About 100 students gathered into the auditorium on Feb. 16 to watch the Black Student Union’s guest speaker Reverend Leslie Smith give a motivational speech. Throughout his speech, Smith used personal anecdotes to encourage students to pursue their dreams and find what they were put on earth to do.

Smith riveted his audience with a story about how he came to discover what he wanted to do in life. At the age of 24, he had a dream about purchasing three “crack houses”, tearing them down and renovating them before passing them back to the community. He also aspired to provide counseling to the families within these communities through education and preaching.

“I grew up in a family that believed in giving and doing things for people, so my parents were my biggest inspiration,” Smith said. “When I had the dream, I had no doubt that it was what I was going to do.”

Smith is now the founder and CEO of Change Happens CDC, a nonprofit organization that renovates dilapidated homes in Third Ward, Houston and offers support to families struggling with drug addiction. He hopes that his story of service will inspire students to explore their potential to make a difference in their communities.

“The tragedy of life is that most folks don’t stick to their dream,” Smith said to the audience. “You guys are young eagles. You are somebody that has a purpose in life. Spread your wings and begin to soar.”

Senior and BSU president Tera Reed felt that the event was a “hit or miss” because of cultural differences: Smith referenced many Bible verses and religion to help him convey his messages about finding one’s purpose. While Reed considers Christian motivational speakers to be a significant part of Black American culture, non-Black audience members may have been “confused” by the religious terminology that Smith used.

“I’m not going to say I know everything about Black people,” Reed said. “I come from a mixed-cultured household. Even so, I feel like speakers who come from a Christian and gospel background help a lot with keeping you engaged. [Events like these] help educate a lot of people.”

Senior Soliyana Kifle also enjoyed attending the student forum, saying that “[Smith] knows how to speak to a crowd.”

“I really liked the speaker’s energy and enthusiasm,” Kifle said. “He gave great metaphors that encouraged us to not give up on our dreams. It’s all about Black excellence and proving people wrong by being great.”

After the forum, Smith said he enjoyed how the audience was “attentive” and how everyone absorbed the information “like sponges.” He hopes that students come away from the forum knowing that they were “put here to do something great.”

“It’s all about letting people know they have purpose,” Smith said. “Whatever passion you have, that’s your purpose. Let that drive you and never lose it.”

The BSU will be hosting its Black History and Culture Program this Friday, Feb. 17 from 6-9 p.m. To buy tickets, visit bhsauditorium.ludus.com.