Speaker Brian Copeland gave a powerful and moving monologue on campus on Thursday, Feb. 25.

The play was called, “Not a Genuine Black Man.” He tells his story on stage in which he acts out various events that occurred in his life. He lets the audience in on a very personal story: what it was like to grow up being black in a neighborhood that was 99.9 percent white.

The story starts with Copeland moving to San Leandro as a young boy in the 70s. At the time, San Leandro was known for being very hostile towards African Americans. He faced a brutal amount of racial profiling and severe harassment from the white community he had to live in.

His mother chose to move to San Leandro hoping for her children to have better exposure, better learning experiences and overall more opportunities. It had almost been a way of Copeland’s mother moving them up in the world. However she failed to realize when you are that distinct of a minority, you will be faced with harsh circumstances.

One of Copeland’s first “racial profiling” experiences happened when he was eight years old. He tried to play ball with other white kids in his neighborhood. When he did, they started to attack him. As he ran from them, he bumped into a white police officer who took Copeland back to his mother and explained to her that it had been her son that started trouble with other kids. That had been Copeland’s first realization that authority would not always be honest.

As he grew up, he told himself to always be honest but still remember that he was not part of the “majority.” He could be exposed to situations that could be dishonest and unsafe. This was when he had recognized he would not have the same benefits as others within his community. However, he still decided to take advantage of the opportunities he did have. After graduating from college, he went into the broadcasting field.

From a radio talk show, he had received a letter that stood out from any other one he had ever received. The letter read, “You disgust me. You are not a genuine black man.. etc.” That had been the basis of his story: whatever our identity is, it is created by our experiences and the people around us, but fundamentally we decide who we want to define ourselves as.

Throughout the performance he tells the audience a lot about the discrimination that he experienced while growing up. He had been evicted and faced tons of cruelty towards him and his family. However, at the end of the performance, he explained that although he faced all those troubles, he had realized one thing: some of the people that made a positive difference in his life were also white. This lead to an understanding that by not having generalizations about one particular race, and also not having one representation of the people who make you experience pain or anger, will enhance your life.

Copeland still resides in San Leandro, which is currently one of the most diversified communities within the Bay Area, but he still faces hardships. In 2007, in an attempt to end his life, he had been saved by a white police officer. He realized in that moment that he had gone from a young black kid being accused by a white officer, to being saved by one. The premise of his very emotional and powerful story of his life is, in essence, that life changes.

“Although our identities are influenced by others perspectives, it is truly our personal self-awareness that ultimately determines our character, our confidence, and our authenticity as individuals,” Lavinia Zanassi, a Skyline counselor for career services, said.

Zanassi also recognized and took away, as an audience member herself, that we as people must realize the “significance of our own genuineness as human beings.”

This message could not have come at a better time. We are going through a very transitional period and for the first time in a while, the race issue is being brought to the forefront again. There needs to be a serious discussion of how people view others and the whole question of race in our country in general. Copeland’s message is very important, especially to many young people who are living through a climate of questions about race. His point cannot be stressed enough, that others do not define you. The words of this strong survivor can be incredibly uplifting. Copeland’s message is without a doubt, a universal and vital one.

“It was very personal and very touching and at the same time it had tons of witty humor throughout,” Margo Feldman, an accounting major said. “Overall it helped to make it a very enjoyable performance.”

Artistically, Copeland’s performance was a gripping, inspirational, and touching one. Not to mention the power and force he brought with him on to the stage. From every scene he played out, to the strength of his story-telling, you genuinely felt moved. He gave this performance in hopes for students to take something, if not the most important thing, away.

“We have the right to self-determination and nobody defines you but you,” Copeland said.

Rest assured almost every single person in that auditorium, if not every- took that message of self-awareness and perspective away with them.