Someone who has impacted me personally, I guess, would have to be my dad. Although he was not around long, he was around long enough to make a great impact on me. Growing up my dad use to punish me a lot, and by punish I mean beat, and he was at times creative int he ways he would do so. He tried just about every method, he burned me, beat me with different objects(belts. metal rulers, extension cords, bats, fists,etc),h even handcuffed me so I could not run a few times. Those were the times my mom would have to rush in my room and stop him before he killed me. It is crazy because I probably could of stopped it early by telling this counselor at this charter school that I was forced to see but I could never bring myself to do it out of fear of what might happen if he found out and they could not get me away from him. Some days I would come see the counselor and I would be all beat up and bruised and she would ask me what happened and I would tell her, apprehensive of what might happen if I told the truth, that I fell down or whatever came to my mind. After years upon years of beating me me, my dad finally told me he hated me. Deep down I had always felt this was the case but now it was evident. The actual event that led to him expressing those hateful words was the day I was doing laundry when I was on punishment and was not supposed to leave my room. I think I had to have been like eight years-old. Anyways, my dad was always angry at me all the time that i thought he hated me, so in an effort to make him hate me less i decided that i would do all the laundry for him and my mom. All that did was make him utter the words that I always thought he felt, the words that would go on to change me forever. "I hate you."The whole point to that story was this. My dad was never one for sensitivity, sharing feelings, caring, or any emotions for that matter. He never encouraged that type of behavior. He was all about being tough, being strong, being a man, and because of that I was forced to teach myself a lot. I taught myself how to play sports, how to ride my bike, and all the other things that a father was supposed to teach me. which ended up benefiting me, because it taught me how to survive on my own, in a way, at an early age. It taught me how to be self-sufficient. He also taught me, whether he knows it or not, how to be strong. Feelings are weaknesses that are best kept to yourself. They also give people something over you. He also taught me, through his actions, that life can sometimes be cruel and unfair, and people are not always put in your life to love you or be there for you. Sometimes you are going to be the only one who loves and/or cares about you (although i had my mom and little sister) and you are going to have to be okay with that. He also showed me how not to raise my kids when I eventually have them. He, just this year, accredited his poor parenting choices to his own father for not being around to show him any better, therefore he lacked the tools needed to be a good father. If that is true, then he also showed me how important it will be for me to guide my future kids, especially my son, in the right direction; teach them right from wrong. These are all lessons that I have received from my dad. Along my path through life I, at times, forgot some of theses lessons and was harshly reminded of them, as far as the being strong and emotionless, and remembering that everyone is not here for me, even when they say they are. He could have gone another route to teach me the things that he did, and he may not know it, but those moments, when I was really young, gave me some lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Now on to the next person of influence; someone who has impacted several or many people. Again, this is a near impossible topic for me to address seeing as I do not know such a person, for I do not pay attentions to other people's lives unless it would behoove me to. Most people that I know, younger and older alike, tell me I impact their lives and that they look up to me which is a heavy burden to have to live up if you ask me. However, for the sake of answering the question, I would have to say the pastor at my church, Pastor Pierson. He seems to give everyone in the congregation hope, peace of mind, and something to believe in, even as they continue to confide in him outside of scheduled church services. He impacts them so much that they followed him as he transitioned through two other churches and a high school trying to find somewhere he could plant his roots due to unfortunate circumstances. I do not know much about him, though he seems like a good man from the few personal conversations that I have shared with him, though I do not really attend church much these days. I was always forced to go to church by my mom so once i finally turned eighteen and moved out on my own I rarely ever attended any Sunday services. It is hard to believe in god the way that the church does when I have experienced and witnessed as much as I have. I have always been a realest, therefore, I refuse to blindly the word of a man-made book that no one can truly verify. or follow anyone( a god), especially one that I can not not physically see or feel. I am however, a christian who believes out of fear that if I do not I will burn in hell. At least that is what they taught in Sunday school, but I am getting off topic. Pastor Pierson seems to be a good man as he always is thinking of others, taking time out of his life to console others and plan different activities for the youth so that they might have something positive to do, which is very important in this day in age. These reasons alone are the reasons that i choice him for this topic..jpg)
Now for someone who has impacted a large group of people. I want to be different and avoid the usual choices (like: MLK, Barack Obama, Sojourner Truth,etc), therefore, I go with Sean Corey Carter better known as "Jay Z". The business man Sean Carter who got his start as the rapper Jay Z came from an impoverished life which made, and still makes, him relatable to a lot of men in the black community all over the world. He acquired our attention through his music as he rapped about his humble beginnings and the situations he had to overcome with great lyrical ability. While having this platform he rarely did anything that people would deem unbecoming or inappropriate. What really impresses me is not what he did as a rapper but what he went on to do after the music. Most blacks, rappers, athletes, actors,etc, just maximize there profits in the entertainment industry until they fall off or they get replaced by the next big thing, or trend. After that they tend to go broke, or they simply remain stagnant. But Jay Z went on to become a very successful businessman with a lot of power, and connections, and he also ended up marrying one of the most powerful, beautiful, and most influential women in the world; Beyonce. Jay Z, a black man from Brooklyn Projects in New York accomplished all this. He was inspired other rappers and regular black men and children to want to live up to his accomplishments as a business man. He has regular visits with powerful people like the president of the United States for goodness sakes. He could have just taken his earnings from music and accepted his legendary status in the hip-hop community and been done but he saw much more opportunity and I can admire that. He was invested in business industries from, sport teams, beverages, record labels, clothing line, clubs etc. He his networth is currently north of 600 million dollars! 600 million! together he and his wife are worth north of a billion. Just let that sink in.
