Anthony. Real Hispanic American Hero?

Last week I gave a speech to a group of Hispanic high school seniors who were being recognized for their outstanding leadership. While I expressed my anxiety quite eloquently to you all last week, I have to pat myself on the back for how it all turned out (She is a big believer in patting yourself on the back--or at least patting herself on the back).

My task was to speak to these kids about the importance of higher education in the Hispanic community. More succinctly, I spoke to them about creating an expectation regarding their matriculation to college. I have the wonderful job of recruiting students from all over the country. I visit the richest of rich, the poorest of poor, and the middle of middle. And if there is one singular difference between the students I encounter in the wealthier suburbs and the minority students that are the dominant group in the urban schools, it is the level of expectation. Suburban kids expect to go to college. Most of my urban kids HOPE to go to college. Believe me, hope is a good thing, but expectations are what make the world go round.

I thanked the students for all they had done to get here, but challenged them to do more. Within a generation, Hispanics will be the majority group in this country. Their education isn't just an issue for them. It's an issue for all of us. But I told them that while they would soon be presented with a tremendous opportunity, they would be more importantly presented with an obligation. Their success is not just important for themselves as individuals or even as a community. Their success is important for the nation as a whole. Education is the first key to opening the doors that will take them to the places they MUST go in the future. I threw down the gauntlet and I hope they took it.

I felt alive. I felt important. I felt like I was doing something of substance. Those moments are, by definition, somewhat limited in our lives.

Now, on to more fun things...

Poem Regarding the Way in Which Human Resources Is Trying to Drain My Life Force (I wrote this during the most meaningless of meetings)

In the dream
His eyes looked
Upon the impending
Adventure of life
The sea air
The mountain
Chills the brow
The greatness of
The unknown ahead
Warmed by a light
That never goes out
He awakes regrettably
To the light of an overhead
Projector. Oh joy.
An hour and half long meeting to make sure
We understand that our payroll website
Has a new
Font.
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Some people doodle. I write mini-poems. Gay? Maybe. But hey, we all do gay things sometimes.

Song of the Day: "Girls, Girls, Girls"
Artist: Liz Phair
Album: Exile In Guyville
Lyric of Possible Relevance: "You been around enough to see that if you think you're it, you better check with me."