In honor of Black History month, Dr. Boyce Watkins made clear in his lecture that only action can take Black History where it must go.

The Inclusion and Community Engagement Center (ICE) in conjunction with the African-American Studies department hosted the lecture given by Watkins. He immediately stressed to the audience: Black history is not dead but includes all of us in the present.

Watkins is a highly sought after African-American Scholar specializing in financial psychology, educational motivation and black social commentary. He has appeared on many national media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, BET and Black Enterprise Magazine.

Watkins begins his lecture by laying out the problems we face. He makes a bold statement saying “Racism is not the problem; racial inequality is the problem.” He stressed the biggest problem we have today is thinking there is no problem at all.

Watkins says the perpetuation of racial inequality is done unknowingly. Being a financially savvy individual, Watkins derived an equation to remedy the racial inequality that plagues the nation. “Education + Economics + Expectation = Empowerment,” he said.

He grew up in a home similar to many African-American males. At an early age he was placed in a special education class, where he was told that he would never be bright enough to go to college. He then illustrated his childhood with a story about an eagle who thought he was a chicken, never pushing himself to his “eagle” potential because all of his chicken friends were telling him how to fit in as a chicken.

A man known for his political and scholarly prowess; Watkins’ stories were elementary. The stories served the purpose of inspiring people to live up to their full potential.

He wrapped up his lecture with a quote, “If you’re doing nothing every day, you’re becoming nothing every day.”