Keeping it Real
Who’s influencing your life? What goals are you setting? What
choices are you making? These are a few of the questions Keith Hawkins
asks middle school and high school students during his motivational
speeches and leadership workshops. Every year, Hawkins (B.A., Communication
Studies, ’97) speaks to about 300,000 students across the
country.
Hawkins often shares his story of growing up in Los Angeles: his
stepfather was addicted to drugs; a high school friend was shot
and killed by another teen during an argument; he endured being
homeless for six months; and he later helped his younger brother
adjust to life after meningitis left him disabled.
Hawkins believes that students respond to him because he understands
their challenges. He is living proof that they can make good choices,
set goals, and succeed. “They want to know the truth, and
that’s what I give them,” says Hawkins. “I’m
real with them.”
Hawkins’ speaking style keeps audiences captive from the beginning
until the end, says Victor Bass, senior adviser, California State
University, Chico’s Educational Talent Search. “Keith
uses entertaining stories and experiences to get his messages across,”
says Bass. “He gets you up, moving, clapping—then he
hits you with the info.” Hawkins was the keynote speaker at
a student leadership conference held at CSU, Chico in January 2003.
“Leadership is about standing up for what’s right, no
matter what others may think of you,” says Hawkins. “It’s
great to be around people who accept you, but to make the right
decision, sometimes you have to be different.” Diversity is
another issue Hawkins talks to students about, including stereotyping,
judging others based on appearances or possessions, peer pressure,
and the importance of accepting people different from themselves.
Hawkins was invited to work with students at Columbine High School
in Littleton, Colorado, after the shootings there in 1999. “We
worked on building relationships so they could lean on each other
for support throughout the year,” he says. “The students
worked on figuring out ‘what is best for us from this point
on, with our friends, family, and our senior year.’ I encouraged
them to use the tragedy as motivation to do something worthwhile
with their senior year and their lives.”
Hawkins lives in Lincoln, California, with his wife, Lori. He was
a speaker at CSU, Chico’s Black Commencement celebration in
May. To learn more about his work with youth, go to www.keithhawkins.com.
Lisa Kirk, Public Affairs and Publications
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