Bamboo is a plant often associated with the Philippines. There are creation myths and legends surrounding bamboo. It is an amazing plant, rightfully earning its place amidst Philippine literature. The bamboo also holds symbolic meaning to me.

Bamboo grows new shoots annually. This growth generally takes place during a certain period, for a couple of months during the year. The main shooting season varies with the species, of which there are over 1,000, depending also whether it is a tropical or temperate species and other factors..This is comparable to the thousands of islands of the Philippines, from which my family came.

If one starts off with a small plant, the canes, called culms, are relatively small. All growth takes place over a period of a couple of months or so. After this, these culms do not get any larger in diameter or taller in height, and the only new growth these culms produce in following years are side branches and new leaves. Eventually these culms die, being replaced by new generations of culms. My family is small, and with new generations, grows more and more.

Each following year, under good growing conditions, the bamboo planting will grow new shoots which will grow larger and taller. It can take over ten years for the bamboo plant to reach full maturity, in which the new culms produced for the season will grow to their largest height and diameter. I do my best to provide my family and friends good growing conditions, where they can grow and prosper.

One species, under ideal conditions, at its fastest growth stage, grew almost two inches per hour, or four feet per day. When a shoot emerges, its upward daily growth is slow, and gradually picks up speed. At mid height, its daily growth is the fastest, then it gradually decreases upward growth as it begins to reach its full height. This is the goal that I want for all my family and friends.

It was a privilege and honor to see and hear Dr. Cornel West today. One of the first things I saw for the event today was a quotation in the program. It read, "I remind young people everywhere I go, one of the worst things the older generation did was to tell them for twenty-five years, 'Be successful, be successful, be successful' as opposed to 'Be great, be great, be great.' There's a qualitative difference."

Dr. West expounded upon this statement in his speech, telling the audience not to misconstrue success as greatness. He specifically noted that while many athletes are successful, they are not great. One great athlete he mentioned was Muhammad Ali, for dominating in his domain but giving it all up in protest of the treatment of Blacks and the Vietnamese in the Vietnam War.

There was also a strong message of mentoring in his keynote. He made it a point to say role models should be people that one can touch; that Oprah can be inspirational, but should not be a role model unless one can embrace her. Dr. West said that the youth need to be embraced, encouraged, and supported.

Finally, Dr. West encouraged the audience to find their voices, to be original, and not echoes. He said that echoes are copies of sounds. Dr. West briefly mentioned homophobia, which was a particularly outstanding statement in light of Proposition 8 and its relation to the Black community. Some studies have indicated that about seven in ten Black voters supported Proposition 8 at the ballot box in November. What spoke to me most was when he said more people need to reach a point when they are outraged that other people are suffering.

Hearing this affirmed my feelings with the world, and what direction society seems to be going in, as well as the glimmer of hope that I have in humanity to transcend the trend and prevent the pain we inflict upon one another.