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Black Meetings & Tourism December 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 16 DENNIS RAHIIM WATSON CHAIRMAN THE NATIONAL YOUTH AND GANG VIOLENCE TASK FORCE PRES/CEO THE CENTER FOR BLACK STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY COURTNEY PALMER Dynamic, charismatic, inspirational, motivational, uplifting and energetic are some of the adjectives that can be used to describe this scholar, father, friend, mentor, advocate, and fighter!! Formally educated at the Harlem Preparatory School, Fordham University, Pace University and New York University, Dennis Rahiim Watson had the unfortunate pleas- ure of being kicked out of high school 37 times. The unfortu- nate pleasure was not that he had been kicked out of high school but each time, he had to face his mother. Watson's moth- er never gave up on him and never let up on him. While in college, Watson's life was molded as he was men- tored by the speeches and examples set by Medgar Evers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Jessie Jackson and Malcolm X. While attending college and after graduation Watson had the opportunity to interact with several leaders of industry as he worked within the hospitality field holding positions with the Waldorf Astoria/Helmsley Palace/The United Nations Plaza Hotel, the Ritz Carlton Hotel NY, Windows on the World/World Trade Center and the Hamilton Princess Hotel in Bermuda. It was during this time that he also saw the value that corporate America had invested in the Black community. Through volunteerism, hard work, determination, self love and strong belief in the Black family fueled his mission to send a wakeup call to this generation of young men and women. With the flair of a Les Brown, the delivery of a Bill Cosby and the passion of a Jessie Jackson, Dennis Rahiim Watson has become the Michael Jackson of his vocation, motivating stu- dents via lectures and workshops at over 200 colleges and uni- versities nationwide including Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Howard, Morehouse, and Dalhouse University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. From the continent of Africa to the Islands of the Caribbean, heads of state, universities and organizations have sought Watson's thoughts and insights in the form of lectures, speeches and workshops. Watson has received over 250 awards for his work with Black Youth nationwide; among them five White House cita- tions. Over 100 U.S. Mayors have declared "Dennis Rahiim Watson Day" in their cities, from New York to Miami to Los Angeles to cities in-between and as far away as Anchorage Alaska just to name a few. I recently had the pleasure of observing Dennis Watson engage the students at Calhoun University where he explained just what was needed to make it through college and beyond. Action equals results. 10% action will give 10% results. 100% action, will deliver 100% results and that formula can be applied to any equation and any situation. Apply yourself, do the work that's required, work smart, work hard, leave the short cuts for the lazy, be hungry, stay hungry, carry yourself well at all times and success will follow Watson's future focuses on the state of Black Men in America because of guns, gangs, and Black on Black violence, which has continued to plague the very fabric of our Black communities. I have come a long way being guided by a determined and no nonsense mother who had a 4th grade education, who believe that nothing was impossible for those who have a pur- pose and for those who love the Lord and Black people. Who need daily love and validation oh so so so bad in a strange and hostile world we are 'the over comers'" – Dennis Rahiim Watson. Watson can be reached at (212) 252-2272 or Black.suc- cess@yahoo.com.