It's all about the way you deliver.
Narrator:
producer, and CEO,
and she's been invited to take part in Mandela Day.
Nice to meet you. Here, I won't make you stand up.
Nelson Mandela is an international icon.
He spent his entire life fighting for freedom,
equality, and justice,
and brought an end to Apartheid in South Africa.
Every year on Mandela's birthday, July 18th,
people in South Africa partake in an act of service
in their community inspired by his legacy.
My grandfather was the architect behind Mandela Day,
but it's really about getting involved,
getting dirty, putting on your gun boots,
putting on some gloves, and going out there.
This year, Marsai and five other celebrities
will be taking Mandela Day global
by joining forces with the Nelson Mandela Foundation
and undertaking in their own acts of service
in communities across the world.
I can't wait to see you shine. You're gonna kill it.
- Thank you. - You're gonna kill it.
As an actor, Marsai knows the power of the spoken word and using her voice,
and like Mandela, she wants to use that voice to help others.
I believe public speaking was something
my grandfather took to naturally,
like a fish in water.
You must remember, my grandfather set up
the first Black law firm here in Johannesburg,
and it was reported that my grandfather
had a different style of going to court.
He would walk in, stand up straight up,
and he looks directly at the magistrate
and he would talk in a loud booming voice.
He would ooze confidence because for him
this is a matter of a Black person having dignity,
being able to be addressed in the same way
that white people have been addressed.
And so he understood the importance
of effective communication.
I have fought very firmly against white domination.
I have fought very firmly against Black domination.
I cherish the ideal of a new South Africa.
Man: Marsai interview. Mark.
I am 17 years old.
I am an actress, entrepreneur, and a producer.
The stuff that I've done, I mean,
I started when I was five.
I would say my biggest thing that I've done in my career,
or my biggest breakthrough, was "Black-ish" for sure.
I started in 2014, and we went to eight seasons.
I've always been a creator and a visionary since I was very, very little.
My parents will even tell you that
they saw my talent at a very young age.
I used to mimic all these TV shows and movies
they would've never expected a five-year-old to know,
like the Ray Charles biopic or "Dreamgirls."
Narrator:
to have their voices heard in society.
Today, Marsai is going to be helping out a budding performer
who struggles with speaking in public.
As young people, we need to build a community to help each other,
and I think that's what Nelson Mandela was all about,
was building a community and helping people out.
Listening and talking to other kids my age,
I feel like that is the perfect thing to do, especially to honor him.
For Marsai's act of service,
she is going to be working with Urban Word,
a literary arts organization run by executive director
and poetry performer Shanelle Gabriel.
You excellency, Nelson Mandela.
Madiba, known for the timbre of your tone.
Urban Word is a nonprofit. It's been around since 1999,
and it believes in championing, uplifting, and empowering
young people to be the authors of their voices.
Siphoning privilege, forging a movement for the marginalized.
It's so important for young Black female voices to be heard
because when you add the intersection
of both being a woman and oppressed,
and then both being a Black person
and being oppressed and mix those two together,
you have an extremely marginalized population.
Narrator:
for six aspiring Black poets
who preparing to perform tonight
in front of a live audience
at a local poetry slam.
And one of them, 17-year-old Nevaeh,
will be coached by Marsai.
Well, first of all, let me just say
I'm very excited to meet her.
Being a teenager in the public eye
and trying to speak up for teenagers that don't--
especially young Black girls
that don't feel like they have a voice
or have a seat at the table, it's very important to me.
I would be amiss if we talked about performance
and I didn't bring our guest in.
Round for applause for actor,
entrepreneur, mogul, mini mogul,
clap it up for Marsai Martin!
Hi!
Oh, thank you for coming.
Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Everybody-- oh, my gosh. It's so great to have you here.
Hi. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.
- How's life, Marsai? Nevaeh. Y'all rhyme. - Marsai, Nevaeh, yeah.
Neveah:
I like TikTok.
I like dancing. I like expressing myself.
If I have an idea or if I have inspiration,
I like to share it.
As a young Black woman,
you know, we have something to say.
Narrator:
but has never performed them in front of anyone
other than her family.
She had a tough middle school experience
that kind of ate at her a little bit.
And then she lost her grandmother,
which was, besides me, her biggest supporter.
So I really want her to get, you know, back to where she was.
I think what's holding me back is confidence.
Because there's fear of judgment,
there's fear of, oh, what if I don't do this right?
Or what if I get nervous onstage?
It's just so many different levels to it,
but learning how to overcome that I think is the biggest thing
I'm looking forward to just in life.
I think she does lack confidence.
Once she realizes her true, true potential,
she's gonna be unstoppable.
It's gonna be amazing. Because I see it.
As a mother-- I'm sorry.
Oh.
I see it as a mother.
But when you look at your daughter
and you know she could be so much more, and you will be--
oh, my God, she will just reach the moon.
You will. I promise you you will. But I need you to realize it.
Narrator:
of the spoken word to over 25,000 teens like Neveah,
and now it's down to Shanelle and Marsai
to get her ready to perform her work live for the first time ever.
What I think makes a good performance is all about feeling.
Words can mean something
when the audience can feel what you mean.
It's all about-- it's all about the way you deliver.
There is only one you.
That's the crazy thing about this.
There's billions of people on this Earth,
but there's only one you.
So all you can do is be yourself
because there is no one like you.
Everybody, let's give a round-- let's give some love to Neveah.
Release me from those chains.
This patriotic perjury has the American flag
wrapped around my throat.
Nelson Mandela believed in the power of education
and the ability to articulate your thoughts through the spoken word
because he understands that words
can really touch the human heart.
And he knew how to use his voice to enact change.
The spoken word is where
we can draw a picture of the world and be inspired,
but also at the same time be critical without, you know,
feeling isolated or rejected in society.
Man: Interview take two. A-mark.
It's important that we take back the power
of our voices and that we express ourselves
so that other young girls across the world
are able to see you,
to hopefully inspire them to be whoever they want to be.
Being here is just a crime, but living is liberation.
( murmuring )
Everybody give her a round of applause.
I'm gonna kick it off to you,
- because you're a coach over here. - Whew. Okay.
First off, beautiful.
- Um, let's see. - Thank you.
I know you were looking at your book,
but the more you look and more you connect with people--
just look outwardly, or more hand movements could be another option.
So the more you use your hands and different gestures
to understand what you mean and what you feel, that could be something.
That's all I would say.
Ndaba Mandela:
If you look African history, it is mostly taught in an oratory fashion.
And so as we engage with the world,
we are exporting African pride.
Because this is how we were taught in an African home, you know?
Through words, through speaking.
This is one of the most important skills that we have.
Femi Nylander:
that we all should endeavor to aspire to.
A life full struggles, a hustle,
Apartheid systems, 27 years in the island prison.
The next generation must learn of the pains of the past.
Nelson's freedom eventually came.
A symbol, an idol, a human, a name.
Mandela, Madiba, remember the name.
( cheers and applause )
What's up? What's good, everyone?
Oh, my goodness. I'm so excited to be here.
Thank you so much for coming out to our open mic.
Narrator:
17-year-old Neveah is now just minutes away
from performing her own work in public for the first time.
A chain is more than something you can see.
I feel it sometimes deep inside of me.
I've seen men shatter watching their dreams fade away.
They look at me for answers
hoping my words could ease their pain.
My body goes numb. I can't feel my fingertips.
I'm looking at my son. I'm crying out, "Please."
Like a bee that's lost its buzz
because that ounce of confidence...
With each step I take, I think about the past,
the present that I am in, and the future I must attend.
I paint pictures of pleasure,
making a fantasy feel like reality.
- "I can't breathe." - Wow.
- Thank you. - ( cheering )
This has been amazing, right?
- Yes. - Whoo!
So now I'm gonna bring up a special guest
whose gonna introduce our final poet today, okay?
So this is an actor, a writer,
as well as entrepreneur/mogul, okay?
- Are y'all ready? - Ready.
- Are y'all ready? - Yeah!
Show some love for Marsai Martin!
( cheering )
Thank you so much.
Let's just give a round of applause for what we heard.
Like, oh, my gosh. Beautiful job, everybody.
I am so proud to announce
our final poem of the day.
I had the pleasure of talking with her,
and she is just the sweetest.
So give it up for Neveah!
Give it up for Neveah.
Release me from these chains.
This patriotic perjury
has the American flag wrapped around my throat
because this is far from our dream.
What mother dreams to see her six-feet son
in a box six feet under
before seeing him in a graduation cap?
A nightmare.
We can never fall or slip.
Don't slip through these red, white, and blue cracks
that only look nice in fireworks.
Being here is just a crime, but living is liberation.
Release me. Release me from these chains
and see how I flourish,
especially when the sun hits me
because melanin is a statement piece.
All I needed was the right lighting to show it off in.
Here I am.
I have a voice, a message,
a purpose too essential to let slip.
Don't slip. Don't fall.
We rise.
- Thank you. - Whoa.
( cheering )
I am just truly grateful
to be a part of generation like this.
If we continue to work together,
if we continue to create change,
and listen, for sure--
listen to what has happened in the past
and listen to how we can figure out
our next steps and our next moves
to continue building a better and brighter future.
Oh, my gosh! You did so good.
You did it! You did it! I'm so proud of you.
How did you feel when you were up there?
- Liberated. Yeah. - Mmm.
- It was the best feeling. - Thank y'all for having me.
I mean, today has been so, so amazing, and I am truly inspired
by not only just the whole workshop process, but how y'all elevated it.
And it was just so, so inspiring
and I am just so happy to be here.
So thank you, thank you. I appreciate it.
Narrator:
the most powerful tool we have is our voice.
If you believe in what you say,
then say it with confidence,
as anything is possible.
When I talk, I remember the words
and how my grandfather conducted himself.
He always stood up tall.
He always spoke in a clear fashion.
Not shouting, but loud enough so that you can hear him clearly.
And he articulated his message very clearly.
And so, for me, I love going out there
and speaking to people about Africa
and how Africans see the world.