Good afternoon. Below you will find the full text my closing remarks at this year’s Hope Film Series, a fundraising effort for the Marcus Ewing Memorial Fund……
Good Evening. If we have not yet met, my name is Chris. Like always, I want to convey my family’s deep gratitude for deciding to be a part of this 8th Annual Hope Film Series. More than a time for fellowship and film, this annual event represents the sole fundraising effort for the Marcus Ewing Memorial Fund as it supports Shiloh’s HI-DEF mentoring program.
HI-DEF aims to enrich the lives of teenage children with unceasing love and unrelentingly encouragement supplied to them by incredible mentors such as Angela and Allison. The Hope Film Series intends to see such enrichment endure for generations to come. As we end our time together this evening, I would like to take a moment to connect our cause with the man whose name inspires us to gather here each year. Because in many ways they are one in the same.
First, the man…and lets be honest, in some ways a man-toddler, Marcus Ewing. Much like in our film tonight, Marcus Ewing had to fight when it came to his education. Whether it was fighting to catch up with his other classmates at Ruth Moyer Elementary, or battling against “professional educators” at Highlands High school telling his mother verbatim, “Marcus isn’t college material.”
In both fights, however, Marcus won by knockout when he achieved a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Cincinnati. Yet despite this amazing achievement, Marcus found himself in one fight after another when it came to battling against the stigma of having a noticeable speech impediment. Other than Adrienne, I’m sure any of us know just how many rounds Marcus went to convince teachers, employers, and others that he was not incompetent or inferior.
Besides his own battles, Marcus Ewing also fought with great vigor to preserve opportunities for children and their families that he encountered in New York City. Like Rocky’s encouragement to his son, Marcus frequently advised the children of HI-Def to not let others stick a finger in their face and tell them they were no good. When a child at HI-def wanted to blame something keeping them from where he or she wanted to be, Marcus routinely reminded them that they were better and stronger than that.
For Marcus Ewing did not submit to many who assumed that children born in New York City were fated to misfortune. Marcus Ewing refused to concede to some who hypothesized that a child’s access to a great education depended on affordability or genealogy. Marcus Ewing could not yield to others who presumed that higher education was reserved only for those with ivy league aspirations.
While it remains difficult to measure or quantify Marcus’ impact on the lives of the children of HI-Def, there are two thing I am certain of. First, the boys and girls of HI-DEF became confident they could go the distance in any fight knowing that Marcus Ewing was in their corner. Second, the boys and girls of HI-DEF grew in assurance they could absorb the hits of life trusting that Marcus Ewing would never throw in the towel on them.
Now when it comes to the fight for quality education in America; many students, parents, teachers, counselors, principals, and superintendents also find themselves on the ropes. If not battling against state legislatures slashing their budgets and pushing ineffective curriculum, schools today also fight without success to find any apparatus of the federal government willing to enact meaningful measures aimed at improving their safety.
Instead of committing all their time to reading and mathematics, students today find themselves having to dedicate precious class time to active shooter drills and anti-bullying seminars. Rather than worrying about graduating or going to college, students today find themselves most concerned with getting out school alive.
And therein lies the cause that unites all of those who feel Marcus’ absence the most. Without Marcus, who will commit to fight for children not just in New York City, but across America? Without Marcus, who will pledge to stand in corner of children ducking the jabs of statistics and skeptics? Without Marcus, who will promise to not throw in the towel on children repeatedly knocked down by prejudice and injustice?
In light of Marcus’ lingering absence, I would submit that it is you and I who can train and encourage students unsure of their ability to make it through the next round. As the problem of bullets and bullies continue, students today need someone in their corner to tell them, “keeping moving forward no matter how hard you get hit.” So long as high rates of suicides and dropouts persist, students today need someone to keep him or her from throwing in the towel on themselves.
No matter the amount, our donations to the Marcus Ewing Memorial Fund help HI-DEF in its effort to provide an occasion for young boys and girls to get off the ropes of illiteracy and truancy. We aid HI-DEF in its desire to offer an opportunity for young boys and girls to get up off the mat of aggression and depression. We support HI-DEF in its hope to supply a chance for young boys and girls to deliver the knockout blow to generational poverty and cyclical inequality.
It is true that Marcus very much wished to see the boys and girls of HI-DEF become victorious in all their bouts with adversity and disappointment. However, Marcus Ewing fostered an even greater desire for the young boys and girls of HI-DEF learn about how life’s most important fight, which Jesus Christ had already won for them.
In times when hate and vengeance seemed to be winning, Marcus tried to assure the boys and girls of HI-DEF that the reviving mercy of Christ would stay unbeaten. In moments when violence appeared to be succeeding, Marcus worked to convince the boys and girls and HI-DEF that the refreshing peace of Christ would remain unchallenged. Even in instances when death and grief looked to be prevailing, Marcus attempted to persuade the boys and girls of HI-DEF that the resurrecting love of Christ would go on undefeated.
CJE