Be a Legend, Create a Legacy

In the northwest corridor of Washington, D.C. off of a busy 14th street intersection is a black and gold establishment where a legend resides. He is a 75.-year old legend, to be precise, who has impacted communities from the West Coast to the East Coast through socio-economic and political influence.  His name is Eugene Hughes, and we should all strive to follow his example of what it means to be a legend.

As I was wandering the streets of Washington, D.C., literally having no idea where I was heading (in life and on the street that day), I saw the sign outside of his establishment that stated, “Midtown Youth Academy.”  There was no additional description that identified if this was a charter school, karate program, leadership academy, or something of that sort.  

All I knew is that this mysterious store front insinuated that youth were impacted here.  I knew and still know that youth work is my passion.  I wandered in.

The first thing I saw was a seasoned (older, wiser, and better) individual sitting on a couch facing the door.  He inquired, “May I help you?”  I asked, “Hi. What is this place?”

What followed was a conversation and experience that changed my life.  Mr. Eugene Hughes explained that this surprisingly huge place was a youth center--one that had been around for 45 years.  He explained that he was one of the founding Black Panthers and now dedicated his life to serving youth of all cultures and races.  He spoke about his passion for youth work--how he could have been a lawyer, but, after obtaining his bachelor’s degree in political science, decided to follow his passion instead.  He spoke about the old Washington, D.C., where everyone knew mostly everyone, where there was no running water or electricity, where history was being made.

I was surrounded by hundreds of pictures of historical figures--something I have seen before in museums, but not quite to this extent.  Something was different here...Almost all of Mr. Hughes’ pictures were of his own experience.  From the black and white pictures to all of the in-color pictures of congressman, youth, international journeys, and celebrities, these were pictures that represented history told through his eyes.

He explained to me his dedication to serving youth from the streets of Washington D.C., from group homes, schools, foster homes, and a variety of walks of life, especially through exposing them to the art of boxing, the power of academia, the strength of knowing one’s place in the world, and the significance of discipline and respect.  At 75, he is the only owner of his business property on his block, and of course--the most long-standing owner of his business.

Mr. Hughes is now one of my most honored mentors.  I have told him, “You’re my hero” to which he replied, “No, you are my hero.”  He told me that I would make a huge impact on the world, and that I needed to keep a camera with me to track my history, because no one could do it better than me. In telling him about my dreams, I told him it was too difficult to pursue my dreams now.  He explained that we often make things difficult for ourselves...

He encourages me to live my life understanding that I too am a legend.  In doing so, it creates a likeliness that I will push for opportunities I deserve.  He holds me accountable.  He has reminded me that to be a legend is something determined by you.  You have to make a choice to be powerful, to honor your history, to make history, and to make your wildest dreams come true.

When in doubt, remember, the ability to leave a legacy in this world is not given to a few chosen individuals--it is earned by those who make a choice to do the unthinkable, to achieve the unexpected, and to do so knowing that, like Mr. Hughes, you too can be a legend.

Image retrieved from http://texasbaptists.org/2011/12/leaving-a-legacy-a-ministry-of-fbc-richardson/