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Suisun councilwoman speaks at Armijo’s black history program
Suisun City Councilwoman Lori Wilson speaks to students in the Armijo High library for Black History Month Thursday. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic)
FAIRFIELD — Suisun City Councilwoman Lori Wilson delivered a powerful message Thursday to a group of high school students: “You are more than your circumstances.”
Wilson spoke to more than 70 Armijo High School students as part of a Black History Month presentation. She stressed the quote as she spoke about the obstacles she faced growing up in an abusive home, and as a single mother in high school.
She began the program by describing the day when she was 8 and her teacher told her, “Lori, you are more than your circumstances.” As a product of emotional, physical and sexual abuse, Wilson said she carried the words her teacher told her that day throughout her life.
During her senior year of high school, Wilson became pregnant with her son.
“I was a single mother and on welfare during college,” Wilson said.
Determined to receive a college degree, Wilson and her friends switched off watching Wilson’s son during the day. Wilson earned her bachelor of science degree in business administration from Sacramento State University.
“You are more than your circumstances,” she said.
As a result of her sexual abuse, Wilson said she was promiscuous during her teenage years. Her decision to engage in this activity caused her to be diagnosed with cervical cancer from the human papillomavirus.
“The decisions you make as a young person can haunt your adult life,” she said.
Growing up in Fresno, Wilson attended schools that were predominately African-American. When her family moved to Clovis,Wilson remembers the day when a teacher at her new school referred to her with a racial slur.
“I was used to it from other students, but when a teacher said it to me, I knew that I was more than my circumstances,” Wilson said.
Solomon Rivers, a senior at Armijo, said his favorite part of the talk was when Wilson told everyone to keep pushing even after failure.
“Her words re-enforced my dream to attend art school,” Rivers said after the presentation.
English 10 teacher at Armijo, Sylvia Herrera, organized the event that brought Wilson to Armijo.
“I hope the students are uplifted and motivated,” Herrera said.
Wilson ended her presentation by telling the students to keep looking forward, despite the circumstances they may face.
“If you drive your car while looking in the rear-view mirror, you will crash,” she said.
Reach John Glidden at 427-6981 or jglidden@dailyrepublic.net.
Discussion | 5 comments
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Miss ElizabethFebruary 21, 2013 - 7:40 pm
This is great story. Reading about Councilwoman Lori Wilson and the challenges she has overcome really resonates with me. Her resilience and perseverance is a reminder that we are all capable of greatness. It is nice to see leaders in our community take the time to share their story of success in hope of motivating others, especially young people. It is my hope that her inspiring words have a rippling effect on us all. “You are more than your circumstances.”
Reply |Rich GiddensFebruary 22, 2013 - 8:08 am
Lori likes big government, democrats, welfare, food stamps, affirmative action-----all the things we see as causing Lori's life problems in the first place. And Lori's solution and agenda? More of the rotten same. We all have our own crosses to bear and Lori is no different in that respect. You can expect successive generations of Lori's here---nothing will change unless you think what happened to cities like Detroit and Oakland is a good thing.
Reply |Aritha B. TomlinsonFebruary 22, 2013 - 12:10 pm
What an inspiring message! I know that the young people were encouraged & motivated by your transparency. I agree with Miss Elizabeth 100% - it is good to see community leaders keeping it real. We are not products of our environment, unless we choose to be, and we can be so much more than our circumstances. Good message Councilwoman Wilson!
Reply |30yrresidentFebruary 22, 2013 - 5:58 pm
What a powerful personal narrative. I'm glad she's reaching out to the area's youth as most politicians won't bother since they can't vote yet. I'm proud to call her our leader!
Reply |richFebruary 22, 2013 - 10:33 pm
Local youth need parental involvement. They need a father and a mother who will provide, mentor, counsel and watch over them like tiger mom and eagle dad. What local youth do not need is a government official be it Obama, Harry Price or Lori as a parental figure and that's exactly what's happened with minority youth in this country. Harry Price should change his name to ''Father Government'' because that's exactly the kind of persona he is projecting and posturing as. Have a need? Father and mother government will provide all! No father or mother in the home? No worries---the kids father and mother are on the TV screen telling them what to do and think! Lori is great but where are these kids parents? On vacation in the Seychelles Islands or something?
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