Ok, so everyone in Sacramento! I have to say I was wrong; there is hope for your city. And hope’s name is Kevin Johnson.
While I was on our last trip out there I had a great chance to meet him and to sit down to talk to him about not only what his plan is for helping Sacramento become one of the best cities in America, but about how he got involved in politics and some of the things that he’s already done for Sacramento.
First of all, I have to give props to the guy who set it all up, Chris Bowles. He’s Director of Player Extracurricular Actvities — that’s not realy his title, but that’s what he does. He finds things that are gonna expand our mind and spirit.
He understands that we are seen in the public eye as JUST basketball players, but he challenges us to learn about not only our history as NBA players but as Americans. I feel like his energy to learn has really had an effect on me because I’m starting to understand the advantages we have as basketball players and as Americans who can educate ourselves and learn as much as we can because fame ‘n fourtune can only take you so far.
Knowledge is the real power. Everything anybody would ever want to know is in a book. That’s something I learned this year too. It’s almost funny. People say what’s the key to life? or why am I not getting the job I want? or why do I only date bad girls or boys? Go to a book store or libraray and read about people who had your same problem and you might learn a thing or two.
Of course I don’t read enough for y’all who are saying I think Channing is full of BS. But I do know that when I do want to learn something new, I know where to find it, LOL.
Ok, so that was a little off the subject, but anyway, I went to a dinner and a fundraiser for Kevin Johnson. We had the opportunity to talk to a bunch of kids at dinner from a charter school that KJ had started called PS 7 and from the joint highschool, Sac High. I was thourougly impressed. Seriously, I’ve never met a bunch of kids varying in grades 6th through 12th who had such a vast knowledge of business and how schools are run and about American politics. I was almost uncomfortable talking to them because I didn’t know as much as they did.
James Jones talked to them about how he wants to start his own charter school and elaborated on why he wanted to do it. One of the older ladies had a question. I’m thinking that she’s gonna ask a simple question like “what colors are you gonna have” or “are you gonna have a sports team” as a long shot. Or “Have you talked to your board of education directors?” and that was a serious longshot.
The question that she asked was, “What is your school going do to promote economic growth in whatever city its going to be in?” I was in shock. It was the best question I’ve ever heard from anybody. It really set the mood for the other kids and they really just picked James’ brain like a 2-year old digs in his nose for boogers.
I sat there for 130 just in awe of their acknowledgement of the situation that they’re young kids of color coming from a not so good area but they wanted to change the world even if it’s one grade at a time. They had goals. They had dreams. And they definitely had steps to get there.
Seriously, I wish them the best and I really feel like it’s important for me now in my life to get a little more political, so in my next few blogs I might give my opinion on who I want to win the presidential race and why. Actually, the correct term is who I want to endorse. I’m not just gonna say I want this person to win because of a popularity contest. I want to learn their views so I’m gonna have to get a book or get on the Net and research. Now season is over, so shoot, I should have plenty of time.
