a BIG BIG week is coming. Juan, William and Philippe & I are "Distinguished Lecturers" at the University of the District of Columbia this Thursday, Nov 12 -- the 1st Time I'm speaking about my book with some of my older sons. I am honored, & excited. See my SCHEDULE for details.
On Monday, I am the Resident Writer @ The Lyons Community School, a New York public school in Brooklyn, as part of the Adopt-A-School program. Public school teachers are my heroes. Absolutely.
On Tuesday, I'm meeting with students and teachers at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) program for Community Service Learning, then meeting later with Boys & Girls Club, in Holyoke.
THEN on Tuesday night, I'm reading & discussing What Else But Home @ the Odyssey Bookshop, in South Hadley, MA. Join me. Please do.
THEN on Wednesday morning, I'm exited to be working with the students in Mount Holyoke College's Community-Based Learning Program. They've been assigned Chapter 3 !!
THEN on to D.C. Lunch with Carla Cohen! Did I say "!"? !!! Then UDC.
and the Miami Book Fair this coming weekend.
Michael & Sons,
Thank you for coming to school I attend yesterday afternoon, The University of the District of Columbia. I wish you all could have stayed a little longer. However, I realize that you all have your own lives.
The lecture series yesterday was very thought provoking. The discussion had very real everyday issues of people's struggles and hardships including your own. I do want to point out as you all already know,that there has been a lot of good times, achievements, and successes in your lives. You all seem to have a commonality, and that is,to help people in anyway you can along thier and your journey in life.
One of the many things I got out of the lecture is that on the part of Michael, he acknowledged the need to be a part of the boys' lives (now his sons today). Subsequently, Michael became a caring figure of support, and through time he became thier father. It was the willingness of the "ENTIRE" family to make it work and for everyone to be successful as a "family unit".
I wanted to peronally say this. When you do things in life for someone or for people,do it because you want to, do it without looking for anything in return, and do it with enthusiasm. People have to question themselves, am I looking for something in return? Am I doing it to talk about what you did for someone? Honestly ask yourself, what are your intentions and motives. If you are not sincere and genuine about reaching out to help your fellow man or woman in need, then you are most certainly not doing that person and yourself a disservice, especially the one you are supposedly helping.
When you lend a helping hand to someone in need in life, and show that you are sincere in your words and actions, you may never truly know what a profound inpact you have made in thier life.
You also talked about subjects and your own personal real life experiences that are very real and exist in our society. The sensitive issues is of race relations and socioeconomic barriers for the minority communities. Examples of this are race relations:(racism, racial profiling, etc.,- past and present generations. Another Example was socioeconomical classes/communities:(poverty, middle class, ghettos, the projects-past and present generations).
There needs to be a forum for on-going open dialogues to discuss these challenging matters that all are difficult for others to discuss openly and honestly.
Although you covered so many topics, I just wanted you all to know that race relations was not the only important things talked about.
I look forward to seeing you in the near future.
Wonderful! I really enjoyed it.
So, thank you all again for sharing your lives with others and myself.
See you again soon.
Until then, take care.
Corey Lewis