Trust where your going

I met a young lady yesterday that really made me stop and think about how the under twenty five year old set in our community view themselves and the possibilities in their future.
This young woman's dream was to become a chef but no one around her could see it for her.I strolling through the hall way of a local college on my way to pick up information on an upcoming lecture when I noticed a young lady facing a bulletin board. As I approached she turned around,I gave my customary greeting and asked if she was in the hospitality program. She replied with the question "do I look like a chef" it was said with such a lack of confidence I had to ask her way she felt that way.
She went on to say that she was told by her beautician that she did not look like a chef and beside only Mexicans work in food service. Well at that point my pressure must have hit the roof.I calmed down long enough to tell her that the hair dresser needs to stick to doing just that. Now it is true in this area the amount of immigrants legal and otherwise is very high.In fact they have long since passed the population of blacks and where once you found blacks in hospitality now Hispanics have taken over many of the fast food jobs. Not all are Latino though there is a small but sizable community of Africans from the continent and Caribbean people who don't share American blacks stigma towards the hospitality industry.Even more so many degreed positions are increasing being filled with Asians as the world begins to shrink and places in the east begin craving western style amenities.
So I told her we(as a people) have been in hospitality since we got off the ships only under the names of house negro cook,servitude and days work. Before rising to chefs, Pullman porters,hostlers and restaurant owners as well as heads of food conglomerates to name a few position.I added that she should never believe someone else's vision of who she was and that if this is the field she truly wanted to be in go for it.
As we chatted I found out she moved to this state on her own and her family was not a part of her life or into education.I sensed she was a winner already because it took more strength to rise above a situation like that then it did to stay in the familiar.That's when this tremendous energy flowed out of her. She began speaking of her hopes and dreams,love of the food network and adoration of Bobby Flay. I added she might want to watch Gavin on TV One but she had never heard of him. As I listened to her go on about wanting to learn the basics I knew one day she would be a fine chef if she so chooses to be.I told her as much before going on my way and from the bottom of my heart I hope she makes it. One day under the captain top chef I hope to see her name.












Trust who you are sister.