Dear Mr. Tyler Perry,

It is widely known that I have not been a fan of your creative endeavors. While I respect and applaud your business savvy, as well as your dogged determination, I had very little, extremely low regard for your talent. I believe that as a Black person with influence in the media, you cannot waste it on projects that aren't of substance and quality. I felt in examining the craft from a technical standpoint, you needed to step it up a bit. But who am I?

Taste and quality are highly subjective. These things are learned. Taught to us over time by gatekeepers who want us to buy into what they believe a good story to be. But you, you Mr. Perry, you eschew the machine and do things your way. And I'm finally thankful you did.

Continue ruminating...


Monday night I watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and saw the stories of the Tripp Family and Mr. Tom Lewis. I began to cry within the first 10 minutes. Looking at these people walk out love and what "Christ In Culture" should look like was awe inspiring.

Then to see that you have chosen (love is a deliberate choice) to support these people and their efforts from your own pockets, helped me appreciate you more. This wasn't the first time I'd learned of your charitable giving. Your donation of a million dollars to Haiti, the Disney vacation to the Philadelphia children last summer who were rejected from the swimming pool, your donations to Hurricane Katrina victims, and others cases. This show was somehow different. 


It was different because looking at the excitement on the faces of people young and old when they met you and how truly joyful they were to do so, and not because they were thinking of what you were going to do for them but for simply who you are, I realized that you have been blessed to do what you do. God is continuing to pour into you because He knows you will most certainly continue to pour into others. Those movies, tv shows, and plays are what give you the means to help worthwhile causes and people. And besides, clearly you have an audience who is entertained and enlightened by what you do.

When you asked, "How much more can a person do?" I felt personally convicted. I can and will do more. I've wanted to be a philanthropist since high school. However, I always thought I had to go out into the world and earn a bucket of money before I could be of any value. Of course I know better (have for years now), but I hadn't translated it into any meaningful service. Looking at how these people in the DC/MD area were transforming their communities with meager means left me awestruck. And your leading to help them further their work was inspiring. Thank you Mr. Perry. My sincerest apologies for judging you, your talent, or your intentions. "Judge not, that ye be not judged" is truly advice to remember.

Each day I will strive to ask and answer yes to...

Image courtesy of Persimmon and Pink