WEBVTT 00:00.910 --> 00:04.880 Black history month for me is um is so 00:04.880 --> 00:08.130 much more than just one month . It's um 00:08.140 --> 00:10.420 it's my lifestyle , it's my history , 00:10.420 --> 00:13.200 it is my existence . One of the most 00:13.200 --> 00:16.140 important things um that I have 00:16.140 --> 00:19.890 realized over time is that um african 00:19.890 --> 00:22.800 americans , we are U . S . History and 00:22.800 --> 00:25.190 that was confirmed with me with my , 00:25.200 --> 00:27.311 with my stepfather . His name is tech 00:27.311 --> 00:29.890 sergeant thomas W . Newton . He is a 00:29.890 --> 00:32.260 documented original tuskegee airman . 00:32.690 --> 00:35.240 And the conversations that we have had 00:35.250 --> 00:37.780 about his time in the Air Force , about 00:37.790 --> 00:39.734 all of the obstacles he has had to 00:39.734 --> 00:43.020 overcome have motivated me to pursue 00:43.020 --> 00:45.510 the career that I am pursuing right now 00:45.510 --> 00:47.566 as a commissioned officer in the Air 00:47.566 --> 00:50.720 Force . I lead with my character . Um 00:50.730 --> 00:53.960 but at the same time I'm aware that 00:53.970 --> 00:57.325 many people see my skin color first and 00:57.325 --> 00:59.595 so they see my skin color and then they 00:59.595 --> 01:02.105 see and experience my character and 01:02.105 --> 01:04.272 they put both together . And it's just 01:04.272 --> 01:06.438 an absolutely wonderful opportunity to 01:06.438 --> 01:08.605 be able to teach people that we are so 01:08.605 --> 01:10.661 much more than just the color of our 01:10.661 --> 01:13.005 skin . But yet our color of our skin is 01:13.005 --> 01:15.495 a part of us at the same time . So we 01:15.495 --> 01:17.551 get to acknowledge what we look like 01:17.551 --> 01:19.662 and what we are and what we think and 01:19.662 --> 01:22.950 feel consecutively . My name is Captain 01:22.950 --> 01:25.260 Tarr vic linder and I am a chaplain in 01:25.260 --> 01:26.360 the U . S . Air Force