOT COMING BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THE THREE BLACK PEOPLE WHO WORK AT TARGET.

NAH, YOU DON'T NEED ME THERE BECAUSE OF ESSENCE.

I'M GOING TO SEND A CARD AND A FRUIT BASKET.

WHY DO I SAY IT THAT WAY?

BECAUSE PART OF THE AUTHENTICITY JOURNEY IS HAVING THE UNMITIGATED GAL TO BELIEVE IN A FUTURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN'T SEE AND IT'S PURSUIT OF THE PURPOSE THAT YOU'RE UNIQUELY DESIGNED TO DO IN THE WORLD THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN DO, IT'S NOT FOR YOURSELF, IT'S WHAT THE WORLD EEDS, SO I NEED EVERY OUNCE OF ENERGY TO FULFILL WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO FULFILL BEFORE I LEAVE THIS EARTH, SO YOU AND YOUR FAKE INVITATION, YOUR FAKE HI, AND YOU DON'T CARE, GO BE SOMEBODY ELSE'S FRIEND.

AND THEN ON MY PETTY DAYS, I USE IT FOR ENTERTAINMENT, BUT THAT'S JUST SELFISH.

BECAUSE THEN I'LL BE, LIKE, HI, NANCY.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING FRIDAY?

AND THEN I'LL WATCH HER ANIC.

BECAUSE SHE THINKS SHE'S ABOUT TO HAVE TO FORCE TO INVITE ME TO HER HOUSE.

I'M FREE AROUND 7:00.

SHE'LL BE, UM.

I WORK IN H.R., I HAVE YOUR ADDRESS.

OH!

SEE YOU FRIDAY.

NEVER SHOWED UP!

BUT IT WAS FUN!

NANCY IS HYPOTHETICAL.

IT WAS LINDA.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> SO, DALLAS, WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW FROM THEM?

YOU'VE GOT THEM RIGHT HERE WITH YOU.

>> I ANT TO -- IF WE LOOK BEHIND US, WE SEE MLK, ONE DREAM, ONE MINNESOTA, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU GUYS?

WHAT DOES A ONE DREAM ONE MINNESOTA WORLD LOOK LIKE TO BOTH OF Y'ALL?

>> IT MEANS THAT THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR THIS STATE TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HOUSTON'S AND CAROLINE'S HAS TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE INTRUSION OF EQUITY WORK.

AND HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT SELF-PRESERVATION IS NOT THE GOAL.

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANOTHER WORD ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.

I'M GLAD YOU HAVE A PLAN.

HOLLA BACK WHEN YOU'RE READY TO ACTIVATE IT.

BECAUSE MINNESOTA, I'M NOT GOING TO -- NOW, LISTEN, I LIVED HERE FOR 30 YEARS.

I LIVE IN NEW YORK NOW.

BUT I LIVED HERE FOR 30 YEARS, SO I HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO TALK MACK ABOUT THIS PLACE.

I LOVE Y'ALL, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME STUFF TO WORK ON.

SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME COMING TO JUDGE MINNESOTA.

I DID MY TIME.

[ LAUGHTER ] I HAVE A RIGHT!

PLEASE STOP TALKING.

I WOULD RATHER YOU BE SILENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK, I BELIEVE YOU.

SO, WHAT I'M -- TWO THINGS I'M GOING TO DO AFTER YOU TALK.

ASK HOW I CAN HELP AND WAIT TO BE ACTIVATED.

AND EVERY SECOND I WAIT FOR WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA DO THAT YOU DON'T INTEND TO DO IS A SECOND I COULD HAVE PENT WITH SOMEBODY THAT'S GONNA DO SOMETHING.

SO Y'ALL -- YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS BUY THOSE LIGHT BULBS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, RIGHT?

THERE'S THE ONES THAT AIN'T AND THE ONES THAT ARE, AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE ANYMORE BUT THE PACKAGING MADE ME BUY IT.

YOU NEED A LIGHT BULB.

CHOOSE WHICH ONE YOU WANT TO BE.

THERE'S -- MINNESOTANS HAVE THIS URGE TO SAY SOMETHING.

TO MAKE THEMSELVES FEEL BETTER.

SHUT UP.

STOP TALKIN'.

GET OUT OF THE WAY.

JUST GO SIT OVER THERE.

THERE'S NO JUDGMENT.

CAN YOU PLEASE JUST MOVE?

'CAUSE WE GOT LIVES TO SAVE AND THINGS TO CHANGE AND THE ENERGY YOU ARE SPENDING TRYING TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER IS SLOWING DOWN THE PATH TO PROGRESS.

WHO'S THE ADMINISTRATOR AT ORDWAY?

ARE THEY HERE?

>> THEY'RE HERE.

>> IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

SO I GAVE YOU A CHALLENGE FOR DALLAS, RIGHT?

NOW, FIRST OF ALL, I'M ALL ABOUT ECONOMIC INCLUSION, SO, YES, I HAVE A FEE TO SPEAK, WHY WOULDN'T I GET PAID FOR MY SKILL?

THE CHECK IS WRITTEN OUT TO CAROLINE WANGA, ORDWAY ADMINISTRATOR, WHEREVER YOU ARE, PLEASE TAKE THAT CHECK BACK, REWRITE IT, AND GIVE IT IN FULL TO DALLAS.

>> OOH OOH!

[ APPLAUSE ] >> IT AIN'T NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS HOW MUCH IT IS, DALLAS, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO PAY ME THE NEXT TIME I COME TO SPEAK.

>> THAT.

THAT.

>> I HAVE NO PROBLEM BEING PAID FOR WHAT I'M WORTH.

IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO HAVE A PRICE.

[ CHEERS ] THAT WAS PART OF THE ACTIVISM.

BUT LET'S BE CLEAR.

I DON'T NEED THE MONEY.

I'M GETTING WHAT I'M WORTH.

THEREFORE, IT HURTS ME NOTHING.

WHEN DALLAS SAID, HE NEEDS $50,000, AND I COULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DENT IN THAT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOW MUCH I GET PAID, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR PRICING LIST, WE CAN DO IT T YOUR CABIN, ICE FISHING.

ONE DREAM ONE MINNESOTA LOOKS LIKE, YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY.

YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOOD.

I LIKE TO SHOP.

I'M GOING TO SPEND WHATEVER I WANT ON WHAT I WANT TO BUY SO I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND THAT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME OF MY SHOPPING BUDGET.

THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED, DALLAS.

IT GIVES ME JOY.

BUT I DON'T NEED EVERYTHING I SPEND MONEY ON.

I DON'T EVEN WANT THE TAX DEDUCTION, THAT'S WHY I SAID PUT IT IN YOUR NAME.

[ LAUGHTER ] NEVER DEPOSITED IT, UNCLE SAM.

BUT WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS, ANY TIME I ENCOUNTER A NEED, WHETHER I LIVE IN ROCHESTER OR GRAND MARAIS, BEEN TO BOTH, WHETHER I LIVE -- WHAT'S THAT CITY BY NORTH DAKOTA?

I FORGOT THE GEOGRAPHY.

WHATEVER, THE ONE OVER THERE.

I'VE BEEN TO EVERY CORNER OF THIS STATE.

OVER 30 YEARS.

I NEED ROCHESTER TO CARE ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS.

I NEED MINNEAPOLIS TO CARE ABOUT GRAND MARAIS.

I NEED GRAND MARAIS TO CARE ABOUT FARGO.

>> MOORHEAD.

>> I TOLD YOU ALL, I'M NOT FROM HERE.

IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER, JUST GO WITH THE ANALOGY.

[ LAUGHTER ] THERE ARE THINGS I DON'T DO WELL, LIKE NAVIGATION AND GEOGRAPHY.

IT'S OVER THERE.

I DIDN'T STAY THERE LONG, THAT'S WHY I FORGOT WHAT IT WAS, I MIGHT HAVE SKIPPED IT ANYWAY.

YOU GET MY POINT.

I AM FROM KENYA, THERE'S A TRIBE CALLED THE MASAI.

AND THE TRIBE GREETS EACH OTHER WITH A VERY SPECIFIC GREETING.

THEY DON'T SAY HELLO, THEY DON'T SAY WHAT'S UP, THEY SAY, HOW ARE THE CHILDREN?

TRUE STORY.

GOOGLE IT.

THEY'RE GREETING, EVEN IF THEY'RE TWO ADULTS WHO HAVE JUST MET, YOU'RE A TEACHER, HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL INSTEAD OF SAYING HELLO, I SAY, HOW ARE THE CHILDREN, WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWER BE?

>> OUR CHILDREN ARE AS GOOD AS WE TAKE ARE OF THEM.

>> NO, TOO PHILOSOPHICAL.

>> YOU TOLD ME TO BE MY AUTHENTIC SELF.

>> I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I DID TO DALLAS.

TRUST.

YOU'RE A TEACHER.

>> YES.

>> IN MINNESOTA, RIGHT?

>> THE CHILDREN ARE NOT DOING WELL.

>> AH-HA, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

DO YOU SEE HOW IT CHANGES WHEN YOU'RE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE UESTION?

>> YEAH.

>> YOU WERE GOING TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER THAT MADE SENSE PHILOSOPHICALLY.

>> YEAH.

BUT IT WASN'T UTHENTIC.

>> SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, MADAM TEACHER, IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, HOW ARE THE CHILDREN?

>> THE CHILDREN ARE NOT DOING WELL.

THEY'RE NOT.

>> SO, IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE MASAI TRIBE, AND THAT'S THE ANSWER YOU GOT, YOUR OBLIGATION IS TO ASK WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THAT?

SO IF I WERE TO SAY TO YOU, WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THAT, SINCERELY, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL ME?

>> I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY REPEAT WHAT I BELIEVE AND WHAT I SHARE ALL THE TIME.

LISTEN.

LET THE CHILDREN BE A VOICE TO US, GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A VOICE SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED AND NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE THEM.

>> ONE DREAM ONE MINNESOTA.

IS AS SIMPLE AS CHANGING THE GREETING.

DO YOU REALIZE HOW SELFISH THE QUESTION IS, HOW ARE YOU?

NOW THAT I JUST TOLD YOU WHAT YOU HAVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE.

NOW YOU, LIKE, DANG, I ONLY THINK ABOUT MYSELF.

I'M FINE.

IN MINNESOTA YOU'RE FINE ALL THE TIME.

OTHERWISE YOU'RE BOTHERING ME, I DIDN'T MEAN THE QUESTION, MINNESOTA NICE.

SO, COMMUNITY, HOW ARE THE CHILDREN?

I'M TALKING TO Y'ALL.

>> NOT WELL.

>> RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU THINK THE CHILDREN ARE WELL, SINCERELY.

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU SINCERELY BELIEVE THE CHILDREN ARE WELL.

I SEE ONE HAND HERE, TWO.

THREE.

FOUR.

THE CHILDREN SAID THEY'RE WELL.

SO I SAW FOUR.

WHAT'S THE OCCUPANCY OF THIS AUDITORIUM?

>> WE HAVE OVER 1,100 PEOPLE HERE TODAY.

>> THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND THE QUESTION, HOW ARE THE CHILDREN, AND ONLY FOUR PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE WELL, AND THERE ARE 1,100 PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.

>> WE HAVE WORK TO DO.

>> NO, WE DON'T AVE WORK TO DO.

WE HAVE PATHWAYS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THE WORK.

QUIT PRETENDING.

AND IF THERE'S FOUR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, SHOVEL THE WALKWAY SO THEY CAN GET THROUGH AND QUIT PRETENDING YOU'RE GOING TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.

WE HAVE WASTED TIME TRYING O HELP PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES.

I DON'T CARE HOW YOU FEEL!

THE CHILDREN ARE NOT WELL!

YOU SHOULD FEEL LIKE I FEEL.

AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, FINE.

WE HAVE CHOICE.

GO HOME.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME TO MY RALLY ABOUT THE CHILDREN, I THINK YOU WANT TO BE THERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING.

SO, ONE DREAM ONE MINNESOTA, CHANGE THE QUESTION, I WAS MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR -- NOT THE GOVERNOR -- THE MAYOR OF ATLANTA TWO YEARS AGO.

AND HE SAID, MY MISSION IS TO MAKE ATLANTA THE SAFEST AND MOST THRIVING PLACE FOR BLACK CHILDREN.

WOULD YOU VOTE FOR A MAYOR IF THEY TOLD YOU THAT WAS WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO FOR MINNESOTA?

YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO VIOLATE YOUR DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE THE KIDS BETTER, THE GAL, THE GUMPTION.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT I WOULD URGE ONE DREAM ONE MINNESOTA, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, EVERYBODY WHO PAYS THE TAXES THAT FUND THEM IS TO CHANGE THE GREETING.

MAKE YOUR GREETING WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND TAKE ACTION.

WELL, MAKE THE GREETING WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

LISTEN TO THE ANSWER YOU GET.

DON'T GIVE A STUPID ANSWER.

GIVE A REAL ANSWER.

AND THEN IF YOU ARE THE RECIPIENT OF THAT ANSWER, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT DAY.

ONE DREAM ONE MINNESOTA, ONE MASAI, ONE DAY.

THEY AIN'T COMING, THERE'S TOO MUCH SNOW.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I WANT TO SAY THIS, HOUSTON, I THINK YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, AND E'RE GOING TO GET READY TO WRAP US UP.

>> ALL I WANTED TO SAY IS, TO THAT END, WE HAVE TO BUILD.

I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GOING TO GALAS.

I'M NOT INTERESTED IN POWERPOINTS AND ROBERT'S RULES.

I BUILD HOUSES.

I BUILD BRANDS, I BUILD PEOPLE, I BUILD TAX BASE, I BUILT A NEIGHBORHOOD IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS FOR THOSE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO LIVE IN.

AND IF WE AIN'T SUPPORTING -- >> TALKED ABOUT WHEN?

FOUR YEARS AGO.

>> SAY THAT AGAIN.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT THAT FOUR YEARS AGO AND YOU ACTUALLY DID IT.

>> THAT'S THE DREAM REALIZED.

>> I LOVE IT.

I LOVE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I WANT TO SAY THIS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVEN'T GROWN TODAY, BUT I HAVE JUST BY SITTING HERE.

SO LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE BECAUSE THEY HAVE.

[ APPLAUSE ] YES, I SEE PEOPLE STANDING.

THEY HAVE.

HELPED US GROW TODAY.

I AM SO THANKFUL THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.

THIS HAS MADE MY HEART FULL.

AND FOR DALLAS, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND BEING A PART OF THIS.

HOUSTON, YOU ARE MY STUDENT, SO YOU ARE ALWAYS MY STUDENT, AND SO WHENEVER I SEE HIM I JUST GET JOY AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, I'M JUST BEING AUTHENTIC BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE THE PATH FOR US ALL TO BE OUR AUTHENTIC SELVES.

THANK YOU.

>> SO LET ME SAY THIS TO YOU, MINNESOTA.

I WASN'T BEING PREACHY, HOW DOES GIRL COMING HERE TELL US WHAT TO DO, SHE THINKS SHE KNOW EVERYTHING.

I ONLY KNOW THREE THINGS.

HERE'S WHY I'M SAYING THIS.

YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU, IS NOT SOMEBODY THAT HAS THE SOLUTION.

I'M PROOF THAT YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW HOW TO BUILD IT.

I'M A TESTIMONY TO Y'ALL'S WORK.

EVERYTHING I JUST ASKED YOU TO DO IS HOW CAROLINE BECAME CAROLINE.

THERE ARE PEOPLE IN HERE WHO I HAVE CRAWLED IN THEIR ARMS TO CRY.

THERE ARE PEOPLE IN HERE WHO GAVE ME $100 A WEEK WHEN I LOST MY WORK PERMIT.

THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO LET E RUN MY BOOTLEG CAKE DECORATING BUSINESS WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WOULDN'T LET ME WORK NO MORE.

TRUE STORY.

THERE'S GREEN CENTRAL CLINIC THAT HELPED ME BE HEALTHY.

THERE'S FAIRVIEW RIVERSIDE THAT FORGAVE MY MEDICAL DEBT.

THERE'S QUANTUM COMMUNITY CHURCH THAT GAVE ME SPIRITUAL WHEN I WAS TRYING TO RAISE MY CHILD.

THERE'S SEED ACADEMY, WHEN I WENT TO THEM AND LOST MY WORK PERMIT AND SAID, I CAN'T WORK, BUT I CAN'T TAKE MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THE SCHOOL, THEY LET ME FILE PAPERS IN THE OFFICE IN EXCHANGE FOR TUITION.

WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT DEPRESSION AND THE PEOPLE THAT PROTECTED ME BY NOT SPREADING IT SO THAT I COULD KEEP MY JOB AND GET BETTER, I AM NOT HERE TO JUDGE, LECTURE.

I'M PROVING TO Y'ALL THAT OU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

I AM AN AMBASSADOR OF WHAT YOU GUYS CAN DO TO THE WORLD.

SO THIS IS NOT JUDGMENT AND PREACHYNESS, I'M JUST REMINDING YOU OF WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF AND I'M ONLY 40 -- MMMM...

SO, WHEN YOU DON'T THINK YOU CAN, WHEN I WAS PETER HAYDEN'S ASSISTANT AT TURNING POINT AND I DECIDED TO GO TO THE HBCU IN TEXAS, PETER SAID, GO.

YOU HAVE SEEN ME BEFORE.

YOU BUILT ME.

AND YOU CAN BUILD ME AGAIN.

MINNESOTA, I NEED Y'ALL TO TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF, BUT WHAT I NEED YOU TO DO IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS NOT LET IT BE AN ANOMALY.

I WANT THIS STATE TO BE KNOWN FOR NOT BUILDING BROKEN ADULTS, BUT BY CREATING STRONG CHILDREN.

>> YES.

>> NURTURING THEM AND SENDING THEM OUT.

MINNESOTA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE BIRTHPLACE OF PEOPLE WHO CAN LEAD THE WORLD AND HERE'S YOUR CASE STUDY.

I LOVE Y'ALL.

BUT I NEED SOME SIBLINGS.

>> YES.

>> GO DO IT.

YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW.

>> GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU!

>> WE'LL BE UP HERE FOR DALLAS.

>> YES, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

[ APPLAUSE ] >> HOUSTON!

>> THOSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME QUICK PHOTOS, YOU CAN.

WE'RE HEADING IN THIS DIRECTION.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO THE NEXT PART OF OUR PROGRAM.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

>> DALLAS, TAKE THE PICTURE.

>> WE'LL DO THIS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THE PROGRAM MOVING.

THOSE THAT ARE HELPING DALLAS, VERY GOOD.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

CONTINUE ON.

AND WE ARE GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR PROGRAM.

THANK YOU.

>> Y'ALL, BEFORE WE HEAD OUT, WE'VE COME TO A VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT IN OUR PROGRAM WHERE WE WILL PRESENT AWARDS AND CELEBRATE SOME CHANGE AGENTS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERISM WHILE MAKING SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS PROMOTING PEACE, BUILDING CROSS-CULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND ADVANCING HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS.

AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO INVITE BACK Dr. BURRAGE TO COME TO PRESENT OUR AWARDS, ALONG WITH MAYOR MELVIN CARTER OF THE CITY OF St. PAUL, LET'S WELCOME THEM AGAIN AS THEY PRESENT THE AWARDS OF THE WELL-DESERVED HONOREES ON THIS DAY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE GOING TO GET STARTED.

OUR FIRST RECIPIENT WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCH ESTABLISHED IN MINNESOTA.

FOUNDED DURING THE CIVIL WAR, PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE TWIN CITIES COMMUNITY, BOTH THE St. PAUL URBAN LEAGUE AND THE NAACP WERE ORGANIZED AT THE PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH.

RECENTLY, THEY HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO THE -- MEMBERSHIP TO THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM, RECEIVING THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE CONGREGATION IS PASTOR Dr. CHARLES GILL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

[ ~CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ~] >> OUR NEXT RECIPIENT IS JAMIE BECKER-FINN.

JAMIE IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND INDIGENOUS CAUCUS AND THE QUEER CAUCUS.

SHE HAS WORKED TO CHAMPION ISSUES ON PUBLIC DEFENSE, CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, DISABILITY, AND HEALTH ACROSS GENDERS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

WE THANK JAMIE FOR HER WORK.

SHE'S NOT PRESENT AS SHE'S UNDER THE WEATHER.

BUT LET'S CELEBRATE HER AND THANK GOD FOR HER WORK.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> BO THAO URABE IS A CONSULTANT AND FORMER EXECUTIVE NETWORK DIRECTOR AT THE COALITION OF ASIAN AMERICAN LEADERS.

A SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR AND A PARTNER AT REDGREEN RIVERS AND SAGE FARM MARKET, FOR YEARS, BO HAS BUILT AND LED LOCAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL EFFORTS FOR CHANGE.

ACCEPTING ON BO'S BEHALF IS HER DAUGHTER, EMI.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THEY ARE HERE.

WONDERFUL.

HERE WE GO.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> HENRY JIMÉNEZ IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE LATINO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

HE HAS DEDICATED HIS ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE TO ADVANCING -- TO ADVOCATING FOR AND ADVANCING HIS COMMUNITY.

DURING HIS TENURE AT CANDO, THE CENTRAL AREA NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, HENRY INCREASED THE BUDGET, WIDENED COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND GUIDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROGRAMS THAT CONTINUE TO BENEFIT RESIDENTS TODAY.

8 THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR HARD WORK, HENRY.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> NEXT, WE HAVE KELLY DRUMMER.

KELLY IS THE PRESIDENT OF MIGIZI, WHICH WAS STARTED IN 1977 WITH THE MISSION OF TRAINING YOUNG JOURNALISTS TO HELP OVERCOME STEREOTYPICAL PORTRAYALS OF AMERICAN INDIANS IN MASS MEDIA.

DURING THE CIVIL UNREST FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED LOCATION FOR MIGIZI BURNED TO THE GROUND.

NOT WANTING TO LET THE KIDS DOWN, KELLY SHOWED REMARKABLE LEADERSHIP IN FINDING A NEW TEMPORARY LOCATION WHILE ALSO LOOKING FOR A NEW PERMANENT LOCATION.

RECENTLY, THE NEW LOCATION ON LAKE STREET WAS RE-OPENED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, KELLY.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> OUR NEXT RECIPIENT IS NO STRANGER TO WORK.

WORKABILITIES, INC., IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZED TRAINING AND HABILITATION PROGRAMS IN MINNESOTA.

WITH OVER 29 YEARS OF SERVICE, THEY HAVE COACHED COUNTLESS NDIVIDUALS, HELPING PATIENTS WHO WERE MEDICALLY FRAGILE TO HOSE WITH COMPLEX PHYSICAL NEEDS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

AND WE INVITE NOW LUANA BALL WILL ACCEPT THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZATION.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> OUR NEXT RECIPIENT IS THE METRO DEAF SCHOOL.

THE METRO DEAF SCHOOL WAS THE FIRST DEAF CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY AND IS EXCEPTIONAL IN EVERY WAY.

THE METRO DEAF SCHOOL MEETS THE NEEDS OF DEAF, HARD-OF-HEARING AND DEAFBLIND STUDENTS.

THE SCHOOL WORKS ACTIVELY WITH LEGISLATORS AND PARTNERS TO ENSURE STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO A GREAT ACADEMIC EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT GO FAR BEYOND THE CLASSROOM SO STUDENTS CAN THRIVE.

THE METRO DEAF SCHOOL SERVES A POPULATION OF 15 STUDENTS RANGING IN AGE FROM BIRTH TO 21 WHO COME FROM 43 DIFFERENT RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

STUDENTS REFLECT THE FULL DIVERSITY OF OUR STATE AND EXPERIENCE THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY CAN COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH EVERY STAFF MEMBER AND PEER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

Dr. SUSAN OUTLAW WILL ACCEPT THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL.

PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Dr.

OUTLAW IS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE BUT WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE HER.

SHE'S MAKING HER WAY AROUND.

LET'S JUST GIVE A MOMENT FOR Dr.

OUTLAW AS WE CELEBRATE HER AS SHE MAKES HER WAY AROUND.

>> I WOULD SING BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT TODAY.

NOT TODAY.

I DON'T KNOW, PASTOR DAVID, DO YOU SING A LITTLE BIT?

[ LAUGHTER ] THERE WE GO.

YES, YES, YES!

[ APPLAUSE ] OH, THANK YOU.

>> WE THANK Dr.

OUTLAW FOR SHOWING UP JUST IN TIME TO SAVE THE EARS OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE.

NOW, FINALLY, WE BRING TO YOU A GROUP THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 1955 BY TWO YOUNG BLACK PROFESSIONALS LIVING IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS.

THE MONITORS CLUB IS AN ORGANIZATION CENTERED ON PROTECTING THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

ORGANIZED AROUND THREE PRINCIPLES, CIVIC, FINANCIAL, AND SOCIAL, THE MONITORS CLUB'S PRIMARY MISSION IS TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS TARGETED AT FOSTERING AND ENHANCING THE ACADEMIC, LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL SKILLS OF YOUTH WITHIN THE MINNEAPOLIS/St.

PAUL METRO AREA.

THE CLUB AWARDS GRANTS FOR PROGRAMS AT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEY ALSO - PROVIDE POSTSECONDARY SCHOLARSHIPS TO YOUNG ADULTS.

THE MONITORS ARE INVOLVED WITH FORUMS WITH EDUCATIONAL AND POLITICAL LEADERS AND PARTNERS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND PLEASE WELCOME THEIR PRESIDENT, ROBERT DOTY, TO ACCEPT THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE MONITORS CLUB.

[ APPLAUSE ] IF ALL THE MONITORS IN THE OUSE WOULD STAND AS THEY ACCEPT THEIR AWARD.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> AND NOW LET'S CLOSE BY THANKING ALL OF OUR AWARD RECIPIENTS ONE FINAL TIME.

LET'S THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION, FOR THEIR WORK, THEIR SERVICE AND THEIR ACRIFICE.

[ APPLAUSE ] INDEED, MAY THEY ALL INSPIRE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK OF CARRYING ON THE TORCH OF Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. WE LEAVE TODAY WITH OUR HEARTS FULL, SO MANY MESSAGES THAT WE HEARD, SO MANY POWERFUL MOMENTS OF INSPIRATION.

WE LEAVE BEING REMINDED OF THE WORK OF WONDERFUL YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE DALLAS, LET US CONTINUE TO SOW IN AND INVEST AND BE MINDFUL OF SO MANY OF THE THREATS THAT ARE COMING AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY AND COMING AGAINST THE LEGACY OF THE HISTORY WE WERE REMINDED OF TODAY.

LET US NEVER ALHOW WILL Dr. KING'S STORY TO BE FORGOTTEN.

LET US NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF HIS WORDS OF WISDOM, HOPE AND INSPIRATION.

AND LET ALL OF US HEED WITHIN OUR OWN HEARTS, OUR CHALLENGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SHAPING AND MOLDING THIS WORLD AS WE MOVE FROM NIGHTMARE INTO DREAM.

NOW, FINALLY, BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU, I KNOW THERE'S SOME FOLK IN THE HOUSE WHO ARE LIKE ME, HOW MANY FOLK ARE HUNGRY TODAY?

[ CHEERS ] THERE YOU GO.

I THANK GOD FOR THAT, THAT'S AN AMEN I CAN RESONATE WITH.

LISTEN, I WANT TO ANNOUNCE TO ALL THE HUNGRY FOLKS, A VERY SPECIAL INITIATIVE TODAY, THE COUNCIL'S WHO'S PLANNED THIS EVENT, THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES TO OFFER YOU A SPECIAL TREAT.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE YOUR PROGRAM TODAY TO ONE OF OUR PARTNER BUSINESSES, THEY ARE CREAM CAFÉ, SOUL BOWL, PIMENTO, PAR 365, OR BREAKFAST BAR, I'LL READ THAT AGAIN SO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAN MAKE YOUR PLANS TO EAT.

THEY ARE CREAM CAFÉ, SOUL BOWL, PIMENTO, JAMAICAN KITCHEN, MAMA SHEILA'S HOUSE OF SOUL, PAR 356 OR BREAKFAST BAR, IF YOU TAKE YOUR PROGRAM TO ANY ONE OF THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS TODAY, YOU WILL RECEIVE A 5% DISCOUNT ON YOUR MEAL, JUST BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 1:00 AND 4:00 P.M. DON'T BRING YOUR PROGRAM TOMORROW LOOKING IDENTIFY DISCOUNT.

MAKE YOUR WAY TO SUPPORT ONE OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES TODAY.

TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCOUNT BETWEEN 1:00 AND 4:00 P.M.

IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE A PROGRAM, PLEASE SCAN THE QR CODE THAT IS ON THE SCREEN BEFORE YOU SO YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT DISCOUNT.

WE'RE GETTING READY TO HEAD OUT OF HERE, BUT ONE MORE TIME, CAN WE THANK OUR HOST AND OUR SPONSORS, ALL THE WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS, EVERYONE WHO SERVES ON THE COUNCIL, ALL THOSE WHO PERFORMED TODAY.

LET'S DO BETTER THAN THAT.

COME ON, W YOU NOT JUST FULL OF THE WONDERFUL JOY OF THIS PROGRAM?

AND AS WE LEAVE, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SACRIFICING YOUR HOLIDAY, FOR BRAVING THE COLD, LET US LWAYS REMEMBER, ONE DREAM ONE MINNESOTA.

THE FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH CHOIR IS GOING TO TAKE US HOME.

LET'S STAND AND SING WITH THEM AS WE HEAD OUT INTO THE WEEK THAT AWAITS US.

♪ ♪ LIVELY MUSIC ♪ ♪ HE KEEPS BLESSING ME ♪ EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND, HE KEEPS BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE IT ♪ ♪ THE LORD'S BEEN GOOD TO ME ♪ ♪ EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND HE KEEPS BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND HE KEEPS BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE IT ♪ ♪ THE LORD'S BEEN GOOD TO ME ♪ ♪ HE'S BLESSING E ♪ ♪ THE BLESSINGS COME DOWN ♪ ♪ THE PRAISES GO UP ♪ ♪ THE BLESSINGS COME DOWN ♪ ♪ I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE IT ♪ ♪ I OT TO RUN AND SERVE IT ♪ ♪ THE LORD'S BEEN GOOD TO ME ♪ ♪ HE'S GOOD TO ME ♪ ♪ THE PRAISES GO UP ♪ ♪ THE BLESSINGS COME DOWN ♪ ♪ THE PRAISES GO UP ♪ ♪ THE BLESSINGS COME DOWN ♪ ♪ THE PRAISES GO UP ♪ ♪ THE BLESSINGS COME DOWN ♪ ♪ THE PRAISES GO UP ♪ ♪ HE BLESSINGS COME DOWN ♪ ♪ I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE IT ♪ ♪ I GOT TO RUN AND SERVE IT ♪ ♪ OH, THE LORD'S BEEN GOOD TO ME ♪ ♪ HE'S BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ HEY ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND 7 ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME NOW ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ LESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ ♪ BLESSING ME ♪ [ APPLAUSE ]