Yesterday here at FCI Talladega, we held the very first inaugural graduation ceremony for the graduates of Talladega College.
I was named as the Valedictorian of the class with a 4.1 grade point average.
During my speech to the graduating class, I spoke on the subject of the power of “FIRE” in a controlled environment.
Where I explained to the audience that not all fires are designed to destroy, denature or consume things.
Whenever fire is used in a controlled environment fire can alternatively “transform” or “purify” objects.
For instance, dough can be transformed into bread or cookies.
Precious metals such as gold can be purified to the point where nothing else remains, but pure 24K gold!
I also spoke on how impactful the tool of fire has been to all of mankind until we have even named certain species of birds “firebirds” because their distinctive markings remind us fire.
The mythological firebird known as the Phoenix was also used during my speech because it symbolizes a rebirth or a second chance. The bill that made our college experience possible is called the “Second Chance Pell Grant.”
In closing, I spoke about the Three Hebrew Boys who were thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar.
I made a few distinctions about this story.
First of all, when the King went searching for signs of the boys he SAW…MOVEMENT.
Secondly, he SAW a TEAM.
The King SAW that these young men were not alone!
Most importantly, the King had “seen”….ENOUGH!
King Nebuchadnezzar changed his decree openly!
The King corrected his mistake of condemning these boys to die.
Dr. Cornel West once stated that:
“JUSTICE is what love looks like out in public.”
So it was a divinely inspired sense of Justice that changed this king!
This graduation offered proof that whenever divine justice is rendered, we as incarcerated people can turn our graveyards of despair…into gardens of hope and enlightenment!
