S3 Ep21. Art, Advocacy, and the Power of Purpose: A Divine Calling with Dr. Richmond S. Otolorin-Garrick

In this moving conversation on ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Dr. Richmond Stanley Otolorin-Garrick shares a story shaped by courage, devotion, artistry and deep gratitude. He reflects on his journey from Sierra Leone to the United States, the sacrifices his parents made and the values that shaped him as a husband, father, educator and fine artist. 

His story is one of perseverance through loss, reinvention and the steady belief that education and art can transform lives.

Dr. Garrick speaks warmly about his marriage of nearly three decades and the joy of raising his three children, while emphasizing the importance of discipline, education and opportunity in their upbringing. He describes teaching as more than a profession, saying he is not there simply to give grades but to change stories. That spirit carries through every part of the conversation, from his classroom work to his commitment to advocating for students and helping them feel seen, trusted and supported.

As a divine fine artist, Dr. Garrick opens up about how art became a calling and a form of healing. His work reflects the dignity and struggle of humanity, especially the trauma of Sierra Leone’s civil war, the pain of displacement and the resilience of those who survive it. 

He shares how his canvases and portraits became a way to process grief, tell the truth and honor history, including iconic portraits of African Americans that now live at Middlesex County College.

The episode also offers a beautiful glimpse into the sources of his strength, including quiet reflection, faith, mentors, family and the inspiration he draws from Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. and other artistic and cultural icons. 

He closes with a powerful reminder that excellence is a form of purpose and that he hopes to be remembered as someone who discovered his divine talent and practiced it with integrity, care and conviction.

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Transcript

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (00:01.358)

Welcome to another edition of ABWilson's Heart of the Matter, a podcast that uses overwhelmingly positive questions to learn about our guests, where every episode uncovers extraordinary stories of triumph, growth, and empowerment. Hi, I'm Aderonke Bademosi Wilson, and my guest on today's show is Dr. Richmond Garrick. He is a proud father and husband, a dedicated and committed educator, and a passionate fine artist. Richmond, welcome to the show.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (00:45.612)

It's quite a pleasure for me to be here, and my parents definitely would be proud, even though they are deceased, to be here as a guest on such an esteemed show.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (01:00.198)

Well, thank you so much. Thank you. And so I want to start with your descriptors. Tell me about being a proud father and husband.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (01:12.75)

Definitely, it's something I don't take lightly because raising my children, especially here in the United States, was a challenge, not being in Sierra Leone. And at the time I was raising three kids while pursuing my education as well. So I wanted them to grow up in an environment that would be nourishing for them, and at the same time for them not to take the opportunities here for granted. So I made sure that discipline was imparted and the respect for education and for the opportunities were imparted in them as well.

And thanks to my wife for her support, because if it wasn't for her, it would have been very difficult for me to even pursue my dream as a divine artist.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (02:27.836)

Hmm, excellent. How long have you been married?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (02:32.558)

Well, we've been together for close to 30 years and we've been married for about 27 years now.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (02:40.472)

Okay, excellent. And a dedicated and committed educator. Tell me about that.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (02:51.852)

As an educator, it's actually a commitment because my philosophy in education is I'm not in education to just give grades and change grades, but I'm there to change stories, especially teaching in high school because I've had the opportunity to lecture part-time at the university and to teach in high school as well. But in high school, there are a lot of challenges that you're confronted with. So as an educator, you have to be sensitive to those challenges to help the students. And the only way one can achieve that is by making connections with them. Trust -- they have to trust you. They should be able to come to you and feel comfortable with their concerns and any issues that they are confronted with.

And I'm very conscious about the fact that it's two different cultures. The way I grew up in Sierra Leone and the culture here is different. And I'm well equipped to help them and guide them while imparting knowledge as well.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (04:22.692)

And tell me about being a passionate fine artist. What does that look like for you? What does that feel like?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (04:29.656)

Madame Bademosi, I must say that I like to use the word "passionate fine artist," but the word that I use most of the time is "divine fine artist." And the reason why I use the word divine is because not too many of us have found our divine calling. And when you find your divine calling, it is easier for you to go out and meet the challenges that you have to face and also utilize your God-given gift to impact lives.

And I must say that growing up in Sierra Leone, I went through a lot that prepared me for my artistic journey once I discovered my artistic talent. It wasn't easy. If I can delve into Shakespeare a little bit -- Julius Caesar -- in the opening of Julius Caesar, Marullus, the cobbler and the carpenter were having a conversation. And Marullus asked, "What trade art thou?" And the cobbler replied, "I am a carpenter." And he turned to the cobbler and asked, "What trade art thou?" And the cobbler replied and said, "I mend shoes." And then he posed the question again. He said, "Reply me directly, what trade art thou?" And he said,

Dr. Richmond Garrick (06:30.038)

"I am in a trade that I can practice with a safe conscience." And since this is my divine calling, I must say that I am in a trade that I can practice with a safe conscience.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (06:51.312)

Thank you so much. Thank you. And I think I can say without contradiction, this is the first time anybody has quoted Shakespeare on the show. So I'm excited and I'll remember that. "What trade art thou?" Thank you. Richmond, please share three interesting things about yourself that our listeners may not know and your friends will be surprised to learn.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (07:06.734)

You're welcome.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (07:17.142)

I love to sing. I love to sing. And I'm a good dancer as well, because we actually started disco dancing in Sierra Leone by forming a group called the Davalji Brothers. So I love to dance. But I meditate a lot. I love my quiet moments.

And I've been meditating and preparing for this program, Madame Bademosi, because in life, I do not take anything for granted. And luck has to be on your side as well. The great broadcaster Larry King said, if anyone succeeds at anything and you don't mention luck, you're kidding yourself. So I must say that I've been lucky so far to have had the opportunity to come to the United States and go to school here, even though it wasn't easy.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (08:36.088)

I've taught at two different colleges and I've been teaching at the high school. This is going into my 20th year at Williamstown High School. So I'm thankful and I'm grateful.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (08:51.492)

Hmm, thank you. Can you tell us about a recent accomplishment or success that you're particularly proud of?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (09:06.466)

Getting my doctorate in education. Because...

Dr. Richmond Garrick (09:15.766)

I am an artist and everyone thought I was going to school for art, but I was pursuing my doctoral studies in educational leadership.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (09:37.614)

When I was about to graduate from the program, my mother passed away just around the time when I was supposed to do my doctoral defense. But for the fact that I was able to come to this country with all the odds that I was faced with, having to go to school here, starting life all over again -- and one cannot even apply for any form of scholarship as an immigrant.

I came into this country doing mundane jobs, doing cleaning jobs, and had to work hard, start all over again. Because when I left Sierra Leone, we were writing papers by hand. And I came to the United States at the advent of computers. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to even get acculturated to the educational system here.

And also, when I left Sierra Leone, I was teaching at two of the best schools there: the Annie Walsh Memorial School, the oldest girls' school in West Africa, and St. Joseph's Convent. Then to come to the United States, starting life all over again, working at McDonald's -- not that it's bad -- flipping burgers. But then it made me realize that in life...

Dr. Richmond Garrick (11:24.948)

your life goes backward for you to progress forward. And in anything you do in life, one has to do it with every fiber of your being, because it's an education. Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the greatest weapon that one can use to transform the nation." So pursuing my education here and going through all those challenges, it has become the greatest weapon that I have used to transform my own life.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (12:12.806)

Thank you. Please tell us about a time when you made a difference in another's life. What were the circumstances? Paint a picture for me.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (12:24.298)

You know, teaching in high school is the most salient opportunity that I've had working with students. And in my career, I've had two students who wanted to drop out of school. They were ready to leave, and I was able to convince them to stay and graduate.

I've also had a student who was facing a lot of problems because his dad was in prison. I think he got to prison when the student was young, and his mother was ill, and he was taking care of his mother while in 11th grade. So that student was so close to me -- a male student -- he was so close to me that I was the one who was there in support for him.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (13:39.182)

And I will be proud to tell you that that student was the one who did my studio that I'm sitting in, because he's now in the construction business doing well.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (14:03.654)

Thank you for sharing that story. What were the key strengths and qualities you relied on to make a difference for your students?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (14:15.086)

The qualities I got from my parents, the way they raised me, because growing up in Sierra Leone, my parents -- especially my dad -- struggled financially. And sorry if I get emotional.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (14:36.924)

Hmm.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (14:39.734)

But irrespective of those challenges, he raised us with conviction and a perspective that education is important.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (14:59.116)

I had seven siblings. And my mother, obviously having all those kids, couldn't work continuously. So my dad was the breadwinner. So you can imagine the challenges. And by the time I finished high school, my father couldn't afford for me to even go to college.

Because I had already discovered my artistic and divine talents while I was in high school. And you can imagine, as an African parent, you're telling your dad that you want to be an artist. To our African parents, there are only four professions in Africa. You can either be a lawyer, a doctor, an engineer, or a failure to the family.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (16:00.808)

And telling my dad that I would like to be an artist -- I can imagine how he felt. He didn't think I was going to be a failure to the family. Even though he was supportive, I can still imagine that he was apprehensive, because the arts are not deemed to be a lucrative profession.

So I finished high school, and for three years I was going to the educational ministry, the minister of internal affairs, every week, maybe three or four days a week, looking for a scholarship. For three years after I finished high school, I wasn't able to get a scholarship. Before finally, into my third year, I was able to get a scholarship to go to Milton Margai Teachers College, where I received my Higher Teacher Certificate.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (17:06.988)

But unfortunately, before I graduated, my father passed away. And the same thing happened: by the time I was about to graduate from the doctoral program, my mother passed away.

But I must say that the way I was raised prepared me. They passed away, but they left a lot in me. And that's why I'm sitting here today.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (17:43.782)

Tell me your parents' names.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (17:47.182)

Sydney Garrick and Tyro Garrick. And the interesting thing about them is that both of them were twins.

Yes, both of them were twins.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (18:10.876)

Can you recall a situation where you overcame a challenge that led to personal growth? What did you learn from that experience?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (18:22.678)

I think, like I mentioned earlier, coming to the United States was the challenge. And it was a transformation for me. Because no one will prepare you for your voyage to this country, overseas. And all of us have these dreams that as soon as you get to the airport in the United States, maybe you'll start picking up dollars. And that's not the way it is. That's not the way it is. So it was really a challenge coming here and pursuing my interest in fine art, because I was determined, I was resilient to pursue it against all odds. Even when some of my friends were not convinced that it was going to be a lucrative profession.

But like Martin Luther King said in the mountaintop speech, he said, "I have been to the mountaintop and I've looked over and I have seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but we as a people will get to the promised land." And I knew that I was in the promised land that Martin Luther King envisaged.

And because of my conviction, my spirituality in what I was pursuing,

Dr. Richmond Garrick (20:19.318)

I was certain that success was within the horizon for me.

And with my art, I have touched lives. With my art, I impart knowledge. My art has become the main vehicle for me to transform lives. And through my art, I have been able to exhibit my work in galleries and museums. And before I even left Sierra Leone, even though things were difficult, I gained ultimate notoriety in Sierra Leone before I left. So for me, my art has been the pedestal for my life.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (21:29.222)

Tell me about your art. What kind of fine artist are you? What do you produce? How do you produce it? Tell me about your art.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (21:38.51)

The philosophical premise of my art explores the indignity and inhumanity, especially the systemic struggles of humanity posed by

Dr. Richmond Garrick (22:06.818)

sociopolitical and psychological aspects. So I examine the struggles that people have to go through. And when I got into graduate school here at Rutgers University, around that time I had received news that my brother had been murdered during the brutal, decade-long civil war.

I started using my work as a testimony

Dr. Richmond Garrick (22:49.836)

to the brutality of what was going on in Sierra Leone. It was a child soldier phenomenon because kids around the age of seven or eight years old were being forced, coerced, drugged to fight. And these kids were being trained to maim and mutilate people's hands and feet. So these images became iconic in my work.

They were not victims to me in the way I painted them. They became an icon for the resistance. They became iconic for hope and the struggle.

As a photographer, I believe you can relate to that when you look at Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother,"

Dr. Richmond Garrick (24:02.284)

which was an icon for the Depression and hardships. So these were the images while I was in graduate school that haunted me. While all the students were creating conceptual art, while all the students looked at the color red and saw it as a primary color, for me, red was symbolic of blood.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (24:29.398)

And just imagine, around that time, that's when 9/11 happened in New York. So the country that I came to, hoping it would be a refuge -- running away from the civil war in Sierra Leone, the civil war that had consumed my brother's life, the civil war that destroyed my mother's house, burnt it down -- and they were running. I was calling them. I could hear the rebels shelling, I could hear the guns. I ran away from that, but it was still haunting me coming to the United States.

And 9/11 made me realize that it seemed as if I had no refuge anymore, because that's how scared I was. So my canvas became the place for therapy for me. My canvas became the world for me to relieve my pain, my psychological trauma.

And furthermore, working with my kids when they were younger, they had an assignment on the biographies of African Americans. And as I was helping my kids and reading their biographies -- because in Sierra Leone I studied the history of West Africa, I didn't know much about the civil rights movement, none of that.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (26:04.156)

Mm.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (26:16.02)

I was so flabbergasted at what African Americans had to go through for civil rights. And that moved me to the extent where I started creating these ballpoint pen drawings of iconic, historic African Americans. And these portraits are presently hung at the newest academic building at Middlesex County College. And that's one of my proudest legacies, because it was influenced by my daughter's elementary school assignment.

So basically, that's the kind of artist I am. I always say that if you are looking for me to paint a beautiful picture to complement your furniture in your living room, then I'm not the one, because my work speaks to the issues of humanity.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (27:43.868)

You are listening to ABWilson's Heart of the Matter podcast.

Welcome back to ABWilson's Heart of the Matter. My guest today is Dr. Richmond Garrick. Richmond, we've talked about your upbringing in Sierra Leone, the financial struggles that your parents faced raising you and your siblings. We've talked about your work and how it's a reflection of humanity. And we've talked about your role as a teacher. What self-care practices and strategies help you to sustain your energy and motivation while navigating your journey?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (28:39.039)

My quiet...

Dr. Richmond Garrick (28:43.574)

moment of reflection, because it brings sanity when I can sit quietly and reflect on what's going on in my life. It prepares me for the journey, even though the journey can be tough.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (29:12.834)

But I always look towards certain people to give me hope. For instance, while I was in high school, Nelson Mandela was in prison. And we used to write letters to Amnesty International. If Nelson Mandela could be in prison for 25 years, my struggle at the time was minute in comparison. So he gave me hope.

And during that time, I was exposed to the poem that Nelson Mandela used to read when he was in prison, which was "Invictus."

Dr. Richmond Garrick (30:07.038)

And that last stanza meant a lot to me and I still use it when I face challenges, because it says: "It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishment the scroll. I am the master of my fate and I will always be the captain of my soul."

Dr. Richmond Garrick (30:42.038)

And I rely on that. And my dad would always use this quote with us. He would always say -- and I didn't even know who the quote came from until I came to the United States -- he would always say, "Heights that great men reached and kept, we are not attained by sudden flight. But while their companions slept, they kept toiling through the night." I still rely on those.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (31:19.58)

Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. Thank you so much.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (31:21.646)

You're welcome.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (31:24.902)

How might sharing your experiences of success and growth create a positive ripple effect in your family, community, the world?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (31:38.894)

I always want my success

Dr. Richmond Garrick (31:46.248)

to be a motivation to anyone I come across. For certain people, they shy away from their experiences and their struggles, or what they went through. But for me, I use that to uplift others. I use my experiences, what I went through in life, to give hope to others.

And even teaching at the high school, I always tell my students that I have vast experiences that make me unique as an educator, to talk to students, motivate them, inspire them. At times I can be in the middle of a class and I get into this spiritual inclination where I would start talking and relaying my experiences in life.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (33:02.72)

You could hear a pin drop among the students listening. And most of the time I will be in my zone, spiritually. And I always had to end by saying, "Let me end my sermon for today," because I could see that the students were listening attentively. And some of them would say, "Continue, Dr. Garrick, continue."

So I don't take my experiences lightly, and whatever I've been through in life,

Dr. Richmond Garrick (33:51.796)

I hold the highest form of gratitude to my parents.

You know, to come to this country -- I remember when I was selected as an alumnus of Middlesex County College and I had to deliver a speech to about 300 students and faculty members. Towards the end of the speech, when I started reflecting and being grateful for the opportunities that my parents provided for me, irrespective of the challenges that they faced, I broke down in the speech. And I'm quite sure you will observe that I've spoken about them a lot, because my opportunity here is not about me, but it's about the parents who raised me to be the man I am.

And certain people that I looked up to, like the late Professor Louise Metzger, who was my professor at Milton Margai Teachers College -- I looked up to her and visited her whenever I was in Sierra Leone. In fact, I visited her the year before she passed.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (35:24.63)

I was exposed to Ben Enwonwu, who was a great sculptor and artist. I was looking up to these mentors while I was in Sierra Leone. The first artwork that I copied was from the vinyl of Rastaman Vibration by Bob Marley, designed by the great

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (35:41.18)

Oh, another question.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (35:54.158)

Neville Garrick.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (35:58.592)

It was so gratifying when Neville Garrick saw my work on Facebook. He sent me a message on Messenger saying that we are related. And I stayed in touch with him until he passed. He was even on set when they were doing the last Bob Marley movie.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (36:24.258)

This was a man who influenced me at an early age, and to have the opportunity at that time to even interview him on Instagram.

Another artist who designed album covers -- Gagyoku, who designed all of Ella's albums. These were the works I was looking at. And these were the people that I was aspiring to be.

And they gave me the hope and the resilience that challenges can be part of your life story. And when you can use those challenges to motivate others, there is sincerity in your story, and you can touch lives with it.

So the challenges that I faced have been the constituents of my character to be sitting here with you today.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (37:42.854)

Thank you, thank you. My next question for you: what exciting opportunities do you see on the horizon? How do these opportunities align with your passions and aspirations?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (38:00.394)

I have two more years to retire from the high school. I got my doctorate because when I retire, I want to apply for the position of Dean of Students.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (38:24.438)

I want to continue working with students. Even at the high school when I graduated, my wife wanted me to get into administration. And I told my wife, "I don't see that as my divine calling. My divine calling is to be in the classroom, is to work with students." That is the definition for me.

So my dream is to apply for the position of Dean of Students, because I want to continue advocating for students. And hopefully I can go back to Sierra Leone, because I've spent probably half of my life here in this country. And I'm grateful for the opportunities here and what I have achieved. Madam Bademosi, I don't think I would have achieved it in Sierra Leone, because Sierra Leone is not a society where your credentials are what open doors -- it's the connections that you have.

So I would like to go back to Sierra Leone and see how I can help with arts education.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (39:53.902)

Because my late professor, Louise Metzger, before she passed away, I interviewed her and she was completely hurt by the lack of support for art education in Sierra Leone. And she had prepared so many students to go into the schools and impart knowledge in art education.

She was frustrated before she passed away. She was completely unhappy. She was devastated about the state of things. Even the college where she lectured, that I attended in Sierra Leone -- she told me during the interview that she had gone to visit, and told me that after that visit, she had never gone back because of how discouraged she was.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (40:46.149)

Hmm.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (40:50.304)

So I would really like to go and see how I can help and what I can do to bring about the priority that arts education deserves and what art means for students growing up in a society. All of these countries that we are rushing to come to are beautiful because they have respect for their art and culture. So certainly I would like to go back to Sierra Leone and see what I can do.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (41:31.772)

Thank you. What brings you joy?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (41:38.785)

My children. My children. I have two girls and a boy, especially my two girls.

My boy is older and, you know, he would call me when he needs something. But my two girls -- I have this wonderful connection with them because I think it's the fact that my wife went through difficult child deliveries because they were all C-sections. So I was the one changing the diapers and all that stuff. I used to braid my daughters' hair. Yeah, I used to do all that. I would do all the

Dr. Richmond Garrick (42:28.846)

bubbles and all that stuff. I used to take them out to dance lessons, music lessons. I used to even perform with them at the church. We used to do a concert because I'm a countertenor. I came to this country and I took three years of voice lessons. I used to perform with them. So up to this moment, I have that wonderful connection with them, and they enjoy my sarcasm whenever I call.

Because my daughter is in Barbados -- she's in med school -- and she calls me only on Saturday mornings. So whenever she calls, I will say, "I've been up since six o'clock this morning waiting for this annual call." And she would crack up.

So this past Saturday, I was waiting for the call and the calls came in intermittently when we were missing each other. And finally, when she got me on the phone, I said, "You know what, how can we go from an annual call at eight o'clock in the morning to now intermittent?" And she said, "Dad, aren't you happy I still call you?" So they bring me joy, all three of them, but my two daughters -- they crack me up, especially the middle one. They are my pride and joy.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (44:08.506)

Hmm. What book recommendation do you have? It can be a book you've read recently or something that has stayed with you over the years.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (44:20.896)

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (44:29.958)

And there is another book, Creative Minds. But I would lay emphasis on A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah because that book is a memoir of a child soldier who was in Sierra Leone. And it details his account of being kidnapped, coerced, and forced to fight during the civil war, and all the atrocities that they were forced to commit.

You know, I did a painting -- hope you don't mind me referring to you as Madame Bademosi -- because I did a painting of Michaela DePrince, which is my favorite painting. Michaela DePrince was at the orphanage,

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (45:21.37)

No, that's fine.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (45:38.668)

the invisible one.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (45:42.478)

Her parents -- I think her dad was killed -- but she actually witnessed, as a child, when one of her teachers at the orphanage was killed by the rebels.

Michaela DePrince had a skin disease, vitiligo. So while she was at the orphanage, when people were calling for adoption, they would never recommend her because of that skin disorder. She was at the bottom. Michaela's indigenous name was Mabinti.

You know, a lady from the United States wanted to adopt someone from the orphanage. And she called and they sent her pictures. And she asked, "Are those all the pictures that you have?" They said no. They said, "We have two other kids." And they sent her Michaela's picture -- you could see the skin disorder. And they told her that the reason they didn't recommend her was because they didn't think anybody would be willing to adopt her.

And Michaela DePrince was adopted by this lady in the United States. When she went to Sierra Leone, Michaela DePrince presented her with a picture that had a ballerina on the front cover. She told her that she would like to be a princess.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (47:41.772)

She didn't even know that was a ballerina. And she brought Michaela to the United States and enrolled her in ballet. And the rest was history. Michaela became a world-renowned ballerina with Dutch National Ballet and Boston Ballet. Unfortunately, Michaela DePrince passed away at the age of 29. And I did a painting of her -- in fact, while I was sitting in the studio, that was the painting behind me.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (48:19.502)

Mmm. Mmm.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (48:27.43)

Thank you for sharing. Thank you for sharing that story. Is there anything else? Do you have any final thoughts on this amazing conversation?

Dr. Richmond Garrick (48:39.47)

You know, my final thoughts -- but before I get to that, I just want to say that I did a little research on your name, because it was intriguing. And I found out that "Aderonke" translates to "crown" or "royalty," right? And I also looked at "Bademosi" -- both of them are Yoruba names -- and it translates to "the one who brings joy and happiness." Am I correct?

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (49:28.444)

That's not how my father describes it. "Bademosi" -- and I'm going to have to talk to my brothers -- but "Bademosi" actually means

Dr. Richmond Garrick (49:40.366)

You go ahead.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (49:46.864)

Something to do with royalty as well, right? And I have it written down because I remember talking to him before he passed away about the meaning of our name. But I will absolutely also accept happiness and joy.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (49:50.048)

Okay, okay.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (49:56.078)

Okay. You too.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (50:03.534)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, and obviously the royalty is there as well. OK. But my thoughts to end this conversation will be a quote from Martin Luther King. And it says, "If a man is called to be a street sweeper,

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (50:09.755)

Yeah.

Dr. Richmond Garrick (50:28.258)

he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, 'Here lived a street sweeper who did his job well.'" And for me, that's what I am as an artist.

And that's how I would like to be remembered: that I came to this country, I came into this world and discovered and unearthed my divine talent. And I am practicing it, like the cobbler said, with a safe conscience.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (51:35.868)

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you for your quotes. Thank you for sharing about your parents. Thank you for sharing your pride and joy in your children. And here are some of the appreciation nuggets that I'm taking away from our conversation.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (52:06.072)

One of the things that you said about being a teacher is that you are there to change the stories of your students, especially your high school students, and you take pride in using your God-given talent to impact lives.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (52:37.69)

You also said that sometimes life goes backwards in order for you to progress forward.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (52:50.63)

And I'm going to close with this, with your thought of yourself as an artist: that art is the pedestal of your life.

Dr. Richmond Garrick, thank you so much for your time today. I appreciate you joining me on ABWilson's Heart of the Matter, a podcast dedicated to asking overwhelmingly positive questions as we uncover incredible stories and wisdom of people you may know. Thank you so much for your time today.