BNO Founder Speaks To The Louisiana Leadership Institute
Thursday, July 26, 2007
CHICAGO - Tuesday June 5, 2007
I had the opportunity to speak to and empower about 100 students from the Louisiana Leadership Institute, an iniative sponsored by Louisiana State Senator Cleo Fields. It was a great pleasure to speak with them. These high school students attended the Rainbow PUSH/Citizenship Education Fund conference on “Financial Literarcy and Empowerment.”
My message and challenge to them was clear. As a fellow young person, I encouraged them to stay involved in their communities and to spend time on the weekends volunteering to improve the condition of the neighborhoods we call home. I told them that society needed their civic leadership now more than ever.
Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath has fundamentally changed our life and livlihood. Everything around us has changed, in some cases - for the worse. We can let that moment define us or we can redefine it for the better and leave this room committed to making the difference.
Afterwards, the high school students from New Orleans and Baton Rouge stood, accepting our challenge to spend time this summer serving those less fortunate. It was encouraging!
