WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.950 My name is Anthony Sparks 2 00:00:01.950 --> 00:00:05.461 and I do a couple of things. 3 00:00:05.461 --> 00:00:08.400 First off, I'm a Project Coordinator 4 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:11.060 for a non-profit in Birmingham, Alabama 5 00:00:11.060 --> 00:00:15.820 and in addition to that, I also have my own LLC, 6 00:00:15.820 --> 00:00:17.290 Anthony D. Sparks LLC, 7 00:00:17.290 --> 00:00:22.290 in which I write, speak and development coach. 8 00:00:22.570 --> 00:00:24.580 Here for homecoming this weekend, 9 00:00:24.580 --> 00:00:27.330 I'm speaking this Friday night 10 00:00:27.330 --> 00:00:30.100 at the Presidential Mentors Academy 11 00:00:30.100 --> 00:00:31.980 for their 20th Anniversary Gala. 12 00:00:31.980 --> 00:00:33.830 I'm the keynote speaker for that 13 00:00:33.830 --> 00:00:38.672 and my topic for tonight will be, 14 00:00:38.672 --> 00:00:40.200 it takes a village. 15 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.190 And I know we've heard that quote, 16 00:00:42.190 --> 00:00:43.860 it takes a village to raise a child, 17 00:00:43.860 --> 00:00:45.910 but I'm kind of putting a spin on it 18 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:48.940 to kind of drive home the point to the audience 19 00:00:48.940 --> 00:00:52.880 that if the village has been good to you, 20 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:56.110 it's now time for us to turn around and be good to it. 21 00:00:56.110 --> 00:01:00.000 As we were all raised by a village or villages 22 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.510 and once you become grown, the village is no longer 23 00:01:02.510 --> 00:01:04.800 required or responsible for raising you. 24 00:01:04.800 --> 00:01:06.830 You're responsible for raising it 25 00:01:06.830 --> 00:01:08.300 line:15% and passing it on to the next generation, 26 00:01:08.300 --> 00:01:09.660 line:15% better than it was given you 27 00:01:09.660 --> 00:01:11.480 line:15% and so that's just kind of an example, 28 00:01:11.480 --> 00:01:14.189 line:15% just so it's really themed or event-driven 29 00:01:14.189 --> 00:01:19.189 line:15% and so I base whatever I speak on on the event. 30 00:01:19.440 --> 00:01:21.370 My life is built on my faith 31 00:01:21.370 --> 00:01:25.780 and so I never want to, I guess, 32 00:01:25.780 --> 00:01:30.780 give someone, just Anthony's opinions, so to speak. 33 00:01:30.910 --> 00:01:34.583 And so I try to pray and just kind of see God 34 00:01:34.583 --> 00:01:39.380 in what I need to say to this particular group 35 00:01:39.380 --> 00:01:41.040 and so that's first and foremost. 36 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:44.120 And then secondly, I just wait for the inspiration, 37 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:45.610 depending on what the event is. 38 00:01:45.610 --> 00:01:48.100 line:15% A lot of times for me, it'll happen in the course of me, 39 00:01:48.100 --> 00:01:50.580 line:15% I'm running around my neighborhood, just exercising, 40 00:01:50.580 --> 00:01:52.610 line:15% or whatever, I've always got my phone with me 41 00:01:52.610 --> 00:01:54.560 line:15% and so the minute something comes in my head, 42 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:58.750 line:15% I'm stopping and typing in notes and things like that. 43 00:01:58.750 --> 00:02:03.315 I've been speaking for roughly 15 years 44 00:02:03.315 --> 00:02:05.660 and there's never been a time 45 00:02:05.660 --> 00:02:08.560 where I've spoken to a group that I haven't gotten nervous 46 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:11.570 and I can appreciate it because 47 00:02:11.570 --> 00:02:13.680 what it does for me is it keeps me humble 48 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:15.440 because the minute that I get up and think 49 00:02:15.440 --> 00:02:17.630 I got this, I think that's the minute I fail 50 00:02:17.630 --> 00:02:20.480 line:15% because you know me resting and relying 51 00:02:20.480 --> 00:02:23.880 line:15% on my own strength, power, whatever, I'm a falter. 52 00:02:23.880 --> 00:02:27.350 line:15% So it's always nerves, 53 00:02:27.350 --> 00:02:29.590 it's always excitement 54 00:02:29.590 --> 00:02:32.840 and once I get up and speak that first word, 55 00:02:33.760 --> 00:02:34.640 I'm in the zone.