Your Voice is Worth Protecting
When I think about my time at Cal State Long Beach, I think about more than classes, assignments and graduation requirements. I think about becoming more aware of my voice. For many Black students, college is not just a place where we earn a degree. It is a place where we begin to understand the value of our perspective, our story, our creativity, and our future. We learn that what we have to say matters. We learn that our background is not something to hide or shrink. It is something that shapes how we lead, create, build, and serve.
Since graduating from CSULB and becoming an attorney, one lesson has become especially clear to me: your voice has value, and anything valuable should be protected. That applies in many ways. It applies to the student who writes, performs, designs, organizes, records, edits or creates. It applies to the future entrepreneur building a brand before they even realize it is a brand. It applies to the student-athlete navigating opportunities. It applies to the person starting a nonprofit, podcast, clothing line, YouTube channel, community organization or small business. Sometimes we think protection only matters after success arrives. But often, the best time to protect yourself is at the beginning, when the idea is still growing.
Before you sign an agreement, read it. Before you share ownership of an idea, understand what that means. Before you let someone use your name, image, work or content, ask how it will be used. Before you assume everyone is on the same page, put the understanding in writing. That does not mean moving through life with fear. It means moving with awareness. Black excellence is not only about achievement. It is also about ownership. It is about knowing the value of what we create. It is about understanding that our stories, ideas, and labor deserve respect. It is about making sure that when opportunities come, we are prepared for them.
One of the greatest achievements of my professional life has been building a legal career that allows me to help people protect what they are creating. But one of the most important insights I can share is simple: do not wait until something goes wrong to take your work seriously. Your voice matters before someone gives you permission to use it. Your ideas matter before they become profitable. Your story matters before it is widely recognized. So, whether you are submitting an article, starting a business, creating content, applying for internships or preparing for life after graduation, remember this: the work you are doing now may become part of something much bigger. Treat it that way. Your voice is worth sharing. Your work is worth developing. Your future is worth protecting.
