7. Room 408: Where Students Learned to Use Their Voice as a Drum for Social Change feat. NFL Hall of Famer, Mr. Tommie Lindsey

Mr. Tommie Lindsey, a MacArthur Genius, Oprah Winfrey Angel Award recipient,  National Forensics League's (NFL) Hall of Famer, and the first elected blackboard member of the NFL, and retired high school teacher and Forensics coach at James Logan High School, joins us for The Cypher. 

Mr. Lindsey talks about breaking down barriers, the struggles he overcame and the sacrifices he made (5:00).  We talk about the connections between career education,  character development, life skills, and how Mr. Lindsey taught inspired his students to become a voice for the voiceless (12:35).  We discuss Imposter Syndrome, Logan Swag, and how family and spirituality centered Mr. Lindsey's work (15:30).  Mr. Lindsey shares about being authentic, radical, being true and how he refused to play the "The Good Negro."  Being feared for being Black.  Lindsey shares about what gave him strength and resiliency growing up in East Oakland including gardening and Mrs. Dukes (37:57), and the affirmation that "we continue to use our voice our drum, to fight for social justice until equity becomes the rhythm of the land."     

In the Remix (58:15), DJ Cole and MC Stoll explore how James Logan HS be ringing those Bellarmine Bells, the sacrifices that Lindsey and teachers make for our youth, and the power of the spoken Word and Forensics as the discovery of Truth. 

Track 6 is set to the music of:

•  “I Can” by Nas (45:30)
•  "What’s the Science"by Lil Sci (John Robinson) and Carlos Niño (28:15)
• "Which Side Are You On" by B Dolan 

References/Quotes include:  

• Accidental Hero: Room 408, documentary film
• Dr. Harry Edwards - "Athletes are more likely to be struck by lightning than make it into the league."
• Victor Hugo, "No army can stop an idea [or force] whose time has come."
• Rudyard Kipling "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster. And treat those two impostors just the same If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken."
• "The Meeting" by Jeff Stetson
• Mahalia Jackson, Malcolm X, Luis Valdez (25:55)
• Lupe Fiasco, "Fear is such a weak emotion" from"The Words I Never Said"
• Super Natural
• Youth Movements: SNCC, Occupy, Arab Spring
• "Walk by faith and not by sight, because things aren't always what they seem" ( 2 Corinthians 5:7)

Connect with Mr. Lindsey on LinkedIn

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Intro/Outro Music produced by OJ The Producer