"I hope you don't mind if I give you a little bit of advice. You don't have to take it, now, but I'm gonna give it to you anyhow.
Forget about this organizing business and do something that's gonna make you some money. Not greedy you understand. But enough. I'm telling you this 'cause I can see potential in you. Young man like you, got a nice voice-hell, you could be one of them announcers on the TV. Or sales...got a nephew about your age making some real money there. That's what you need, see.
Not more folks running around here all rhymes and jive. You can't help folks that aint gonna make it nohow, and they won't appreciate you for trying. Folks that wanna make it, they gonna find a way to do it on their own. How old are you anyway?"
"Twenty-two."
"See there. Don't waste your youth. Wake up one morning an old man like me, and all you gonna be is tired, with nothing to show for it."
Who was that advice given to?
Barack Obama. President of the United States and first African American to hold office. Recipient of the Nobel Peace prize and now one of the most powerful people in the world. A young Barack was planning his first steps into community organising and politics.
Be careful who you take advice from.
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