JUSTICE, HEALING DRIVE S.C. MINISTER
Each week, this series will introduce you to an exceptional American who unites, rather than divides, our communities. To read more about the American profiled here and more average Americans doing exceptional things, visit onenation.usatoday.com.
What does it mean to you to be an American?
My great-grandma raised me. She was born in a time that these United States were very segregated. Seeing the world from her lens was somewhat hard, because for her, looking a white person in the face was dangerous. You had to address all white people by “yes, sir” or “yes, ma’am.” I didn’t understand that because I felt like ... everyone was equal, and I really didn’t understand racism at that point. I am passing on to my kids that the only time you hold your head down is when you pray, when you pray to God out of reverence because there’s no one human being greater than another.
What moment touched and motivated you?
So poverty is what I hate. ... I’ve been in poverty. I know what it smells like. What it tastes like. ... If more people would open their eyes ... what we’ll see is that America can be better because there are great minds, but they’re just diamonds in the rough. They need someone to reach down and pick them up.
What gives you hope or concerns you?
The rhetoric I hear now from the govern-
ment, that really concerns me. We see a spike in these hate groups ... at one point I thought we were getting better, but we’re kind of going backwards ... I think white America has to stand up against white America. I tell all my friends, if you say you’re really passionate and your heart is there, then you have a conversation with that racist family member, that racist co-worker. This is a battle for white America. White America has to heal white America. Black America can’t heal white America. Hispanic America can’t heal white America.
What do you hope to accomplish?
Social justice, for one. Two is economic empowerment. And I want to see education for minorities skyrocket through the roof.