Video Lyrics:
I have been staring at the edge of the water
Long as I can remember, never really knowing why
I wish I could be the perfect daughter
But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try
Every turn I take, every trail I track
Every path I make, every road leads back
To the place I know, where I cannot go
Where I long to be
See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I will know, if I go there is just no telling how far I will go
I know, everybody on this island seems so happy on this island
Everything is by design
I know, everybody on this island has a role on this island
So maybe I can roll with mine
I can lead with pride, I can make us strong
I will be satisfied if I play along
But the voice inside sings a different song
What is wrong with me?
See the light as it shines on the sea? It is blinding
But no one knows, how deep it goes
And it seems like it is calling out to me, so come find me
And let me know, what is beyond that line, will I cross that line?
See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I will know, how far I will go
Category Archives: Life
Beautiful & Amazing Oscar Speech – Viola Davis
Beautiful & amazing Oscar Acceptance Speech by Viola Davis at the 89th Academy Awards on 26th Feb 2017 | Best Supporting Actress – Fences as Rose Maxson
Transcript:
Thank you to the Academy.
You know, there’s one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered. One place. And that’s the graveyard.
People ask me all the time. What kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola? And I say, exhume those bodies. Exhume those stories. The stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition. People who fell in love and lost.
I became an artist, and thank God I did. Because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life. So, here’s to August Wilson, who exhumed and exalted the ordinary people. And to Bron Pictures, Paramount, Macro, Todd Black, Molly Allen, Scott Rudin for being the cheerleaders. For a movie that is about people.
And words. And Life and forgiveness and grace.
And to Michael T. Williamson, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Jovan Adepo, Saniyya Sidney for being the most wonderful artists I’ve ever worked with. And oh captain, my captain, Denzel Washington.
Thank you for putting two entities in the driving seat: August and God. And they served you well. And to Dan and May Alice Davis, who were and are the centre of my universe, the people who taught me good or bad, how to fail, how to love, how to hold an award, how to lose.
My parents ― I’m so thankful that God chose you to bring me into this world. To my sisters, my sister Dolores, who was here, who played Jaji and Jaja with me. We were rich white women in the tea party games. Thank you for the imagination. And to my husband and my daughter. My heart, you and Genesis. You teach me every day how to live, how to love, I’m so glad that you are the foundation of my life. Thank you to the Academy. Thank you.
Top Oscar Acceptance Speeches:
Inspirational Oscar Speech – Matthew McConaughey
Beautiful & Amazing Oscar Speech – Viola Davis
Nine Rules from Chris Pratt: Generation Award Winner 2018
10 Years from Now – What Will Matter Most?
Transcript:
That the reason I’m here, is I dreamed big dreams. I dream the kind of dreams that other people said would not be possible. I’m also a living proof; this isn’t a Hollywood movie. I come literally from the other side of the tracks. If you saw where I grew up and we took a picture of it, the neighbourhood, the setting, you say it’s impossible that someone could come from there and get here.
But it is possible, and not to sound too trite, if you dream big and surround yourself with great people, and leave your ego at the door, and share success with others, and have a little luck along the way, you can do anything.
But there will be people along the way, and I remember this, they will say to you, you know, you’re dreaming too big, it’s not possible, those things just can’t happen.
Don’t allow anyone, friend, family, acquaintance, teachers, whoever it is; don’t allow anyone to tell you that what you are dreaming for yourself and your family is not possible. It is possible.
Don’t be one of those people, 20 years from now, are going to be walking around in a nine-to-five job, miserable, and angry, and bitter, because you let your dreams get away from you, because you did not believe strongly enough in yourself and what was possible.
Don’t allow that to happen, and I can’t encourage you enough, to continue to think the things are possible, and that your dreams can come true. And as it relates to finding your calling, it has to be linked to something that you are so passionate and crazed about, that you’re willing to knock down walls, and climb mountains, and do the things that are going to put yourself in a position of sacrificing so many other things for its success. And you can only do that when there’s a compelling underlying feeling that you have, that this is something I’m going to fight to the death for.
And I think you can’t really succeed at the levels that you want to, unless you find that thing that you’re so passionate and excited and in love with. And I think because you’ve got it along the way you’re gonna have to convince so many other people to believe in you, and the idea, and the opportunity, and the struggle and the obstacles that are going to come can only be overcome by this passion that you have in which you’re going to be able to get people to follow you over those hurdles.
I know it sounds a little bit sophomore but it’s so true
Suing the school system for a world where fish no longer forced to climb trees
COURT HEARING:
Pre-Trial Conference (Criminal)
Case: Education Malpractice
Criminal Case Disclosure Conference
PRINCE EA VS SCHOOL SYSTEM
Court Records:
Prince Ea: Albert Einstein once said, everybody’s a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, today on trial we have modern day schooling. Glad you could come. Not only does he make fish climb trees but also makes them climb down and do a ten mile run.
Tell me school, are you proud of the things you’ve done? Turning millions of people into robots, do you find that fun? Do you realize how many kids relate to that fish? Swimming upstream in class, never finding their gifts. Thinking they are stupid. Believing they are useless.
But the time has come, no more excuses. I call school to the stand and accuse him of killing creativity! Individuality! And being intellectually abusive. He’s an ancient institution that has outlived his usage.
So Your Honour, this concludes my opening statement and if I may present the evidence of my case, I will prove it.
Judge: Proceed.
Prince Ea: Exhibit A: Here’s a modern day phone, recognize it? Here’s a phone from 150 years ago. Big difference right? Stay with me… Here’s a car from today, and here’s a car from 150 years ago. Big difference right? Well get this… Here’s a classroom of today and here’s a class we used 150 years ago.
Gallery: Whoaaa…
Prince Ea: Now ain’t that a shame? In literally more than a century, Nothing Has Changed. Yet you claim to prepare students for the future? But with evidence like that I must ask, Do you prepare students for the future or the past?
I did a background check on you and let the records show that you were made to train people to work in factories. Which explains why you put students in straight rows, nice and neat. Tell em’ sit still. Raise your hand if you wanna speak. Give em’ a short break to eat and for 8 hours a day tell em’ what to think.
Oh, and make them compete to get an A. A letter which determines product quality. Hence grade A of meat. I get it. Back then times were different. We all have a past. I myself am no Gandhi. But today, we don’t need to make robot zombies. The world has progressed, and now we need people who think creatively, innovatively, critically, independently with the ability to connect.
See every scientist will tell you that no two brains are the same. And every parent with two or more children will confirm that claim. So please explain why you treat students like cookie cutter frames or snapback hats. Giving them this ‘one size fits all’ crap.
Judge: Watch your language.
Prince Ea: Sorry Your Honour. But if a doctor prescribed the exact same medicine to all of his patients the results would be tragic. So many people would get sick. Yet when it comes to school, this is exactly what happens. This EDUCATIONAL MALPRACTICE. Where one teacher stands in front of 20 kids, each one having different strengths, different needs, different gifts, different dreams. And you teach the same thing the same way? That’s horrific!
Ladies and Gentlemen, the defendant should not be acquitted. This may be one of the worst criminal offences ever to be committed.
And let’s mention the way you treat your employees.
Defense Attorney: Objection!
Judge: Overruled! I wanna hear this.
Prince Ea: It’s a shame, I mean teachers have the most important job on the planet, yet they’re UNDERPAID. No wonder so many students are SHORT CHANGED. Let’s be honest, teachers should earn just as much as doctors. Because a doctor can do heart surgery, and save the life of a kid. But a great teacher can reach the heart of that kid and allow him to truly live.
See teachers are heroes that often get blamed. But they’re not the problem. They work in a system without many options or rights. Curriculum are created by policy makers. Most of which have never taught a day in their life. Just obsessed with standardized tests. They think bubbling in a multiple choice question will determine success. That’s outlandish.
In fact THESE TESTS ARE TOO CRUDE TO BE USED and should be abandoned. But don’t take my word for it, take Frederick J Kelly. The man who invented standardized testing, who said and I quote, “These tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned.”
Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, if we continue down this road the results will be lethal.
I don’t have much faith in school but I do have faith in people. And if we can customize healthcare, cars, and Facebook pages, then it is our duty to do the same for education. To upgrade it. Change it. Do away with school spirit, cause that’s useless. Unless we’re working to bring the spirit out of each and every student, that should be our task.
No more common core, instead. Let’s reach the core of every heart in every class. Sure math is important, but no more than art or dance. Let’s give every gift an equal chance. I know this sounds like a dream. But countries like Finland are doing impressive things. They have shorter school days. Teachers make a decent wage. Homework is non-existent and they focus on COLLABORATION INSTEAD OF COMPETITION.
But here’s the kicker boys and girls. Their educational system outperforms every other country in the world. Other places like Singapore are succeeding rapidly. Schools like Montessori. Programmes like Khan Academy. There is no single solution, but let’s get moving. Because while students may be 20% of our population.
They are 100% of our future.
So let’s attend to their dreams and there’s no telling that we can achieve. This is a world in which I believe. A world where fish are no longer forced to climb trees.
I REST MY CASE
Gallery: **APPLAUSE**
See Related:
Inspirational Oscar Speech – Matthew McConaughey
Inspirational speech by Matthew McConaughey at the 86th Oscars® in 2014 | Best Actor for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club
Transcript:
There’s a few things, about three things to my count that I need each day.
One I need something to look up to, another something to look forward to, and another is someone to chase.
Now first off I want to thank God, because that’s who I look up to. He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or of any human hand. He has shown me that it is a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates. In the words of the late Charlie Laughton, who said “When you got God, you got a friend, and that friend is you”
To my family, that’s who and what I look forward to. To my Father who I know he is up there right now with a big pot of gumbo. He has got a lemon meringue pie over there, he is probably in his underwear and he has got a cold can of Miller Lite, he is dancing right now. To you Dad, you taught me what it means to be a man.
To my Mother who is here tonight, who taught me and my two older brothers, demanded that we respect ourselves. And what we in turn learned was that we were better able to respect others. Thank you for that Mama.
To my wife Camila, and my kids Levi, Vida, Livingston. The courage and significance you give me every day I go out the door is unparalleled. You are the four people in my life that I want to make the most proud of me, Thank you.
And to my hero, that’s who I chase. Now when I was 15 years old, I have a very important person in my life come to me and say, “Who is your hero?”. And I said I don’t know I gotta think about that, give me a couple of weeks. I come back two weeks later, this person comes up and says “Who’s your hero?” And so I thought about it and I said you know who it is, it’s me in 10 years.
So I turn 25, 10 years later that same person comes to me and goes “so are you a hero?” And I was like, not even close. No, no, no. She said, “Why?” I said because my hero is me at 35. So you see every day, every week, every month and every year of my life, my hero is always 10 years away. I’m never going to beat my hero. I’m not going to obtain that, I know I’m not. And that’s just fine with me because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing.
So, to any of us, whatever those things are, whatever that is we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to, and whoever it is we are chasing to that I say amen. To that I say alright, alright, alright. And to that I say just keep living huh. Thank you.
More Memorable Acceptance Speeches:
Inspirational Oscar Speech – Matthew McConaughey
Beautiful & Amazing Oscar Speech – Viola Davis
Nine Rules from Chris Pratt: Generation Award Winner 2018