On the recordMarch 16, 2015
In Miami-Dade County, I have a program called the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project. It is a program of Black and Hispanic boys who are trying to grow up into good men. The Friday before Bloody Sunday, over 500 12th graders--graduating seniors--from that program went to a movie to watch a private screening of the movie ``Selma.'' I want to give a special shout-out to Nancy Sewell, who is the mother of Terri Sewell. As I watched the two of them on C-SPAN, MSNBC, and CNN, I was so proud of them. These boys were prepared by men who experienced the civil rights battles and know the bitter history and violent battles we had to endure. I wish I had the resources to take all 500 of them to Selma. During the movie, we planned a Twitter war. Thousands participated all across the Nation. Movie stars, rappers, sports legends, and the White House joined in the Twitter war. These boys will never be the same. They were visibly moved; and their applause, tears, hugs, and tweets proved their transformation. The next day, on that Saturday, when the President spoke, the Twitter war continued. It was based at my home. So many of them watched and marveled at Representative John Lewis, a card-carrying, sworn-in member of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project. They watched so proudly as he introduced the first Black President of the United States. In fact, he is the only President that they know. They are beyond proud. Why did I do this?…
