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Profiles of Courage
TONY PHILLIPS
Believe in Your Dream
by Tony Phillips
As a child.....
I love music for as long as I can remember. At age 14, I begged my mother to buy me a transistor radio. I grew up in a church that valued Gospel music. At age 18, I saved up all my money and bought a nice big JVC stereo that went with me everywhere. I would spend hours in my room recording music off the radio.
As a young adult.....
My early interest in music focused on rock and roll. At age 36, I was called by God to put my musical interest into Gospel.
In 1991, I led my first Gospel program at the UCP center.
From that point forward, I began to live my dream of organizing and promoting Gospel programs in the community. In 1991, I was still going to a traditional day program, so I did everything related to Gospel music in my spare time.
For the last four years, I've organized and conducted at least one program a year. Even when I worked in a mail room, I realized I could use the money I earned there to pay for promotion expenses such as decorations and refreshments.
The future......
My dream now is to promote many more Gospel programs throughout the community, particularly in places where people can't get out, like in hospitals. I would like to record more music, maybe sell the music as well as promote. Anything is possible as long as I have assistance.
What I really need is an administrative assistant to help me organize programs. I even know someone who I think will help. If Self-Determination can get going, then I can hire my own help. They (the funders) tell me I have to write another plan to get my vision going. I've written two plans already, so my image for the future says:
THIS IS IT, MAKE IT HAPPEN!
I DID MY PART, YOU DO YOURS!
THE GAME IS OVER, I HAVE ENOUGH TO DO, LETS MAKE IT HAPPEN!
About the artwork that describes my dream......
I want an image that almost looks like a gospel singer, but also looks like a holy person. I see a big sun in the sky with rays shining down on the man. He has a cross around his neck and a Bible in his hand. His other hand is a fist of power, like the "in your face" power people have in the National Action Network. The man has sandals on his feet, because like Moses, God says to take off your shoes when you are walking on holy ground. He is walking on holy ground and the ground is nice and filled with flowers, but it also has rocks on it, because the journey is a rough one. This is an image of me holding onto my dream, and leading others on the path of Self-Determination. (The image discussed here and depicted above was envisioned by Tony and made into a quilt by Beth Mount. The image now appears on Tony's promotional cards.)
Tony Phillips teaches others to "Be Determined." He is a fierce self-advocate who challanges others to "live their dream," which he demonstrates through his leadership in the self-advocacy movement, and in his business as a Gospel Promoter. Contact Tony at: 212-964-4011
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