>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS MATT McSAVANEY,
I'M AN ENGINEER
HERE AT MARSHALL,
AND I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF
OF THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY
AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY,
AND I'M ALSO HERE
AS REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE MARSHALL
EARLY CAREER ORGANIZATION,
OR MECO, AND JUST IN CASE YOU,
UH, DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT MECO,
WE'RE AN INDEPENDENT
AND EMPLOYEE-LED GROUP,
AND, UH, OUR GOALS
ARE TO FOSTER DIVERSE
AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE,
TO HELP CONNECT MENTORS
AND MENTEES, AND ALSO TO HELP
FOLKS DEVELOP THEIR PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
FEEL FREE TO FIND ME
AFTER THE EVENT TODAY.
UH, SO ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICES
OF DIVERSITY EQUAL OPPORTUNITY,
UH, LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL
TO CELEBRATE OUR, UH,
NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT
AWARENESS MONTH.
THE THEME THIS YEAR
IS THE RIGHT TALENT, RIGHT NOW,
AND HERE AT MARSHALL,
WE'RE COMMITTED TO HIRING
A WORKFORCE DIVERSE IN GENDER,
RACE, NATIONALITY, AND ABILITY.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE
THAT WE HAVE THE BEST
OF THE BEST TALENT
TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM
LINED UP FOR YOU TODAY,
INCLUDING OUR DYNAMIC KEYNOTE
SPEAKER, KANTIS SIMMONS,
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT KANTIS,
PLEASE SEE THE REVERSE SIDE
OF YOUR PROGRAM.
UH, HE'LL BE INTRO-
FORMALLY INTRODUCED
A LITTLE LATER.
ALSO, WE HAVE PERFORMANCES
FROM SPECIAL GUEST,
THE ALABAMA INSTITUTE
OF THE DEAF AND BLIND,
BOTH OF WHOM WE'RE HONORED
TO HAVE WITH US TODAY.
TO BEGIN THE PROGRAM,
I'D LIKE TO INVITE ANDREA BROWN,
ONE OF THE STUDENTS' INTERNS,
UP TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
UH, SO PLEASE RISE
FOR THE SINGING
OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
>> singing: O SAY CAN YOU SEE
BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED
AT THE TWILIGHT'S
LAST GLEAMING
WHOSE BROAD STRIPES
AND BRIGHT STARS
THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT
O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED
WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING
AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE
THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR
GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT
THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE
O SAY DOES THAT STAR SPANGLED
BANNER YET WAVE
O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE
AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE
THANK YOU
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL,
ANDREA, THANK YOU.
NOW, UH, WE'D LIKE
TO INVITE STEVE MILEY,
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
OF THE MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS,
AND THEN AFTER STEVE,
WE'LL HEAR A SPECIAL MUSIC
SELECTION FROM GEORGIA APLAN,
A STUDENT FROM THE ALABAMA
INSTITUTE OF THE DEAF AND BLIND.
FOLLOWING THIS SPECIAL MUSIC,
DENAY JACKSON,
ANOTHER STUDENT FROM THE ALABAMA
INSTITUTE OF THE DEAF AND BLIND,
WILL INTRODUCE
OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
SO THANK YOU, STEVE,
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP.
>> I GOTTA-- HANG ON A MINUTE,
I GOTTA GET THE-
THE HAIR TO LAY BACK DOWN
ON MY ARMS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THAT WAS AWESOME.
THAT WAS AWESOME, ANDREA.
I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.
THAT WAS WONDERFUL.
OH.
AND I APPRECIATE
OUR SIGN INTERPRETER.
APPRECIATE YOU DOING
THAT FOR US TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, UM,
WELL GOOD MORNING.
I WANTED TO, UM,
WELCOME YOU HERE,
AND I- I APPRECIATE BEING ABLE
TO COME AND TALK FOR OUR-
FOR OUR, UH, OUR SPECIAL,
UM, DISABILITY AWARENESS,
UH, RECOGNITION THIS MORNING.
UM, I'M APPRECIAT-
I'M APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE,
AND, UM, YOU KNOW,
YOU BEING HERE INDICATES
THAT YOU FEEL THAT'S
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT, UH,
PART OF OUR CENTER,
AND IT'S A PART OF WHAT
MAKES OUR CENTER
A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.
UM, IT'S PART OF--
REALLY, IT'S PART OF INCLUSION,
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
THE PHRA-- YOU KNOW,
WE USE THE TERM "INCLUSION,"
A LOT, AND IT REALLY,
REALLY IS ALL OF THE-
ALL OF THE- THE SPECIAL, UM,
EMPHASIS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT
THE YEAR IS PART OF OUR,
UH, MAKING OUR CENTER
AN INCLUSIVE PLACE TO BE,
AND CERTAINLY OUR, UH,
OUR EMPHASIS TODAY
ON DISABILITY AWARENESS
IS PART OF THAT.
AND ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK,
UH, LUCIUS AND DENISE
AND THE REST OF OUR ODEO TEAM
FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS
ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,
LUCIUS AND DENISE, AND-
AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THAT
YOU DO FOR OUR CENTER,
TO MAKE US, UH, UNDERSTAND
AND RECOGNIZE WHAT INCLUSION
REALLY MEANS IN ALL FACETS
OF OUR WORK.
UH, NOT JUST THESE,
UH, SPECIAL EVENTS, BUT TODAY,
UM, BY THE TIME YOU LEAVE HERE
TODAY, I WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT YOU KNOW THAT, UH,
JODY AND- AND OUR TEAM UP-
UP ON THE NINTH FLOOR,
WE'RE VERY DEVOTED TO HAVING
THE RIGHT PEOPLE, UM,
THE RIGHT TALENT,
AND THE RIGHT PLACES
AT THE RIGHT TIME.
I THINK OUR- OUR, UH,
KEY PHRASE FOR THE-
FOR THE MONTH THIS-
THIS MONTH IS,
"THE RIGHT TALENT, RIGHT NOW."
AND CERTAINLY IN WHEN
IT COMES TO OUR EMPLOYEES
WITH DISABILITIES,
WE HAVE BEEN GREATLY BLESSED
AT THIS CENTER
TO BE ABLE
TO GET THAT RIGHT TALENT,
RIGHT NOW, AND I'M THRILLED
WITH WHAT WE'VE-
WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO DO AT OUR CENTER, UM,
WITH LUSCIOUS AND DENISE
IN THE LEAD.
UM, I ACTUALLY AM GRATEFUL
TO BE APART OF MARSHALL, MYSELF.
I'M GRATEFUL TO WORK-
WORK HERE, UM,
I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL THE EFFORTS
THAT OTHERS HAVE GIVEN
TO ME IN YEARS PAST
THAT HAS ALLOWED ME TO, UH,
TO BECOME A PART OF MARSHALL
AND TO- TO REALLY HAVE A--
TO- TO- TO REALLY EXPERIENCE
THE PRIVILEGE-
PRIVILEGE OF WORKING HERE,
AND NOT EVERYONE HAS
HAD MAYBE ALL THE SAME CHANCES
OR OPPORTUNITIES THAT
I HAVE HAD, AND, Y'KNOW,
WHEN IT COMES TO DISABILITIES,
NOT TO GET INTO A LOT
OF STATISTICS,
BUT THAT BASED ON THE,
UH, UM, THE BUREAU OF LABOR
SUBSTIS-- UH, STATISTICS--
EASY FOR ME TO SAY, RIGHT?
STATISTICS.
THAT IN 2018,
ONLY 19% OF AMERICANS
WITH A DISABILITY WERE EMPLOYED
VERSUS THOSE WITHOUT A ZIS--
DISABILITY, ABOUT 66%,
UM, ARE EMPLOYED.
SO ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS,
THE EMPLOYMENT POPULATION
HAS BEEN AND HAS A-
HAS A HISTORY OF BEING
LOWER FOR PEOPLE--
FOR THOSE WITH, UH,
DISABILITY COMPARED
TO THOSE WITHOUT A DISABILITY,
AND AT MARSHALL,
WE REALLY WANT TO AFFORD
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE.
UM, OF EVERY WALK OF LIFE,
AND EVERYONE WHO IS ABLE
AND, UH, WILLING TO COME
AND CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT
WE'RE DOING HERE, AND SO,
UM, AS PART OF, Y'KNOW,
OF COURSE, AT BEING AT MARSHALL,
WE'RE PART OF THE UNITED STATES
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
AND WE HAVE, UH,
CHALLENGED OUR SELF, AND AGAIN,
UNDER OUR ODEO TEAM'S
LEADERSHIP,
WE'VE- WE'VE BEEN CHALLENGED
TO MEET THE GOVERNMENT GOALS.
SO, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T
FOCUS ON NUMBERS, AND I--
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS
I LOVE ABOUT OUR ODO--
ODEO TEAM IS THEY--
THEY'RE NOT VERY
NUMBERS-FOCUSED,
THEY'RE REALLY ABOUT
THE SOUL AND THE CULTURE
OF OUR CENTER
AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE--
THAT THEY'RE HELPING US CREATE,
TO WORK IN HERE, AND--
BUT, THE NUMBERS COUNT, TOO,
AND ONE OF THE NUMBERS
IS 2% IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT
HAS- HAS DE-- UM,
HAS ISSUED A 2% GOAL
FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES TO, UH,
FOR THEIR, UH, WORKFORCE
WITH DISABILITIES,
AND IN FOUR YEARS,
OVER THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN
EMPHASIZING IT HERE AT MARSHALL,
WE'RE SITTING AT 2.8%
OF OUR WORKFORCE,
UH, WITH DISABILITIES.
SO WE'RE ALREADY, Y'KNOW,
ABOVE WHAT THE FEDERAL
MINIMUM GOAL WAS.
AS WELL, UM, THAT,
UM, FOR THE HIRING GOALS,
UM, AS WELL AS THE OVERARCHING,
UH, LEVEL OF EMPLOYEES
WITH DISABILITIES, WHICH,
AGAIN, MARSHALL IS ABOVE
THAT GOAL AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S A FEDERAL
GOAL OF 12%,
AND WE'RE SITTING AT OVER 12%.
SO, UM, IT TAKES A LOT
OF WORK TO DO THIS,
AND IT TAKES A LOT OF TALENT.
AND THE TALENT COMES FROM YOU.
IT COMES FROM
OUR HIRING MANAGERS.
IT COMES FROM OUT IN OUR-
IN OUR REQUIREMENT
OR OUR REQUIRING ORGS
AND OUR SUPPORT ORGS,
OUR OFFICE OF, UH,
HUMAN RESOURCES AND MARCUS'S
TEAM AND ODEO TEAM
TO ALL MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND WE'VE BEEN REALLY BLESSED
AND FORTUNATE HERE THAT WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SUCH INROADS
IN, UM, THESE-- IN-IN HIRING.
AND WE'VE BEEN--
WE'VE BEEN AMAZED.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY-- UNSOLICITED
I'VE HEARD STORIES
FROM DIFFERENT MANAGERS
THAT HAVE COME TO ME AND SAID,
WOW, THIS PERSON IS WORK--
WE WERE SO LUCKY
TO GET THIS PERSON
OR THAT PERSON, UH,
WHO CAME TO US
WITH A DISABILITY.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO USE
DISABILITY HIRING AUTHORITY
TO BRING THEM ON BOARD,
AND THAT'S BEEN A GREAT
BLESSING TO US.
UM, GOING BACK
TO THE BASICS ON DISABILITY,
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU KNOW
WHAT DISABILITY MEANS.
ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL
MEANING OF DISABILITY?
SO I'M GONNA GIVE
A LITTLE TUTORIAL.
SOME OF YOU KNOW.
BUT ACCORDING TO THE DICTIONARY
DEFINITION OF DISABILITY,
IT IS A PHYSICAL
OR MENTAL CONDITION
THAT LIMITS A PERSON'S
MOVEMENTS, SENSES,
OR ACTIVITIES.
BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO AVAIL OURSELVES HERE
WITH OUR TEAM,
IS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE
THOSE, UM, WITH DISABILITIES.
AND IN FACT,
THEY ARE NOT LIMITED, RIGHT?
THEY'RE-THEY'RE COMING HERE.
THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING.
THEY'RE PART OF OUR
MARSHALL TEAM,
AND THEY IN FACT ARE HELPING US
ACHIEVE THE MISSIONS THAT IS--
THAT HAS BEEN SET BEFORE US
HERE AT MARSHALL AND NASA.
SO OUR, UH,
FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES
ARE PROVIDING AN ESSENTIAL
ROLE BOTH FOR US AS MARSHALL
AND FOR US AS PART
OF THE UNITED STATES
AND DOING OUR MISSIONS
THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN TO DO.
UM, I WON'T--
I WON'T GO THROUGH,
UM, ALL OF THESE--
I'VE GOT ABOUT 17 PAGES HERE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
ARE-- YOU DON'T MIND IF YOU--
IF I CONTINUE
WITH MY PAGE THREE---
NO, I'M KIDDING.
UM, BUT REALLY, THE BOTTOM LINE
IS, UM, THIS TYPE
OF INCLUSION AND THIS KIND
OF MESSAGE IS VITAL
FOR US HERE AT MARSHALL.
IT'S PART OF OUR OVERALL,
UM, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT
THAT WE'RE CREATING
HERE AT MARSHALL,
WITH ALL OF YOU PARTNERING
WITH US TO HELP THAT, UH,
HELP THAT BECOME A REALITY.
UM, MARSHALL IS GONNA BE HERE,
HOPEFULLY LONG AFTER
SOME OF US ARE HERE.
IT'S GONNA BE--
THERE-THERE WILL BE
THE MARSHALL OF-OF TOMORROW.
AND THE MARSHALL OF TOMORROW
IS GOING TO BE
EVEN MORE INCLUSIVE.
IT'S GOING TO BE
EVEN MORE DIVERSE.
AND IT'S GOING TO ALSO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE WONDERFUL
CAPABILITIES AND TALENTS
OF EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES.
AND I KNOW WE-WE'RE ALREADY
ON THAT PATH NOW,
'CAUSE WE'RE-- LIKE I SAY,
WE'RE ALREADY KINDA-KINDA
LEADING WITHIN-WITHIN
EVEN OVERALL NASA
WE'RE LEADING IN THIS AREA.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF OUR TEAM
FOR DOING THAT.
UM, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE REMEMBER THAT
WE-WE ALWAYS DO NEED TO LOOK OUT
AND CONSIDER EVERYONE, UM,
WHO CAN BE AVAILABLE, EVERYONE,
UM, THAT-THAT MAY HAVE SKILLS
AND TALENTS THAT WE MIGHT
NOT AUTOMATICALLY THINK
OF THAT THEY WOULD HAVE,
AND THAT OFTEN THE LIMITATION
ON THEIR TALENT AND SKILLS
AND WHAT THEY CAN BRING
TO BEAR ON THE MISSION,
THE LIMITATION IS
IN MY MIND, RIGHT?
IT'S IN YOUR-- THE LIMITATION
IS SOMETIMES IN OUR MIND,
NOT IN THE ACTUAL MIND
OF THE INDIVIDUAL
THAT'S READY TO CONTRIBUTE
AND BE A PART OF OUR TEAM.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR, UH, FOR BEING HERE TODAY,
AND THANK YOU FOR THE ODEO TEAM
FOR PUTTING THIS ON,
AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO THE REST OF THE PROGRAM.
APPRECIATE YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> AND, UH, NEXT LET'S INTRODUCE
OUR NEXT PERFORMER,
GEORGIA APLIN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> singing: DO YOU EVER FEEL
LIKE A PLASTIC BAG
DRIFTING THROUGH THE WIND
WANTING TO START AGAIN
DO YOU EVER FEEL
FEEL SO PAPER THIN
LIKE A HOUSE OF CARDS
ONE BLOW FROM CAVING IN
DO YOU EVER FEEL
ALREADY BURIED DEEP
SIX FEET UNDER SCREAM
BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO HEAR A THING
DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S
STILL A CHANCE FOR YOU
'CAUSE THERE'S A SPARK IN YOU
YOU JUST GOTTA
IGNITE
THE LIGHT
AND LET IT SHINE
JUST OWN THE NIGHT
LIKE THE FOURTH OF JULY
'CAUSE, BABY, YOU'RE A FIREWORK
COME ON, SHOW 'EM
WHAT YOU'RE WORTH
MAKE 'EM GO,
OH, OH, OH
AS YOU SHOOT ACROSS
THE SKY-Y-Y
BABY, YOU'RE A FIREWORK
COME ON, LET YOUR COLORS BURST
MAKE 'EM GO,
OH, OH, OH
YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE 'EM
FALLING, OH, OH, OH.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEEL
LIKE A WASTE OF SPACE
YOU'RE ORIGINAL,
CANNOT BE REPLACED
IF YOU ONLY KNEW
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
AFTER A HURRICANE
COMES A RAINBOW
MAYBE THE REASON WHY
ALL THE DOORS ARE CLOSED
SO YOU CAN OPEN ONE
THAT LEADS YOU
TO THE PERFECT ROAD
LIKE A LIGHTNING BOLT
YOUR HEART WILL GROW
AND WHEN IT'S TIME, YOU'LL KNOW
YOU JUST GOTTA
IGNITE THE LIGHT
AND LET IT SHINE
JUST OWN THE NIGHT
LIKE THE FOURTH OF JULY
'CAUSE, BABY, YOU'RE A FIREWORK
COME ON, SHOW 'EM
WHAT YOU'RE WORTH
MAKE 'EM GO,
OH, OH, OH
AS YOU SHOOT ACROSS
THE SKY-Y-Y
BABY, YOU'RE A FIREWORK
COME ON, LET YOUR COLORS BURST
MAKE 'EM GO,
OH, OH, OH
YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE 'EM
FALLING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM
EVEN BRIGHTER THAN
THE MOON, MOON, MOON
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN INSIDE
OF YOU, YOU, YOU
AND NOW IT'S TIME TO LET IT
THROUGH
'CAUSE, BABY, YOU'RE A FIREWORK
COME ON, SHOW 'EM
WHAT YOU'RE WORTH
MAKE 'EM GO,
OH, OH, OH
AS YOU SHOOT ACROSS
THE SKY-Y-Y
BABY, YOU'RE A FIREWORK
COME ON, LET YOUR COLORS BURST
MAKE 'EM GO,
OH, OH, OH
YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE 'EM
FALLING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM
EVEN BRIGHTER THAN
THE MOON, MOON, MOON
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM
EVEN BRIGHTER THAN
THE MOON, MOON, MOON
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
I-I THINK I HAVE SOMETHING
TO LEARN FROM HER.
I WISH-- I THINK I HAVE,
LIKE, A GOOD VOICE
THAT CAN PROJECT
TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM, BUT...
[ CHUCKLES ]
WELL DONE.
UH, THIS IS OUR
NEXT PERFORMER, DANAE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> HAVE YOU EVER MET SOMEONE
WHO SPENT 25 YEARS IN SCHOOL?
HAVE YOU EVER MET SOMEONE
WHO EARNED THREE
COLLEGE DEGREES,
BUT DIDN'T PAY A SINGLE PENNY
TO RECEIVE THEM?
HAVE YOU EVER MET SOMEONE
WHO PERFORMED
IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES
AND THE VERY NEXT DAY
WAS WORKING ON A NASA
MILITARY JET?
OUR SPEAKER TODAY
IS THE AUTHOR
OF "PLAYING YOUR "A" GAME"
AND ABSOLUTELY LAW--
LOVES RAW CAULIFLOWER.
PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER
AND WELCOME KANTIS SIMMONS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
EVERYWHERE,
EVERYWHERE
EVERYWHERE I GO
EVERYWHERE THAT I'VE BEEN
THE ONLY THING I SEE
IS BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
WHOA, DON'T YOU KNOW
WHOA WHOA WHOA
LIFE YOUR LIFE,
LIVE YOUR LIFE
[ CLAPPING IN RHYTHM ]
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> COME ON, MARSHALL!
WHOO!
COME ON, CATCH THE BEAT.
CATCH THE BEAT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
YOU GUY CAN BE SEATED.
YOU GUYS CAN BE SEATED.
AWESOME.
WHY DID I DO THAT?
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS
ARE NERDS.
I'M A NERD.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A NERD.
AND TODAY I'M SO HONORED
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
SOME TIME WITH YOU.
UH, BY A SHOW OF HANDS,
HOW MANY PEOPLE
IN THE ROOM ARE MOTHERS?
COOL.
HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM
ARE MOTHER LOVERS?
[ LAUGHTER ]
AWESOME.
WELL, A FEW YEARS AGO,
UH, THERE WAS
THIS PREGNANT MOTHER.
AND IT WAS AROUND
ABOUT 36 WEEKS
OF HER PREGNANCY,
AND SHE WAS GOING IN
FOR A REGULAR CHECKUP.
AND THIS MOTHER
WAS WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY.
AND FOR THE MOTHERS IN THE ROOM,
YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT DAY.
YOUR BELLY WAS POKED OUT.
YOU HAD A NICE LITTLE
WOBBLE GOING ON, RIGHT?
AND SO AS THIS MOTHER WAS GOING
IN FOR A REGULAR CHECKUP,
SHE GOT ON THE ELEVATOR,
WENT TO THE FOURTH FLOOR.
BING!
WHEW.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
AS SHE WAS WALKING
DOWN THE HALLWAY,
SHE FELT A [BLOWS RASPBERRY]
IN HER BELLY.
SHE WAS LIKE, WHOO,
I HOPE THAT ISN'T GAS.
SO SHE KEPT WALKING,
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN
SHE HEARD A PLOP.
AND SHE SAID,
OH, DOCTOR, DOCTOR, DOCTOR,
I THINK THE BABY IS COMING.
SO THEY RUSHED HER
TO THE DELIVERY ROOM.
THEY LAID HER DOWN ON THE TABLE.
OWIE, OWIE, OWIE,
BOINK, BOINK,
BOINK, BOINK, BOINK.
OUT COMES THIS SHINY
BLACK BABY BOY.
[ IMITATES CRYING ]
NOW LIKE MOST MOTHERS
AND EVEN THE MOTHERS
IN THE ROOM, WHAT WAS THE VERY
FIRST THING YOU SAID
WHEN THAT BABY CAME OUT?
WELL, MY MOTHER SAID,
ABOUT TIME, RIGHT?
AND SO MY MOTHER STARTED GOING
THROUGH THESE MIXED EMOTIONS.
ON ONE HAND, SHE LOOKED DOWN
AT HER SHINY BLACK BABY BOY,
AND SHE STARTED CRYING
THOSE TEARS OF JOY,
[ IMITATES CRYING ]
"OH, GOD, THANK YOU
FOR MY BABY!"
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
AT THE EXACT SAME TIME,
SHE STARTED EXPERIENCING
THESE TEARS OF DISAPPOINTMENT,
LIKE, "OH, GOD,
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?"
ONE MINUTE SHE WAS ELATED.
THE NEXT MINUTES
SHE WAS DEFLATED.
AND YOU SAY WHY?
BECAUSE THIS MOTHER,
SHE LOOKED DOWN AT HER
NEW BABY BOY,
AND SHE REALIZED
THAT HER BABY BOY
WAS ACTUALLY MISSING
SOME OF HIS FINGERS.
THAT WAS MY MOM
ABOUT 19 YEARS AGO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SOME OF YOU NERDS
WILL GET THAT LATER.
SOME OF Y'ALL
WILL GET THAT LATER.
AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING,
WHY DID THE BLACK GUY
WITH THE RED BOW TIE
JUST COME OUT HERE
AND POP SOME FINGERS
ON US LIKE THIS?
HE DIDN'T POKE US ON FACEBOOK.
HE DIDN'T EMAIL US.
HE DIDN'T TELL US ANYTHING.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
FOR MANY YEARS,
THIS WAS THE THING
THAT TOLD ME I CAN'T,
I WON'T, AND I'LL NEVER.
YOU KNOW, FOR ME IT STARTED
IN THE FIFTH GRADE.
I SAW THIS FINE GIRL IN SCHOOL.
HER NAME WAS KIESHA.
AND GUYS, YOU KNOW HOW WE
DO IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RIGHT?
NOD AT ME, GUYS.
YOU HAVEN'T ALWAYS
BEEN THAT OLD, RIGHT?
COME ON, NOD AT ME, GUYS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I SAW KIESHA.
I WAS LIKE,
OOH, HEY, KIESHA,
HOW YOU DOIN'?
I SAY, "HEY, KIESHA.
HELLO, MY NAME IS KANTIS."
KIESHA WAS LIKE,
"HOLD UP, WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR FINGER?
OOH, I CAN'T DO IT.
YOU HAVE THE COOTIES. TA-TA."
SO IN THE FIFTH GRADE,
I GREW UP FEELING LIKE,
MAN, I GOT THE COOTIES
BECAUSE OF WHAT KIESHA SAID.
A FEW YEARS LATER
I PLAYED BASEBALL.
ANY BASEBALL PLAYERS
IN THE ROOM?
ANY WANNABE BASEBALL
PLAYERS IN THE ROOM?
ANY B-- ANY "I LOOK AT THE WORLD
SERIES" BASEBALL IN THE ROOM?
OKAY, COOL.
AND SO I WAS PLAYING SHORTSTOP.
I HAD A GLOVE ON THIS HAND.
I HAD A LINE-DRIVE BALL
HIT TO ME, POW.
I CAUGHT THE BALL.
I DROPPED THE BALL.
MY GLOVE FELL OFF.
I PICKED THE GUY UP AT--
UH, PICKED THE BALL UP,
AND I THREW THE GUY OUT
AT FIRST BASE, OUT.
AND AS I WENT BACK OVER
TO PICK UP MY GLOVE,
I HEARD A PARENT
IN THE STANDS SAY,
"OOH, LOOK AT HIS FINGERS.
HE'S SO SPECIAL."
THE NEXT INNING I GOT UP
TO BAT, AND THIS TIME
I WAS BATTING RIGHT-HANDED.
I HIT A SINGLE,
POW.
HIT A SINGLE,
POW.
THERE WE GO.
HIT A SINGLE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND THEN I RAN DOWN
TO FIRST BASE, SAFE!
AND THEN I HEARD THE PARENT
IN THE STANDS SAY,
"OH, LOOK AT HIS FINGERS.
HE'S SO SPECIAL."
THE NEXT TIME I GOT UP TO BAT,
AND THIS TIME I COULD BAT
BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT-HANDED.
WE GONNA HIT A DOUBLE THIS TIME.
POW!
TOUCHED FIRST BASE,
I SLID INTO SECOND BASE.
AND THEN I HEARD THE PARENTS
IN THE STANDS SAY,
"HERCULES, HERCULES, HERCULES.
HE'S SO SPECIAL."
SO NOW NOT ONLY
DO I HAVE THE COOTIES,
BUT I'M ALSO SPECIAL.
NOW HAS ANYBODY EVER SEEN
THAT MOVIE "DRUMLINE"
WITH NICK CANNON?
IT'S A MARCHING BAND MOVIE.
WELL, ACTUALLY,
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL,
I WAS THE DRUM MAJOR OF THE BAND
THAT WAS ACTUALLY IN THAT MOVIE.
IN THE MOVIE THAT WAS CALLED
THE ATLANTA A&T BAND.
AND ACTUALLY IT
WAS MY HIGH SCHOOL,
SOUTHWEST DeKALB HIGH SCHOOL.
AND AS I WAS IN THE BAND,
AND I WAS THE DRUM MAJOR,
YOU KNOW, THE COOL GUY
WITH THE HUGE HAT ON
AND THE WHISTLE IN HIS MOUTH.
AND I REMEMBER
THAT DAY SO CLEAR.
THERE WAS ABOUT 15,000
PEOPLE AT OUR FOOTBALL GAME
THERE IN GEORGIA.
YOU KNOW, DOWN IN THE SOUTH
FOOTBALL IS EVERYTHING.
AND IT WAS HALFTIME.
IT WAS TIME TO BRING
THE BAND ON THE FIELD.
[ IMITATING HORNS AND DRUMS ]
YOU MARCHING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT WAS TIME
FOR THE VERY FIRST SONG,
THE OLYMPIC FANFARE.
[ IMITATES FANFARE ]
OKAY, THIS IS HEAVY.
[ IMITATING HORNS ]
AND EVERYTHING FOR ME
STARTED TO SLOW DOWN.
AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF,
WHAT IN THE WORLD
IS THAT FLAPPING IN THE AIR?
[ IMITATING HORNS ]
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT
FLAPPING IN THE AIR?!
NOW IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN
IN A MARCHING BAND
OR MAYBE SEEN
A GOOD MARCHING BAND,
THEY WEAR WHAT ON THEIR HANDS?
THEY WEAR THESE WHITE GLOVES.
AND AS I WAS DIRECTING THE BAND,
I JUST SAW SOMETHING
FLAPPING IN THE AIR.
YOU KNOW THOSE FINGERS
THAT DIDN'T HAVE FINGERS
OF THE WHITE GLOVE?
THEY WERE JUST FLAPPING
IN THE AIR.
AND SO I'M THINKING TO MYSELF,
NOT ONLY DID THEY
LABEL ME WITH COOTIES
AND CALL ME SPECIAL,
BUT NOW I'M THINKING TO MYSELF,
WOW, I HAVE FLAPPING FINGERS.
THAT NIGHT I WENT HOME.
PEOPLE CALLED THE HOUSE.
IT WAS LIKE,
"KANTIS, THE BAND ROCKED!
YOU GUYS WERE AWESOME!"
I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF,
NO, WE WERE NOT.
I HAD FLAPPING FINGERS.
SO I WENT TO MY MOM'S ROOM
AND GRABBED SOME NEEDLES.
I GRABBED A NEEDLE, THREAD.
I SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE TUB.
I HELD THOSE GLOVES UP
WITH THE FLAPPING FINGERS.
AND I SAID TODAY I'M ABOUT
TO INVENT SOMETHING.
I'M GONNA TAKE THESE
FROM MARCHING BAND GLOVES
TO MARCHING BAND MITTENS.
AND SO I HAD THE SCISSORS,
AND AS I WAS ABOUT TO CUT
THE FLAPPING FINGERS OFF,
MY MOTHER BUST
INTO THE BATHROOM.
OOH!
SHE SAID, "SON,
WHAT IN THE WORLD
ARE YOU DOING?"
I SAID, "MOM, I'M CUTTING OFF
MY FLAPPING FINGERS."
SHE SAID, "WHAT?"
I SAID, "MOM, I'M CUTTING OFF
MY FLAPPING FINGERS."
SHE SAID, "HUH?"
I SAID,
[ CRYING ]
"MOM, I'M CUTTING OFF
MY FLAPPING FINGERS,
BECAUSE EVERYBODY AT THE SCHOOL
IS TALKING ABOUT ME."
NOW MY MAMA FROM THE SOUTH,
THAT BLACK MAMA.
SHE LOOKED AT ME,
AND SHE WAS LIKE,
"CHILD, PLEASE.
AIN'T NOBODY TALKING ABOUT YOU."
SHE SAID, "SON, I WANT YOU
TO HEAR SOMETHING
AND NEVER EVER FORGET IT."
SHE SAID, "SON, QUIT LOOKING
AT WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE,
AND THINK ABOUT ALL THE AMAZING
THINGS YOU DO HAVE."
YOU SEE, IT WAS THOSE SAME WORDS
THAT HELPED ME
GET THROUGH RAINBOW ELEMENTARY.
THOSE SOME WORDS HELPED ME
GET THROUGH SOUTHWEST
DeKALB HIGH SCHOOL.
THOSE SAME WORDS SHOWED UP
FOR ME THERE AT NORFOLK STATE
UNIVERSITY WHERE I GOT
A BS DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY.
THOSE WORDS ALSO SHOWED UP
FOR ME THERE
AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
WHERE I GOT A MASTERS
IN SCIENCE DEGREE IN POLYMER
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.
THOSE WORDS SHOWED UP FOR ME
WHEN I GRADUATED FROM GEORGIA
TECH WITH A DEGREE IN TEXTILE
AND FIBER ENGINEERING.
AND THOSE WORDS SHOWED UP
FOR ME ON MY VERY
FIRST JOB INTERVIEW.
I REMEMBER THAT DAY SO CLEAR.
I WAS AT NASA LANGLEY
RESEARCH CENTER.
HAD ON A BLUE SUIT,
HAD ON A WHITE SHIRT,
HAD ON A GRAY TIE,
BLUE POLKA DOTS,
HAD ON BLACK SHOES.
I WAS SO FRESH AND SO CLEAN.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I REMEMBER THAT
DAY AT THAT INTERVIEW,
DR. HINKLEY WAS SITTING
ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE TABLE THERE
IN THE POLYMERS DIVISION.
AND HE ASKED ME A FEW QUESTIONS.
AND IT SORTA WENT LIKE THIS.
[ IMITATES NONSENSE CHATTER ]
AND AS DR. HINKLEY
WAS INTERVIEWING ME
THERE AT NASA,
THAT VOICE OF DOUBT SHOWED UP.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES
THAT LITTLE DEVIL
SIT ON YOUR SHOULDER
AND BRING UP THINGS
TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE?
THAT LITTLE DEVIL SAID,
"COME ON, KANTIS,
DO YOU REALLY THINK
THEY'RE GONNA HIRE YOU?
YOU KINDA LOOK LIKE
A HANDICAPPED SCIENTIST.
COME ON, DUDE, REALLY?"
AND THEN I HEARD
THE VOICE OF MY MOM.
"SON, QUIT LOOKING
AT WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE,
AND THINK ABOUT ALL
THE THINGS YOU DO HAVE."
[ IMITATES NONSENSE CHATTER ]
"COME ON, KANTIS,
YOU REMEMBER WHEN
YOU WAS IN COLLEGE,
AND YOU WERE DOING
THE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT?
YOU HAD THE RUBBER GLOVES ON
AND THE ACID
AND THE BUNSEN BURNER.
YOU ALMOST CAUGHT
THE LAB ON FIRE.
SON, QUIT LOOKING
AT WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE,
AND THINK ABOUT ALL
THE THINGS YOU DO HAVE."
DR. HINKLEY STOOD UP,
AND HE SAID,
"CONGRATULATIONS, KANTIS,
I'D LIKE TO HIRE YOU HERE
IN THE POLYMERS DIVISION
AS A RESEARCH SCIENTIST."
IF YOU GUYS WOULD,
SHOW SOME LOVE FOR MY MOTHER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NOW I REALIZE THAT
YOU WON'T REALLY HEAR ME
TODAY UNLESS YOU REALLY,
REALLY KNOW ME.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I'M A NERD.
I'M A COOL NERD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I HAD THE VERY
FIRST MyPHONE.
YOU GOT THE iPHONE,
BUT I HAD THE MyPHONE.
AND I WAS RAISED
IN WHAT YOU CALL
A MIDDLE-CLASS-BROKE FAMILY.
ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT
MIDDLE-CLASS BROKE?
[ LAUGHTER ]
RIGHT?
YOU KNOW ABOUT
MIDDLE-CLASS BROKE, RIGHT?
MIDDLE-CLASS BROKE,
YOU GOT A NICE HOUSE,
NICE GREEN GRASS,
BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS WHAT?
BROKE, RIGHT?
IN A MIDDLE-CLASS-BROKE
FAMILY, SOMEBODY HAD
TO ALWAYS BE WORKING.
AND MY MOM AND DAD,
THEY IMPRESSED UPON ME
THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
AND, UH, AFTER-AFTER
MY MOTHER BIRTHED ME,
ABOUT SIX MONTHS,
UH, THERE, SHE DROPPED ME OFF
AT YOUNG WORLD,
AND SHE ACTUALLY LEFT ME THERE.
AND, UH, THEY PUT ME
IN SCHOOL FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS.
5 YEARS OF PRE-K,
7 YEARS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
5 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL,
4 YEARS OF COLLEGE,
AND THEN 4 MORE YEARS
OF GRAD SCHOOL.
AND THAT OPENED UP
AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY
TO WORK WITH AN AMAZING AGENCY
AND CENTER THERE AT NASA
LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER
AND HAD THE BLESSED OPPORTUNITY
TO WORK ON SOME COOL THINGS.
AND YOU KNOW HERE AT NASA,
SOMETIMES THINGS DON'T WORK.
I REMEMBER WE WOULD GO
OUT ON THE FIELD SOMETIME
AND WE'LL PUT TWO DUMMIES
IN A HELICOPTER.
AND WE'LL RAISE
THIS HELICOPTER WAY IN THE SKY.
AND WE WAS DOING SOME WORK,
UM, WITH F-22 MILITARY JETS.
AND WE'LL COUNT IT DOWN, TEN,
NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX,
FIVE, FOUR, THREE,
TWO, ONE
[ IMITATES CRASH ]
AND THEN WE REALIZED
IT DIDN'T WORK.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THEN WE SPENT THE NEXT
SIX TO NINE MONTHS
TRYING TO GET IT TO WORK.
AND, UH,
THERE I WORKED ON THE--
A FEW PR-PROGRAMS,
PROJECTS THERE,
FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION,
LOOKING AT HOW CRACKS GROW
IN THE SHUTTLES, UH, ROCKETS,
AS WELL AS SOME
OF THE MILITARY JETS THERE.
UM, WE ALSO WORKED
ON A COOL PROJECT
CALLED PRESSURE-SENSITIVE PAINT.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE EVER NOTICED,
IN, UH, A LOT OF OUR PLANES
AND FIGHTER JETS
WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED
RIVETS IN THE WING, RIGHT?
THEY LOOK LIKE SCREWS.
AND WE WERE WORKING
ON A PROJECT WHERE
WE WERE TRYING TO GET RID
OF ALL OF THE SCREWS,
GET RID OF ALL OF THE RIVETS,
AND HAVE THAT ONE
COMPOSITE PIECE.
AND WE WILL PAINT IT,
AND THEN THAT PAINT
WE WERE ABLE TO MEASURE
ALL OF THE OUTSIDE FORCES,
OUTSIDE THINGS THAT WE NEED
TO AS FAR AS, UH,
PRESSURE AND THINGS,
WHATEVER IS CONCERNED.
RIGHT NOW TODAY I'M NOT SURE
HOW THAT PROJECT IS GOING,
BECAUSE, UH, AFTER THAT
I LEFT NASA AND TRANSITIONED.
I FELL IN LOVE A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, LEFT VIRGINIA,
MOVED TO ATLANTA,
AND I STARTED DEVELOPING
CONTACT LENSES.
ANYBODY WEAR CONTACT LENSES?
ANYBODY WEAR ANY
OF THESE PRODUCTS?
THANK YOU FOR PAYING
MY MORTGAGE ALL THESE YEARS.
I APPRECIATE YOU.
I OWE YOU A LITTLE SOMETHING,
ALL RIGHT?
YOU GOT CASH APP?
ALL RIGHT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I WORKED ON SOME
COOL PROJECTS THERE.
AND ONE THING FOR THOSE
WHO WEAR CONTACT LENSES,
IF YOU EVER DROP YOUR CONTACT
LENS, RIGHT, ON THE FLOOR,
ON THE COUNTER,
IT CAN BE A STRESSFUL DAY,
RIGHT?
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE DID WHEN I FIRST CAME
TO CIBA VISION,
THEY SAID, "KANTIS,
WE NEED BLUE TINT."
I'M LIKE, WHAT?
THEY SAID, "WE NEED BLUE TINT."
I'M LIKE, OKAY.
BLUE TINT.
YEAH, WE NEED TO CREATE
SOMETHING CALLED VISITINT
SO THAT WHEN YOUR LENS
FALLS OUT YOUR EYE,
NOW WE CAN PUT A LITTLE TINT
IN THE CONTACT LENS,
SO YOU CAN NOW SEE IT
OFF OF THE SURFACES.
AND, UM, LATER ON I WORKED
ON SOME PROJECTS THERE,
DEVELOPED, UM, AIR OPTICS
AND ALSO SOME LENSES
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ASTIGMATISM.
NOW, UH, TODAY I HAVE
THE GREAT HONOR TO COME OUT
OF THE LABORATORY
WHERE I'VE HELPED
SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR,
YOU KNOW, THE AGENCY,
THE CENTER, AND FOR CORPORATE.
AND TODAY MAKING IT MY BUSINESS
TO SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS
THAT WE'RE HAVING
IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR HOMES,
ON OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES,
AND IN SOME OF OUR
SCIENCE CENTERS.
AND SO TODAY I TRAVEL
ALL ACROSS THE WORLD,
SPEAKING AT SCHOOLS
AND COLLEGES AND DOING
SOME REALLY COOL THINGS.
UM...
WHERE'S MY TECHNOLOGY GUY?
COOL.
UH, I WANNA SHOW THIS
REAL QUICK HERE.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA TURN
THE VOLUME DOWN HERE.
BUT I WAS OVER IN DOHA, QATAR.
AND I WANNA SAY THIS
FOR A REASON,
TO IMPRESS UPON ALL OF US
THAT WHAT WE DO
ON A DAILY BASIS,
THAT WE SHOULD NOT TAKE IT
FOR GRANTED.
THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES,
OTHER COUNTRIES
DOING THE RESEARCH.
EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE,
THEY'RE TRYING
TO WHUP OUR TAILS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO BE THE BEST.
THEY'RE TRYING TO OUTDO
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WHEN I WAS OVER IN DOHA, QATAR,
I SPOKE OVER THERE
AT A STEM CONFERENCE.
AND ONCE THE CONFERENCE
WAS OVER, THEY TOOK ME UP
INTO THIS BUILDING.
THEY TOOK ME ON THE 12TH FLOOR,
AND THEY TOOK ME
OUT ON THE BALCONY.
AND THEY SAID,
"KANTIS, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU
EDUCATION CITY."
I'M LIKE, OKAY.
AND WHAT I SAW WITH MY EYES
I CANNOT CAPTURE IT
ON A CELL PHONE.
I CANNOT CAPTURE IT ON A VIDEO.
I CANNOT CAPTURE IT
ON A VIDEO CAMERA.
LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
IF YOU GO GOOGLE AND LOOK AT,
UH, DOHA, QATAR,
MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO,
AND GOOGLE THEM NOW
AND LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE
AND THE BUILDINGS
THAT ARE GOING UP,
THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY TRYING
TO BECOME THE LEADERS
IN TECHNOLOGY,
THE LEADERS IN SCIENCE
AND ENGINEERING.
WHEN I CAME UP ON EDUCATION
CITY, IT WAS A BIG SQUARE,
MAYBE 12 MILES, UM,
DISTANCE FROM CORNER TO CORNER.
AND WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING
TO DO IS ONCE YOU DRIVE
INTO EDUCATION CENTER
YOU DROP YOUR CAR OFF,
YOU GET ON A TRAM.
AND THE ONLY THING
YOU RIDE ON IS A TRAM.
AND WITHIN THIS MILEAGE
I SAW THE BEST HIGH SCHOOLS,
THE BEST COLLEGES,
THE BEST RESEARCH CENTERS,
THE BEST LIBRARIES.
WHY?
BECAUSE THEY'RE PUTTING
ALL OF THEIR RESOURCES
TO RAISE UP INDIVIDUALS
TO DO SOME AMAZING WORK
IN THEIR COUNTRY.
AND I WANT TO CHALLENGE
EVERYONE, LET'S NOT GET LAX
OR SLACK OR LAZY
WHERE WE TAKE IT, YOU KNOW--
WE JUST SORT OF TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF WHAT WE HAVE
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,
BUT WE ALL HAVE AN AMAZING
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SAY
WE HAVE N-A-S-A ON OUR BADGE.
AND AS LEADERS,
I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU,
LISTEN, KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
KEEP GROWING.
KEEP INVESTING INTO YOUR STAFF.
KEEP INVESTING IN THE STUDENTS.
'CAUSE LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER,
HEY, YOU MAY BE GONE,
BUT MARSHALL WILL STILL BE HERE.
ALL RIGHT?
AND I JUST WANTED TO PLUG THAT,
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT US
TO TAKE FOR GRANTED
WHAT WE DO HAVE
AND REALIZE THAT THERE
ARE OTHER COUNTRIES
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD
WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY TRYING
TO TAKE OUR PLACE, ALL RIGHT?
SO THAT-- YOU GUYS DIDN'T
PAY FOR THAT ONE.
THAT WAS FREE, ALL RIGHT?
THAT WAS FREE.
AND I DEFINITELY WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU, GUYS,
FOR HAVING ME HERE.
UM, NOW I'VE GOT
A FEW MORE MINUTES HERE.
IT'S GONNA BE VERY INTERACTIVE.
AND I NEED ABOUT TEN PEOPLE,
TEN OF MY STAFF MEMBERS
TO HELP ME OUT ONSTAGE.
CAN I GET TEN?
OH, YES,
THIS IS GONNA BE SO FUN.
ALL RIGHT, ONE, TWO, COME ON UP.
COME ON UP.
THREE, COME ON UP.
COME ON.
FOUR, THERE WE GO.
FIVE.
FIVE, FIVE, COME ON, YES, WE GO.
SIX.
I SEE THAT ITCH.
COME ON, SIX.
THERE WE GO.
SEVEN, COME ON DOWN.
COME ON DOWN.
EIGHT, NINE,
MY BALD-HEAD BROTHER.
COME ON, BALD-HEAD BROTHER.
THERE WE GO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IF YOU GUYS WOULD...
COME ON,
GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE
TO YOUR-YOUR COWORKERS
AND YOUR STAFF HERE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
ONE, TWO,
STAND RIGHT BESIDE HIM.
YOU CAN STAND
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER,
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE,
SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN,
AWESOME, AWESOME.
ALL RIGHT NOW.
THERE WE GO.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT, NASA,
WHAT DOES THIS WORD SPELL?
ASSIGNMENT.
NOW I'M GONNA ASK YOU
A QUICK QUESTION.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE
OF THIS MICROPHONE?
AMPLIFY MY VOICE, RIGHT?
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE
OF THE CHAIRS IN THE ROOM.
RIGHT?
WHAT PROBLEM WOULD
WE HAVE IF THIS MICROPHONE
WASN'T PROPERLY DOING
WHAT IT WAS CALLED TO DO?
YOU COULDN'T HEAR ME, RIGHT?
HOLD ON FOR A SECOND.
[ WHISPERS ]
LISTEN, ANYTIME I SAW
THE WORD "ASSIGNMENT,"
I WANT YOU TO HOLD
[ INDISTINCT ] OKAY?
YOU CAN HOLD IT UP TOGETHER
AND LET IT DOWN TOGETHER.
YOU GOT ME?
>> WE GOT YOU.
>> LET'S PRACTICE.
ASSIGNMENT.
TOGETHER, TOGETHER.
[ LAUGHTER ]
ASSIGNMENT.
YOU GOT IT.
GO.
[ NORMAL VOLUME ]
TAKE TWO, TAKE TWO.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE
AND THE ASSIGNMENT
OF THIS MICROPHONE.
STAY TOGETHER.
UP TOGETHER, DOWN TOGETHER.
COOL, COOL, COOL.
TAKE THREE, TAKE THREE.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE
AND THE ASSIGNMENT
OF THIS MICROPHONE.
ALL RIGHT,
I'M TALKING TO YOU GUYS.
AMPLIFY MY VOICE, RIGHT?
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE
AND THE ASSIGNMENT
OF THE CHAIRS IN THE ROOM?
RIGHT.
WHAT PROBLEM WOULD
WE HAVE IF THE CHAIRS
WERE NOT IN THE ROOM?
WE'LL STAND UP AND HAVE
A MIDDAY CONCERT, RIGHT?
[ CHUCKLES ]
BUT CHECK THIS OUT.
STAY WITH ME.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL
ON THIS CAMPUS THAT WORKS FOR
THIS AMAZING ORGANIZATION HAS AN
ASSIGNMENT, CHECK THIS OUT,
THAT'S MEANT FOR YOU.
THERE'S SOMETHING MEANT, MEANT,
MEANT, MEANT,
MEANT-- I CAN SPELL.
M-E-- THERE'S AN INVISIBLE A--
N-T.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THERE'S SOMETHING MEANT
FOR YOU TO DO HERE.
AND NOW CHECK THIS OUT.
I BELIEVE THAT
AS YOU GO THROUGH LIFE
AND AS YOU'VE BEEN
THROUGH LIFE,
THERE HAVE BEEN CERTAIN SIGNS
THAT SHOWED UP FOR YOU
TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY
YOUR ASSIGNMENT, OKAY?
THERE HAVE BEEN CERTAIN
SIGNS, SIGNS,
SIGNS, SIGN, SIGN,
SIGN, SIGN, SIGN,
SIGN-- THERE WE GO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THAT'S OKAY.
SIGN, RIGHT?
THERE ARE CERTAIN SIGNS
OVER THE YEARS
AND EVEN TODAY THAT SHOW YOU
WHAT YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS.
THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND.
BEFORE YOU CAME HERE,
YOU WENT THROUGH GRADE SCHOOL.
HAVE THEY EVER NOTICED
THERE WERE CERTAIN CLASSES
THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVED?
THERE WERE CLASSES
THAT YOU HATE?
THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS
THAT MAKE YOU CRY?
THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS
THAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPY?
EVEN TODAY,
EVEN AS YOU'RE WORKING HERE,
HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS
YOU GET, LIKE,
REALLY TICKED OFF ABOUT?
BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY
PASSIONATE ABOUT IT?
OR YOU GET HAPPY WHEN
YOU WORK ON CERTAIN THINGS?
OR MAYBE WHEN YOU PUT TOGETHER
AN EVENT LIKE THIS?
I BELIEVE THOSE SIGNS HELP YOU
IDENTIFY YOUR ASSIGNMENT.
NOW, CHECK THIS OUT.
I ALSO BELIEVE,
WHEN YOU GO THROUGH LIFE,
AND YOU WORK A JOB
AND YOU GO THROUGH
DOING RESEARCHING,
YOU ARE IGNORANT
OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT.
IGNORANT.
NOW, I KNOW WE IN THE SOUTH.
I'M FROM SOUTH GEORGIA,
ALL RIGHT?
WE DON'T SAY THE WORD
"IGNORANT."
WE SAY THE WORD, WHAT?
>> IGNANT.
I-G-E.
HOLD IT UP.
IGNANT.
HIDE YOUR KIDS,
HIDE YOUR WIFE, RIGHT?
YOU ARE SO IGNANT.
RIGHT?
THAT SIMPLY MEANS
NOT KNOWING, WHERE NOW,
YOU ARE APART OF A-
A BIGGER ASSIGNMENT,
BUT YOU ARE IN THE MIDST
OF THAT ASSIGNMENT,
AND YOU ARE IGNORANT
OF THE PART THAT YOU PLAY.
STAY WITH ME.
YOU OKAY?
YOU NEED SOME WATER?
ALL RIGHT, STAY WITH ME,
STAY WITH ME.
ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
YOU HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT
THAT'S MEANT FOR YOU.
THERE'S ONLY THINGS
THAT ONLY YOU CAN DO.
THERE ARE SIGNS
THAT HAVE SHOWED UP
ALL THROUGH YOUR LIFE
TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY
YOUR ASSIGNMENT.
BUT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH LIFE,
WHEN YOU COME ON A JOB,
WHEN YOU WORK WITH A TEAM,
AND YOU ARE IGNORANT
OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT?
LISTEN, NASA.
IT'S SAD TO SAY
THAT YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE
LIKE THE FIRST THREE
LETTERS OF ASSIGNMENT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
LIKE A DONKEY.
IF YOU GUYS WOULD SHOW
SOME LOVE FOR THIS TEAM.
SHOW SOME LOVE FOR THIS TEAM.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WOO!
>> THANK YOU.
>> GUYS CAN BE SEATED.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT DONKEY
LIVING REAL QUICK.
WHAT'S DONKEY LIVING?
DONKEY LIVING IS WHEN,
UH, YOU ONLY LOOK FORWARD
TO THE FIRST AND FIFTEENTH
OF EVERY MONTH.
DONKEY LIVING IS WHEN,
UH, YOU HATE THAT
IT'S MONDAY MORNING.
DONKEY LIVING IS WHEN YOU GET
EXCITED WHEN IT'S FRIDAY.
BUT HERE IS MY ENCOURAGEMENT
TO EVERYONE: WE ALL HAVE
PERSONAL ASSIGNMENTS.
THERE IS SOMETHING
SO UNIQUE ABOUT ALL OF US.
BUT THE BEAUTY
IS WHEN WE CAN TAKE ALL
OF OUR PERSONAL ASSIGNMENTS
AND MESH THEM TOGETHER
FOR THE OVERALL
ASSIGNMENT OF NASA.
REGARDLESS OF OUR
BACKGROUNDS, REGARDLESS
OF OUR LOOKS, REGARDLESS
OF WHERE WE COME FROM.
REGARDLESS OF OUR [INDISTINCT]
WE HAVE A PERSONAL ASSIGNMENT
THAT WE WOULD UNIFY
THEM TOGETHER,
THIS NOW BECOMES APART
OF OUR BIGGER ASSIGNMENT.
HE GOT TIRED ON ME, HUH?
HE GOT TIRED ON ME.
NOW, BY A SHOW OF HANDS,
HOW MANY PEOPLE
WOULD BUY THIS HOUSE?
WHO WOULD BUY THIS HOUSE?
ALL RIGHT, WHO WOULD LIVE
IN THIS HOUSE?
WHO WOULD LIVE IN THIS HOUSE?
OKAY.
WHO WOULD LIVE IN THIS HOUSE
IF I PAID THE BILLS?
[ LAUGHTER ]
ALL RIGHT, YOU SO STINGY.
YOU SO GREEDY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
UH-OH.
I LIKE YOU CAN SEE THAT.
TECHNOLOGY, BOY, I TELL YOU.
COOL.
I JUST BOUGHT THIS THING,
TAKE YOU BACK TO BEST BUY.
I GOT IT FROM AMAZON.
ANYBODY ADDICTED TO AMAZON?
I HAVE PRIME,
SHOW UP EVERYDAY AT MY DOORSTEP.
I NEED SOME BREAD.
AMAZON.
I NEED SOME SALT.
AMAZON.
I PROBABLY GOT SOME STUFF
FOR MY P-- UH,
MY PORCH RIGHT NOW.
ALL RIGHT?
HOW MANY OF YOU GOT--
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD
BUY THIS HOUSE?
YOU WOULD?
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD
LIVE IN THIS HOUSE?
DON'T BE SCARED.
>> [ INDISTINCT ].
>> DEPENDS.
IF I WENT-- IF I PAID THE BILLS,
WOULD YOU LIVE HERE?
MAYBE?
ALL RIGHT.
WHO WOULD LIVE HERE?
IF I PAID THE BILLS.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW MY-- BY A SHOW
OF HANDS, BE HONEST.
THE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU
CURRENTLY WORKING IN RIGHT NOW.
THE TEAM THAT YOU WORK
WITH RIGHT NOW.
DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?
OR DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?
YEAH, THAT.
DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?
THE OTHER ONE OR LIKE THIS ONE?
WHOSE DEPARTMENT
LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST ONE?
OKAY.
WHO DEPARTMENT LOOKS
LIKE THE SECOND ONE?
CLOSE?
OKAY.
NOW I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION.
I KNOW WE'RE HERE AT NATIONAL,
AERONAUTIC, SPACE,
ADMINISTRATION.
BUT LEMME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
WHAT IF WE CHANGED
THE NAME OF NASA
TO KANTIS AERONAUTICS
SPACE ADMINISTRATION?
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR?
>> STEVE.
>> STEVE AERONAUTICS
SPACE ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR?
>> DAVE.
>> WHAT IF WE CHANGED IT
TO DAVE AERONAUTICS SPACE
ADMINISTRATION?
WHAT I'M SIMPLY SAYING
IS THAT WE ALL NEED
TO TAKE OWNERSHIP.
STOP SEEING THIS AS NASA,
BUT START SEEING THIS
AS THE NAME OF YOUR CENTER.
I KNOW WE CALL IT MARSHALL
SIMMONS SPACE CENTER.
AND SO WHEN YOU START
TO TAKE OWNERSHIP
OF THIS AMAZING ORGANIZATION,
THIS AMAZING CENTER,
THEN YOU WOULD MAKE SURE
THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG,
YOU WOULD MAKE THEM RIGHT.
YOU WOULD MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE
IN PLACE THAT NEED
TO PLAY THE RIGHT JOB.
SO NOT ONLY IS IT IMPORTANT
TO TAKE YOUR ASSIGNMENT,
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
TO TAKE OWNERSHIP.
AND I WANNA SHOW YOU GUYS THIS
QUICK VIDEO AS I CLOSE HERE.
SO, I REALIZED THAT I'M--
I PROBABLY NEVER EVER MAKE IT
TO THE MOON.
RIGHT?
I PROBABLY WON'T END UP
BEING AN ASTRONAUT.
SO IN SPITE OF THAT,
I'VE- I'VE TAKEN ON SKYDIVING.
SO I SAID, I GUESS
I GET CLOSE TO THE MOON.
RIGHT?
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I'VE LEARNED
ABOUT SKYDIVING IS I COULDN'T--
I CAN'T DO IT BY MYSELF.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THINGS
MAY GO WRONG.
RIGHT?
AND SO I HAVE THIS EVENT,
THIS WAS MY--
THIS WAS ACTUALLY
THE FIRST YEAR THAT
WE'VE DONE THIS EVENT.
IT'S CALLED
"SKYDIVING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS."
AND THE WHOLE PURPOSE
WAS TO GIVE BACK TO STUDENTS
AND TO SUPPORT THEM
FINANCIALLY TO GET A STEM,
UH, EDUCATION.
WE WERE SO BLESSED TO SEND--
TO FUND AND PAY
FOR FOUR STUDENTS
TO GO TO SCHOOL THIS YEAR,
AND...
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE
IS THAT I'M ON THIS PLANE.
I'M ABOUT TO TAKE OFF HERE.
AND-- IS THAT VOLUME UP
ON THAT BACK THERE?
BOY, I'LL TELL YOU, TECHNOLOGY.
HERE'S A THING THAT
I WANT YOU TO SEE
AS I CLOSE--
AND I'LL LET
THAT PLAY IN THE BACKGROUND--
IS THIS: AS I WAS ON
THE EDGE OF THAT PLANE,
AND I HAD A YOUNG MAN
ON MY BACK,
HE WAS VERY CLOSE TO ME,
I NEEDED HIM JUST
AS MUCH AS HE NEEDED ME.
GIVE ME FOUR SECONDS, SIR.
DO WE KNOW EACH OTHER?
>> NO SIR.
>> WE DON'T.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, I'MA FALL.
I NEED YOU TO CATCH ME.
HEY, HOLD ON,
I DON'T KNOW YOU THAT WELL.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND ONE THING ABOUT UNITY,
ONE THING ABOUT KNOWING
EACH OTHER AND RELATIONSHIP,
ONE THING AS TEAM MEMBERS--
I'MA- I'MA GO A LITTLE FARTHER.
STAY BACK-- STEP BACK.
DON'T LET ME FALL, NOW.
HERE WE GO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I CAN TAKE MORE RISK
BECAUSE NOW I TRUST THE PERSON
THAT I'M WORKING WITH.
AND SO MANY TIMES
WE CAN GET STUCK IN THE LAB
AND GET STUCK IN
OUR FOUR WALLS THAT
WE DON'T COME OUT
TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIP
WITH THOSE THAT WE WORK WITH.
AND YES, IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH,
WE ALL WALK IN OUR ASSIGNMENTS,
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE ALL HAVE OWNERSHIP
OF THIS GREAT AGENCY,
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
THAT WE BEGIN
TO TRUST EACH OTHER.
I'MA GO--
I'MA GO A LITTLE FARTHER NOW.
HEY, BUD, WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
>> MAX.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, MATT,
OKAY, COOL, RIGHT?
AND SEE, OVER TIME,
MAC AND BACK UP A LITTLE BIT,
BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, MATT.
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
YOU GON' CATCH ME, MATT?
>> I'M READY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WE CAN TAKE MORE RISK,
AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE DID HERE,
AS I'M SKYDIVING,
I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
I CAN'T GO ALONE."
EVEN THOUGH I ENJOY JUMPING
OUT OF PLANES, I SAID,
"YOU KNOW WHAT?
LET ME TAKE OTHER
PEOPLE WITH ME."
BECAUSE THE BEAUTY
OF IT IS THIS:
YOU NEVER KNOW
SOMEONE ELSE'S STORY.
YOU NEVER KNOW
WHERE THEY COME FROM.
YOU NEVER KNOW THE CHALLENGES
THAT THEY BATTLE WITH.
AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYONE,
AS WE GO DAY-TO-DAY,
AS WE GO FROM PROJECT
TO PROJECT, AS WE WORK ON,
YOU KNOW, THE NEXT BIG THING,
LET'S TAKE PEOPLE WITH US.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT...
HEY, SARAH.
HEY, [INDISTINCT]
HEY, JOHN.
HEY, SALLY.
HOW'S YOUR MOM DOING?
HEY, DARYL.
TO SUCH A POINT NOW
THAT WHEN WE TAKE RISK,
WHEN WE GO FARTHER-- F-- G--
FO-- GO FOR THE NEXT
BIG THING HERE AT NASA,
WE KNOW THAT THE PERSON
THAT WE'RE GOING WITH
AS WE TAKE THESE RISK
IS SOMEONE THAT
WE CAN DEPEND ON.
AS I CLOSE, ON THE COUNT
OF THREE, I WANT YOU GUYS
TO CLAP FOR ME.
ON THE COUNT OF THREE I WANT
YOU GUYS TO CLAP ONE TIME.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
[ CLAP ]
ONE, TWO, THREE.
[ CLAP ]
ONE, TWO.
[ CLAP ]
DON'T DO DRUGS,
DON'T DO DRUGS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AS MY HANDS CROSS,
I WANT YOU GUYS TO CLAP.
[ CLAPPING ]
DON'T SMOKE WEED,
DON'T SMOKE WEED.
I TOLD YOU MY MOM WAS DOING
WHEN SHE BIRTHED
MY BIG HEAD OUT.
UH, MY DAD WASN'T
IN THE HOSPITAL THERE.
HE GOT STUCK OUT
IN THE BUSINESS TRIP
IN CHICAGO.
AND AS MY MOM
WAS PUSHING MY BIG HEAD OUT,
SHE EVENTUALLY CALLED MY DAD
IN CHICAGO, AND SHE WAS LIKE,
"[INDISTINCT]!
OUR NEW BABY BOY IS HERE.
[ CRYING ]
[ INDISTINCT WAILING ]
BABY BOY.
[ EVEN MORE WAILING ]."
MY DAD SAID, "WHAT?"
SHE SAID, "[INDISTINCT]
OUR NEW BABY BOY.
[ WAILING ]."
MY DAD SAID,
"HUH?" HE SAID, "SWEETIE,
I NEED YOU TO ARTICULATE
AND REALLY COMMUNICATE
WHAT'S GOING ON."
SHE SAID, "SIMMONS,
OUR NEW BABY BOY,
HE'S MISSING SOME
OF HIS FINGERS."
AND THEN MY DAD TOOK
THIS LONG, DEEP BREATH.
[ SIGHS ]
HE SAID, "SUGAR,"
HE SAID, "SWEETHEART,"
HE SAID, "HONEY LUMP."
HE SAID, "EVEN THOUGH
OUR BABY BOY IS MISSING
SOME OF HIS FINGERS,
OUR BABY BOY,
HE WILL STILL BE GREAT."
AND TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL
THAT'S HERE AT MARSHALL,
ON BEHALF OF MY TEAM,
I'M KANTIS SIMMONS,
THE COOLEST GUY
WITH 7.25 FINGERS,
I WANNA SAY EVERYONE
IN HERE TODAY AT NASA,
YOU ARE GREAT.
COME ON.
[ CLAPPING ]
THAT'S JUST MY NERDY WAY
TO GET PEOPLE TO CLAP FOR ME.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THANK YOU GUYS SO,
SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS
SO, SO MUCH.
THANK YOU GUYS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, KANTIS.
THANK YOU.
I-I'M THINKING ABOUT
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE--
DON'T LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE--
WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE
AND WHAT YOU DO HAVE.
AND I THINK THAT'S TRUE
FOR EVERYBODY AND, UH,
SOMETHING I'M GONNA
TAKE HOME WITH ME.
THANK YOU.
UH, WE-WE DO HAVE
A LITTLE BIT MORE
TO OUR PROGRAM HERE.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO, UH,
BRING UP CASSIDY, DANAE,
AND CHARLIE UP
FROM THE ALABAMA INSTITUTE
FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND.
[ MUSIC ]
>> singing: I BELIEVE
THE CHILDREN ARE OUR
FUTURE TEACH THEM WELL
AND LET THEM LEAD THE WAY
SHOW THEM ALL THE BEAUTY
THEY POSSESS INSIDE
GIVE THEM THE SENSE OF PRIDE
TO MAKE IT EASIER
LET THE CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER
REMIND US WHO WE USED TO BE
>> singing: EVERYBODY SEARCHING
FOR A HERO PEOPLE NEED SOMEONE
TO LOOK UP TO I NEVER
THOUGHT I'D FIND ANYONE
TO FULFILL MY NEEDS
A LONELY PLACE TO BE
AND SO I LEARNED TO DEPEND ON ME
>> all singing: I DECIDED
LONG AGO NEVER TO WALK
IN ANYONE'S SHADOW
IF I FAIL, IF I SUCCEED
AT LEAST I'LL LIVE AS I BELIEVE
NO MATTER WHAT THEY TAKE
FROM ME THEY CAN'T TAKE
AWAY MY DIGNITY
BECAUSE THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
IS HAPPENING TO ME
I FOUND THE GREATEST
LOVE OF ALL INSIDE OF ME
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
IS EASY TO ACHIEVE
LEARNING TO LOVE YOURSELF
IT IS THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
>> singing: I BELIEVE
THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE
TEACH THEM WELL
AND LET THEM LEAD THE WAY
>> all singing: SHOW THEM ALL
THE BEAUTY THEY POSSESS INSIDE
GIVE THEM A SENSE OF PRIDE
TO MAKE IT EASIER
LET THE CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER
REMIND US HOW WE USED TO BE
I DECIDED LONG AGO
NEVER TO WALK IN ANYONE'S
SHADOW IF I FAIL,
IF I SUCCEED AT LEAST
I'LL LIVE AS I BELIEVE
NO MATTER WHAT THEY
TAKE FROM ME THEY CAN'T TAKE
AWAY MY DIGNITY BECAUSE
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
IS HAPPENING TO ME
I FOUND THE GREATEST
LOVE OF ALL INSIDE OF ME
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
IS EASY TO ACHIEVE
LEARNING TO LOVE YOURSELF
IT IS THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
>> singing: AND IF BY CHANCE
THAT SPECIAL PLACE
THAT YOU'VE BEEN DREAMING OF
LEADS YOU TO A LONELY PLACE
>> all singing:
FIND YOUR STRENGTH IN LOVE
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WHAT AN--
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME?
WHAT AN AMAZING PROGRAM.
LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY ANOTHER
ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I'M DENISE SMITHERS.
I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW ME,
BUT IF DON'T, I'M DENISE.
I AM THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FOR THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY
AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
FOR TAKING THE TIME
OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES
TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY.
YOUR ATTENDANCE SHOWS STRONG
SUPPORT FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY,
DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
AND EQUITY HERE
AT MARSHALL SPACEFLIGHT CENTER.
AS WITH ALL OF OUR
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES,
TODAY'S SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM
WAS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
AT MARSHALL'S-- WITH--
OF MARSHALL'S EMPLOYEES,
EXCUSE ME, WITH AN ADVANCED,
HIGHLY-SKILLED, COMPETENT,
AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE
THAT ENGAGES IN MISSION-CRITICAL
AND HIGH-LEVEL CHALLENGES,
PROGRAMS, AND PROJECTS
WITH A SAFETY CULTURE
OF COURSE IN MIND.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING
FOR THE BEST TALENT AVAILABLE
TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSIONS,
THE RIGHT TALENT RIGHT NOW.
WE ALSO DESIRE TO ADDRESS
POSITIVE ACTIONS THAT LEAD
TO EQUITY, FAIRNESS,
AND DIVERSITY IN CAREER
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
HERE AT THE CENTER.
TODAY'S PROGRAM HAD
NUMEROUS TAKEAWAYS.
I'M NOT GONNA REDO
KANTIS'S SPEECH.
BUT IT-- THE PROGRAM
OVERALL DEMONSTRATED
THAT WE AT NASA MARSHALL
SPACEFLIGHT CENTER FOCUS
ON INDIVIDUALS' CAPABILITIES
AND NOT THEIR DISABILITIES.
THE RIGHT TALENT RIGHT NOW
HIGHLIGHTS OUR COMMITMENT
TO TRANSCENDING AND CONNECTING,
RISING ABOVE ARTIFICIAL
CONSTRUCTS THAT DIVIDE
ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE,
BUT INSTEAD FOCUSING
ON UNITY AND DISPLAYING
THE BENEFITS IN DOING SO.
A SHAMELESS PLUG FOR OUR UNITY
CAMPAIGN THAT ADMINISTRATOR
BRIDENSTINE ROLLED OUT
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
UH, KANTIS PERFECTLY PLAYED
INTO OUR UNITY CAMPAIGN.
I DON'T KNOW
IF IT WAS ON PURPOSE
OR BY CHANCE,
BUT THANK YOU, KANTIS,
FOR SAYING OUR PERSONAL
ASSIGNMENTS UNIFIED
TOGETHER IS PART
OF OUR BIGGER ASSIGNMENT.
SO THAT WAS ONE
OF THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS FOR ME.
AGAIN, KANTIS, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR GREAT KEYNOTE SPEECH.
UM, WE LEARNED
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF HAVING DIVERSITY
IN ALL OF OUR POSITIONS.
UM, AND I'M SURE EACH OF US
WILL TAKE SOMETHING AWAY
FROM TODAY'S PROGRAM
THAT HAS IMPACTED US
AND WILL HOPEFULLY LEAD
EACH OF US TO IMPACT OTHERS,
TAKE RISKS,
AND TAKE PEOPLE WITH US.
AS WE CLOSE TODAY'S PROGRAM,
I WOULD FIRST OF ALL LIKE
TO THANK OUR SPECIAL GUEST.
THANK YOU TO MATT McSAVANEY
OF ENGINEERING AND AS WELL
AS THE [ INDISTINCT ]
COUNCIL FOR YOUR JOB,
WELL DONE, AS MASTER CEREM--
MASTER OF CEREMONIES.
LET'S GIVE MATT A HAND, PLEASE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND I THINK ANDREA BROWN
HAD TO LEAVE,
BUT AS ALWAYS SHE DID
A BEAUTIFUL RENDITION
OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM ALONG
WITH THE YOUNG LADIES
THAT DID THE SIGN
LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION
WITH THAT AS WELL.
JUST GIVE THEM A ROUND
OF APPLAUSE AS WELL.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK
OUR WELCOME SPEAKER OF COURSE,
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR
STEVE MILEY FOR BEING HERE
TO HELP DEMONSTRATE
THE IMPORTANCE OF EMBRACING
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, DIVERSITY,
AND INCLUSION HERE
AT OUR CENTER.
AND WE ALWAYS HAVE AMAZING
SUPPORT FROM OUR NINTH FLOOR.
I THINK I SAW JODY.
JODY, MS. JODY SINGER,
WHO IS OUR CENTER DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME.
I KNOW YOU ARE ALWAYS VERY BUSY,
AND WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
LET'S GIVE THEM A CLAP, TOO.
[ APPLAUSE ]
A HUGE TH-THANKS
TO THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY
FROM THE ALABAMA INSTITUTE
FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND.
AND I DON'T KNOW
IF CHIP DOBBS IS STILL HERE.
CHIP WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING
BRING THE STUDENTS HERE TODAY,
AND WE CERTAINLY
HAVE ENJOYED THEM BEING HERE.
AND I'M GONNA ACTUALLY
READ THE STUDENTS' NAMES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND,
I'M GONNA READ YOUR NAME,
COULD YOU PLEASE STAND?
MISS ARIEL?
SHE DIDN'T MAKE IT.
KAYLA?
ALICIA?
UH, JESSICA?
DESTINY.
GEORGIA.
CASSIDY.
DANAE.
CHARLIE GRACE.
AND MR. CHAD BELL.
AND THE REST OF THE FACULTY,
PLEASE STAND, TOO.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE.
THE STUDENTS WERE AMAZING.
WHEN I WALKED IN,
ONE OF THE STUDENTS SAID,
"YOU'RE PRETTY."
AND YOU KNOW,
KIDS ARE BRUTALLY HONEST, SO...
[ LAUGHTER ]
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THANK YOU.
[ LAUGHS ]
OKAY, LET'S SEE.
UH, I WOULD ALSO OF COURSE
LIKE TO THANK LUCIUS HIRES,
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE
OF DIVERSITY AND EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY AND THE REST
OF THE ODEO TEAM,
PARTICULARLY BRENDA MACK
WHO'S NOT WITH US TODAY.
UNFORTUNATELY SHE HAD
A LOSS IN HER FAMILY.
BUT SHE WAS THE PROGRAM MANAGER
FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UH, EMILY NADERI STEPPED IN
AND HELPED US OUT, UH,
AND ALSO MS. AMANDA OTIENO,
UM, AND THE REST
OF THE OFFICE AS WELL.
NINA CREEL, JANET WASHINGTON,
EVERYBODY PITCHED IN
AND HELPED OUT
WITH THIS PROGRAM.
FOR AN OUTSTANDING JOB ON
PLANNING THIS-THIS PROGRAM
TODAY, LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND.
[ APPLAUSE ]
OH, AND SHELLEY,
SHELLEY MARSHALL.
I APOLOGIZE, SHELLEY.
OKAY?
AND AGAIN, KANTIS,
A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU.
UH, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE
JOIN ME UP FRONT,
WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A SPECIAL
TOKEN OF APPRECIATION.
YOU USED TO WORK FOR NASA,
SO I HOPE YOU DON'T
HAVE THIS ONE.
[ CHUCKLING ]
LUCIUS, YOU WANT
TO COME UP HERE, TOO?
[ INDISTINCT ]
>> YEAH, THERE WE GO.
>> OKAY.
[ CAMERAS CLICKING ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OH, AND I'M SORRY.
I FAILED TO MENTION,
UM, THE REST OF OUR COWORKERS
AND THE LEADERSHIP
THAT'S HERE WITH US TODAY.
WE COULD NOT, UM,
DO THESE PROGRAMS WITHOUT YOU.
PARTICULARLY I WANTED
TO THANK MARCUS LEA--
I THINK HE WAS HERE, YEAH--
AND LARRY MACK FOR, UM,
ALWAYS BEING, UM,
PARTNERS IN HELPING US ACHIEVE
THE GOALS THAT STEVE HIGHLIGHTED
IN HIS WELCOME SPEECH.
SO THANK YOU TO THE OFFICE
OF HUMAN CAPITAL
FOR YOUR SUPPORT ALWAYS
AND THE OTHER LEADERSHIP
THAT'S HERE WITH US TODAY.
OKAY, UM, I THINK
THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY.
AS A GENTLE REMINDER,
I WANT YOU TO PLEASE FILL OUT
YOUR SURVEY CARD INFORMATION
AND PLACE IT IN THE BOX
OR THE BASKET ON YOUR WAY OUT.
AND AS A NOTE,
TOMORROW WE HAVE OUR HISPANIC
HERITAGE LUNCH AND LEARN, UH,
AT 11 O'CLOCK IN CONFERENCE ROOM
900 IN THIS BUILDING.
MR. PETE RODRIGUEZ,
WHO USED TO BE, UH,
AN EMPLOYEE HERE AT MARSHALL
SPACEFLIGHT CENTER,
IS GONNA BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
WE WILL HAVE A SAMPLING OF FOOD.
IT'S A LUNCH AND LEARN,
SO BRING YOUR LUNCH,
BUT THERE WILL BE FOOD THERE
FOR YOU TO PARTAKE IN AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT CONCLUDES
OUR PROGRAM.
THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
[ APPLAUSE ]