On Wednesday, March 25th, the Delta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated held their Fourth Annual Truth Be Told lecture featuring the award-winning actor, producer, and humanitarian Forest Whitaker. Jacob Friesen Grant, a junior and member of Alpha Phi Alpha interviewed Whitaker on stage at Hendricks Chapel. Whitaker discussed his childhood, race in the media, and issues in America and the world.

When asked “who has made you who you are today?” Whitaker credited his mother, father, cousin, and grandfather for his development into a man. He discussed a conversation he had with his mother when he was young.

Coming from a family of preachers, his mother would wake him up early on Sunday mornings for church. A young Whitaker used to ask his mother why he had to wake up for church every Sunday, and why he had to believe in what she believed in, but he had to believe in something. His mother wanted him to have faith in some type of philosophy or spirituality.

Freshman Noahamin Taye enjoyed Whitaker’s sentiment on religion.

“I thought that was really important,” said Taye. “Having a belief in something really helps you carry on in life through achieving your dreams to getting through day-to-day life.”

Whitaker went on to comment on a multitude of topics, but his soft-spoken voice and calm demeanor was a turn off for some students.

“I felt as if he was there for the money and not the message,” said sophomore Demarquez Grissom. “He answered questions very broadly and indirectly or [impersonally], so I didn’t get a lot from him as a person or an actor. The Alphas did a wonderful job of hosting it but it was something about Forest that dismissed me from the interview. The questions were awesome but the answers didn’t amount to the depth of the conversation.”

Other students like freshman, Brandyn Munford took a different stance on the event. “I enjoyed it,” said Munford.

“He was very calm and definitely inspirational. Jacob did great as a host.”

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Photo courtesy Julian Baptiste du Buclet