Comments on: African Man Worth Looking Up To:Derrick Ashong

By: Ashong

Ashong — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:38:01 +0000

Hi Mwangi,

Was just Googling for a link and stumbled on your page. Thanks for shouting me out! I agree that African boys need more positive role-models, particularly in the public sphere, and I think that can be easily extrapolated to African girls as well. It is for our generation to change the misperception that Africa somehow equals “less than” and to build a better reality for those of us at home as well as abroad. So thank you for sharing my voice w/ your peoples. I am one of many out to make a difference and clearly so are you. If you ever have any questions about public speaking holla’ at me. You can learn more of what I’m up to on my site below.

Peace & AFrobeats,
D.N.A
http://www.soulfege.com

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:22:36 +0000

@Kirk: WOW! Thank you so much for stopping by. I will go check out that video now. If you ever have a spare moment I would love to interview you. Actually let me head on over to your site and ask you directly.

By: Kirk Nugent

Kirk Nugent — Sat, 31 May 2008 05:12:27 +0000

Thanks for the love guys. I appreciate you posting my video in this wonderful forum. I also have a video (poem) supporting Barack Obama called, ‘No Experience Necessary’ you can find it on my youtube page http://www.youtube.com/kirknugent.

Again, much love and if i can ever be of service please feel free to reach out to me @ http://www.kirknugent.com

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:54:53 +0000

@Mo Ma: Those videos are what convinced me…though in truth I like em all…I’m actually thinking of becoming a speaker and he is definitely someone I would model should I do so.
Hope you enjoy Kirk, I first saw that guy last year and was blown away…….

By: Mo Ma

Mo Ma — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:52:40 +0000

I just saw them and I’m impressed! The tone is way different and the flow, enlightening.

Off to watch the last one!

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:32:31 +0000

@Mo Ma: The first video is entirely different from the next two…the next two are his ideas and passion for Obama and the final video is by a brother called Kirk Nugent called “Pursue your Passion.”
The dude is a professional speaker so that may be where you got the stand up vibe from…..??

By: Mo Ma

Mo Ma — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:28:57 +0000

Hmmm…I don’t know. I feel he has a pretty self-indulgent manner of speaking and the manner in which he related the Scottish teacher anecdote irked me. I’m no PC-freak but that seemed a little too standup. I couldn’t get past that and clicked it off after a few minutes.

Does he delve deeper in the other videos or are they in the same vein as the first one?

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:08:23 +0000

@acolyte: Interestingly enough, I was also exactly the same. Perhaps the self-reliance came as a result of there not being people for us to look up to when we were younger. No name pops to mind as an inspirer and mentor of the boy child in Africa…so me thinks that its possible that that made those of us who were more assertive and forward thinking self-sufficient and independent in thought and action.

By: acolyte

acolyte — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:15:08 +0000

I think I have too much of an ego or something, there is nobody I look up to. As a kid my “idols” never lasted too long due to my short attention span and the fact I prefer to do things for and by myself.

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:08:17 +0000

@gal: Yeah, you weren’t quite sure for a minute what was going to happen….reminds me of the song Superstar:

“If you are what you say you are,
Then have no fear,
The camera’s here,”

He stepped up, he was a superstar.