Mr. Wine

Usually, I run towards things I don't understand.

Things are aligning themselves in my life that I cannot understand right now. People are re-entering from the margins of my life experience. People I would have never thought would play the role they do today.

Then there are those that are leaving.

When I checked my cell phone around midnight for the first time today I had numerous messages from folks back at school. I hit redial to the last caller and recieved the bad news.

One of our founders, the one whom we were closest to, passed on.

He helped create the organization that defined two years of my college experience. His contribution led to the creation of the largest student leadership conference in the nation. Along with several other Black students he paved the way for the rest of us.

He challenged me. His presence made me work harder to uphold a legacy that he started.

A legacy he never gave himself credit for. He thinks thought that anyone would have done it, given the chance. He never allowed himself to see how impactful his actions were.

He is part of the reason there is a Black Culture Center on my campus. The reason incoming Black freshman get 4-year scholarships. The reason Black programming can occur on campus.

His death I don't understand.

Death, I don't understand.

Just a few months ago, he was talking to me about his humble beginnings and how Africa helped him better understand life.

I had so much more to say, so much more to listen to.

And the fact that I no longer have the opportunity to boggles me.

I just hope he realizes what he did. How he affected me. How he affected us. What his actions said and how they still speak today.

360

Lots of times in life we return to things that felt good.

Places we were happy in.

Things that made us smile.

Here I am.