Herman School of Business
A Moment of Pride...
Two months ago I gave a speech at Frostburg University and met over 100 students at an event produced by one of the student groups. The young man who heads that organization introduced himself to me and asked if he could stay in touch. I have always encouraged people to write me with their questions or plans, knowing that I will give them a blunt assessment.
About a week ago, when classes ended at Frostburg, that student called me to ask if he could take me out to lunch. Yesterday we met and he presented me with a binder that included his business plan, and he asked if I would mentor him for awhile. I felt honored. We chatted for over an hour about his Grandfather who ran a business and his Father who had another business venture going, both in my home town of Baltimore. When this young man completes his education he hopes to help both of the businesses already in the family become bigger and he hopes to add a few layers of his own making the entity stronger for the future. I believe he will do that.
Because the news was all about Barak Obama winning the Democratic Party nomination, we couldn’t help but discuss the amazing transition over the last fifty years in this country. A Black man will be running for the highest office in the country. America, take a bow. The young man sitting across the table from me is Black. Fifty years ago we may not have been able to meet in this same restaurant. I told him that in my childhood I remembered watching the news and seeing a Black couple going to the movies at a theater I often went to. I asked my Father who was watching with me, why was that news. When he told me they were the first Black couple ever to go to that theater I couldn’t understand what he meant. Why were they not allowed in? What kind of thinking was going on at that time? As a child I was shocked that I lived in a world where people were separated like that.
The young man I sat across from has two generations of role models to draw from as he finishes his next two years of school and then enters the business world full time. But this young man, CurtisEaddy II will not wait two years to get started. His business plan starts now. His ideas for his future are already underway.
When I left the restaurant, with his business plan under my arm…I felt proud of America. This man will prosper because we have come to our senses. We are all the same here in America. Curtis’s family shows the change in American thinking the same as Barak’s winning the nomination. Whether your Politics support Barak or John McCain you know there is a feeling of pride in what these two men represent for our country. It means more than ever that anyone in America, ANYONE, can achieve any status in this country…and sitting across from Curtis I felt proud to be his dining partner.
- Posted: 4 June 2008
- Comments: 1
- Category: Running a business
I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed this entry. I work with Curtis as he is a scholarship recipient of the CollegeBound Foundation. He is an amazing young man and he never fails to make me smile. In fact, we think so highly of him that he will be our returning scholar speaker at our annual Scholars’ Luncheon on July 31st. Thank you again and thank you for taking the time to meet with him. He is fabulous and he is going places. :)
Written by Jamie Crouse on 16 July 2008