“I wasn’t going to let a broken foot stop me from being here,” she said.
Before showing her knowledge of Grambling’s history, she wanted the audience to be sure that they are aware of the trials and tribulations of their ancestors. “We need to be clear about where we come from so we can be extremely clear on where we’re going,” she preached. “Millions of people watch me on TV day in and day out but I’m clear on how I got here. I got here through God’s mercy.”
“One-third of every black male will spend time in jail,” said Judge Hatchett, speaking on a study previously conducted. “That may be the study’s prediction but that does not have to be our reality. There’s work to do. We have to start uplifting each other.”
Judge Hatchett wanted the audience to be clear on their goals and aspirations. She told the audience to stand, close their eyes and proudly state their dream career. After asking a few students what their dream career is, she motivated them. “Haters are going to rob you of your dreams,” she said. “Dream bold, significant dreams. The world needs you to be magnificent, not timid.”
To continue motivating the audience, Judge Hatchett reminisced on her childhood. She spoke on a teacher who told her that Blacks couldn’t get new books. Furious at the fact that she has to be stuck with a book with missing pages, an angry 6-year-old Hatchett ran to her father. He then gave her a crayon and told her to write her story. Although she didn’t understand at the time, it is a message she lives by today. “When it gets hard, they’re going to be pages torn,” she said. “When you get to those books, write your own story.”
“My grandmother never seen the inside of a college,” said Judge Hatchett. “My mother cleaned floors to pay for college. I don’t get it twisted. My parents and grandparents sacrificed for me to be at this place.”
Judge Hatchett was clear that our society needs to be more appreciative of what our ancestors have sacrificed for us. “My mama and daddy prayed for me when I didn’t have enough sense to pray for myself,” she said.
