Beyond acting and music, Omari Hardwick is a man with purpose and leads by example, which is why he was the perfect person to be the special guest for United Way of Greater Atlanta’s African-American Partnership 8th annual AAP Leadership Luncheon.
Hardwick is known for his work in the mega hit “Power” series, but he is also a musician, poet, and spoken word artist. He hosts the “Poetics” podcast where he has in-depth conversations with rap stars around the world.
Hardwick spoke with rolling out about his partnership with the United Way of Greater Atlanta and sent a message to young people.
What is the message that you would like to send to the younger generation?
There is a great word that is often underused, or maybe it’s not underused, but people sprint through it, and it’s the word potential. A lot of people say potential is not sexy, but potential means that somebody saw something in you. The Wright Brothers and Thomas Edison had potential. Nobody was above 5-foot-9 in Michael Jordan’s family. And Michael didn’t go to 6-feet, he went to 6-foot-6, that’s potential.
Potentially, this generation has crazy flight, it’s just a matter of embracing the process, and the work ethic. And don’t hashtag “grinding,” that’s called work.
It proves that there’s this desire to be exclusive, which is beautiful, but when you do a hashtag, make sure that it is only after you have maximized your potential and you’re on the North Star. We don’t want South Star. North Star allows us to go, “Am I still growing?” Yes, yet you have enough height and or flight where you can give back to some people who are in the potential of being incredible at whatever God has ordained and anointed them to do.
The other thing is the filters. People put filters over who they are. It’s not the flesh of who they are. They get in an HOV lane when they’re not supposed to be there. They try to come over here and do that when God didn’t tell them to go do that.
I think the whole world is in a really good place if the younger generation maximizes their potential or if we get some really profound leaders. Leading has failed and it is fading. And then there’s been a judgment on leaders. God ordained certain leaders and then we get into a hate place like, “Why are they leading?” Potentially, I’m so proud of all that you as a younger generation can be as long as you guys sign up for the work and are kind. It costs nothing to smile.
