Dr. Thorton's Speech

1. What can and will you do to be a part of the "best and brightest" of Howard?
In order to be considered the"best and brightest," I feel I must first become the best me that I can be. I have come to an understanding that I'm not competing against anyone but myself. My goal in life is to reach MY fullest potential here at Howard. Being considered the best isn't something I worry myself with because I know having a goal to be better than another shows no
true ambition. My success is driven off of my own personal motivation. I choose to be the best at all I do, not because tbe best or the brightest, but because I reahed my own potential. In order to reach my fullest potential at this stage in my life I must always assert myself to take all oppurtunities available. Not only is it important to meet new people and build relationships with them, but I must also stay focused on my studies. I have to balance my social life with my academic life. In order for me to be considered the "best an brightest" that I can be, I must demonstrate leadership and be my own person. I have to be always seeking the Lord and see if His will is my will. If it isn't, I must make the neccisarry changes so that my life and actions reflects what God wants of and from me. I think it's extremely important that not only am I academically and socially secured, but I'm also secure in my relationship with God in order to be the best and the brightest by reaching MY fullest potential.

2. What does it mean to be a citizen of the world? How does your citizenship in the nation inform your world citizenry?
Dr. Thorton mentioned being a citizen of the world all throughout his speech. He said that to be a citizen one has universal rights. Those universal rights could differ from education, employement, to healthcare. He said citizens need to be granted certain basic rights and freedoms. To be a citizen of the world you must take up social space. You must make your presence known by contributiing to society. You have to be an active individual in the world to be a true citizen.

3. Identify a representative thinker of Howard. How does that figure's life work inspire you to "till and turn over the soil" which, as Dr. Thornton noted, is expected of each Howard student.
I would consider my English professor Ms. Walsh, and my Political Science teacher Ms. Kan, to be a representative thinker here at Howard. Unlike most professors every word that comes out their mouth isn't "Power to the People." They teach about the world and other cultures.
They aren't limited to just preaching about how African Americans are so great and their the best culture. I like that they don't confine in the fact that were at an HBCU. Many people feel like since were an HBCU we must focus on the African culture. Unfortunately, because
professors think that way, we arent exposed to other cultures as much as a school like Georgtown exposes their students to. They think beyond "us" and teach us to look as the world as a whole not just as an African American in the world. Students at Howard that does not
encounter one of these professors or someone like them will have a limited viewpoint and be so wrapped up in their own culture they will be ignorant to everyone else's. It is funny to me that both these professors are not of the black descent. One is Turkish and the other White. I believe that if more Afrucan American teachers would be more open to stop being so pro Afro-centic then they will open the minds of us students. As African American's all our lives we have looked on the world with a black perspective. We have showed resentment towards whites because of past events, we have seperated ourselves from the rest of the world, we have become ignorant of other cultures, we have relied on only our culture forgetting that humans must rely on each other. By seperating ourselves from the rest of the world and teacging our kids that we are the better culture we have just put more emphasis on racism. Instead of teaching us to be a good individual they teach us to be a good African American. By limiting us to one race they have done us disjustice. We need to look beyond our skin color. They always say skin color doesn't matter, but they continue to label us. If we would simply stop acknowledging the fact that we are black and their white then the difference wouldnt be so great. Ms. Kan and Ms. Walsh inspire me to "till and turn over the soil" because they too have faced racism and hardships, also not being natives of the land, yet they have managed to make a living for themselves. They have become professors at a well known institution and have made a difference in my life already. They have taught me a new way of thinking.