Bakari Sellers Inspires Arizona High Schoolers To Be ‘Leaders Of Right Now’ In MLK Day Speech

Sellers encouraged the audience to become the leaders they hope to be right now.

Bakari Sellers is reminding the youth of their power to enact change today. The political commentator inspired Arizona high schoolers during a program honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

According to Arizona Digital Free Press, Sellers traveled to Saguaro High School for the 25th annual MLK Youth Voices Program. Nine schools across the Scottsdale area participated in the assembly dedicated to Dr. King’s life and legacy of justice.

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While there, he encouraged the audience not to let their age limit the social action they can take. Instead, he rejected the notion that they are our future leaders, saying they can be the difference needed now.

“I hate when people refer to this group of students as ‘leaders of tomorrow,’” shared Sellers. “That is the most perverse statement in our political lexicon because all of you are not the leaders of tomorrow; you’re the leaders of right now.”

Sellers made history as the youngest Black elected official when he joined the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2006. While no longer a congressman, Sellers continues to spark political conversation and uplift movements as an author and attorney.

In his message, he also spoke of the moments that inspired him. He explained his thoughts of seeing Barack Obama speak during a rally for his 2008 presidential campaign.

I began to think, ‘Here I am, on the precipice of change, playing my role in watching the world change around me,’” he explained. “But I’m only 19 miles away from my house, where I had the audacity to dream with my eyes open. I was only 19 miles away from my home, where I had the audacity to want to be more than my ZIP code.”

Like pioneering Black leaders across diverse fields, he wants today’s youth to strive for their greatest ambitions. He also praised several Saguaro High students, Justice Hinds, Kingston Grant, Nayeli Lewis, Carolyn Morehead, and Alexandrya Kayyali, for speaking up about their experiences.

“That’s why it’s so important for you to understand that your destination is just excellence. That’s all King was asking from you,” Sellers said. “And what does that look like? That means that if you want to be a scientist, be George Washington Carver. If you want to be a songstress, be Nina Simone…If you want to be a politician, be Nelson Mandela. If you want to be a doctor, be Dr. David Satcher.”

He also recited the definition of excellence first said by civil rights leader and Morehouse College President Benjamin E. Mays, “Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead and no man yet to be born could do it any better.”