A Black History Month Dinner and Program featuring Ryan Stewart Former NFL Detroit Lion Football Player,Sports Radio Host
and Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated and Prince Hall Mason was held on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at Calhoun College Dining Hall, Yale University. Sponsored by Morgado Family Fellowship, Calhoun College, and the Afro-American Cultural Center, Master of Calhoun College, Jonathan Holloway and Pamela Y. George, Director, Afro-American Cultural Center warmly welcomed everyone. Dashon Burton, School of Music,'11 rendered a stirring spiritual recapitulation and Khalilah Brown-Dean, Peter Strauss Family Assistant Professor of Political Science and African American Studies introduced Ryan Stewart.
An All-American football player at Georgia Tech and then a member of the Detroit Lions for five years, Ryan Stewart transformed his success on the football field to build a career in the entertainment industry. Ryan is currently the co-host with his brother Doug of " 2 Live Stews," the number one sports talk radio show in the country. Based out of Atlanta,but syndicated in over twenty cities, the success of "2 Live Stews" provides a platform from which Stewart lends significant support to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America.
Ryan peppered his prepared remarks and responses to questions from the Yale Students, community members including members of the local Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and New Haven middle and high school students present with funny anecdotes, personal philosophy nuggets, life management suggestions and self disclosures. A winning combination for engaging an audience to be sure! Because he spoke first hand due to having lived the life of a professional athlete combined with having interviewed numerous athletes and sports industry professionals, he was able to provide an inside look into the mind set of today's athlete, the business of sport as well as the sociological implications of why some athletes consider themselves to be "above the law."
Given his community activism with Big Brothers and Big Sister's he rightly emphasized the role of mentorship along with strong family and community discipline.We all know the names, Vick, Woods, Sprewell, Arena, Irvin, etc. His message was most appropriate for Black History Month in 2010. These are perhaps the best of times and the worst of times. Never imagined wealth is being garnered by some while incarceration rates and high school drop out rates continue to be shall we say disappointing. This juxtaposition of life, sport, responsibility and community heritage made the evening a delight.
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