Grammy winner preaches leadership
Kirk Franklin was abandoned by his parents as a child – though his aunt was there to raise him. Franklin said if it weren’t for his aunt, he would have lacked a crucial positive influence in his childhood and would not have achieved what he has today.
Grammy Award-winning singer Franklin, while speaking at the fifth annual African American Male Congress (AAMC) induction ceremony, said it was important to end the crippling patterns that exist in the black community. He said it is crucial for the black community to have positive leaders to prepare the youth – without these leaders fostering relationships, African Americans are running an unfair race with the rest of society.
‘Are you going to make excuses, or are you going to reposition yourself to get back in the race?’ he asked. ‘We cannot use the past as an excuse.’
Franklin, a multi-platinum selling gospel artist, headlined the AAMC baccalaureate in Hendricks Chapel Friday.
Franklin’s speech was followed by a vocal performance with the Black Celestial Choir Ensemble. They performed ‘Be Like Him,’ a gospel song Franklin recorded in South Africa in 1999. Franklin’s most recent album, ‘Hero,’ received two Grammy Awards for best gospel song and album.
The ceremony featured separate speeches by Franklin and Princeton University professor, Eddie Glaude. They encouraged the six inductees to be responsible leaders and make an effort to help solve the social ills that affect the black community.
‘It was a great feeling. We met him downstairs. He said we did really well and he really enjoyed us,’ said choir member Laquana Greenwood.
The AAMC is a student organization dedicated to developing African American male leaders. Inductees must attain a 3.0 GPA and maintain it throughout their membership of the Congress.
‘When you walk across that stage and get your degree, every dollar should not be about you,’ Franklin said. ‘Let’s start helping black people to be better people.’
The AAMC’s mission is to prepare leaders who make it their goal to resolve the social, economic and political problems that affect the black community.
This year’s inductees have been one of the most academically impressive groups to date said Daniel Elmore, vice president of AAMC.
‘They’ve gone more in depth into what is needed to be leading in the community,’ Elmore said.
Inductees include individuals on the dean’s list, members of honors program, campus organization leaders and peer mentors.
Franklin, a music director, singer-songwriter and producer stressed the importance of taking direct action to deal with community issues without making excuses or becoming bitter.
‘Complaining doesn’t make a change,’ Franklin said. ‘The only way to know that you’re learning is to get out on the field of life.’
Picking up where Franklin left off on leadership and community outreach, Glaude, an award-winning author and Ivy League professor, defined community involvement by using individual talents to make community goals a reality.
‘Each generation must discover its mission,’ Glaude said. ‘You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.’
Franklin has begun a youth outreach initiative under his Fo Yo Soul, Nu Nation Ministries. Claude is a founding member of The Jamestown Project, a program that aims to implement actions through maximum civic engagement.
‘They were very encouraging,’ said Tari Wariebi, a sophomore inductee. ‘They let us know how big of an accomplishment this was.’
AAMC members are trained in areas of communication, conflict resolution and networking in order to serve the communities they plan to lead.
‘This is another tool to help me be the leader I want to be; help my race and people,’ said Wyan Smith, a sophomore inductee.
Franklin and Glaude’s words of advice and encouragement were based off their personal experiences of overcoming obstacles, and by reaching a level of success and encouraging their fellow community members to help one another.
‘We’ve really prepared this class to make moves on campus and go into the world to make a difference,’ Elmore said. ‘I really expect great things from them.’
