I truly enjoyed my time at SMU, but I haven’t ever really been given an opportunity to give back in a meaningful way since I graduated in 2013. I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it to college, but I’m so fortunate to have gotten an arts scholarship making it affordable to get the education that has made me the artist I am today. I wouldn’t be in Dallas and I wouldn’t be one of three full time Acting Company members in the national region at Dallas Theater Center. As an African American male in this country, that is no small feat. Despite all that I felt like there was this invisible barrier between me and SMU once I graduated. I had no reason to go back to campus and no one ever called me back for any reason.
That all changed in December when I received a Facebook message from a former Dallas Theater Center employee now working at SMU. The message essentially asked if I wanted to be the face of SMU’s fundraising campaign in March because they were impressed with my passionate graduation speech in 2013 (view below). I’d have to give a similar heartfelt speech that they would film and blast out to friends, parents, students, faculty and staff of SMU. Was I interested? Ummmm HELL YEAH! As a professional actor that owes much of their career to their education it’s a goldmine opportunity to get to use your profession to give back to the school that help you grow all while inspiring others like you. Check out the video, and tell me what you think. If you like it, PLEASE SHARE. If you don’t… keep it to yourself. 😅
One day. For 24 hours on March 5, the entire SMU community will come together to give back and celebrate the causes we care about – supporting students, improving cities, educating teachers, fighting for justice, fueling champions – together, the possibilities are endless.