Jesse White

You don't jump out of an airplane and stop halfway. It's all the way.

stop you airplane way

You cannot just expect a promotion to come from the sky.

expect you promotion sky

I remember when we were called 'colored,' and Dr. King would always tell young people not to get upset at what people called you. He said if it is not the name your mother gave you, then smile, keep walking, and that's exactly what we did.

king you smile mother

Work hard, be honest, help people, never give up, love your fellow man and woman, give back to society, and don't ever discriminate.

never-give-up man work love

When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.

mission beginning see you

Do something good for someone every day.

every-day someone day good

I just believe that when we work together, wonderful things are going to happen.

things together work believe

I don't just work with these kids to make them good tumblers or good dancers. I'm working with them to make them good citizens - to become taxpayers, not tax-eaters. I teach them to say please and thank you. I show them how to use a knife and fork and how to fold a napkin.

good you work thank-you

I never traced my roots, man. I only know that I'm a brother with a big heart - and that somebody brought my roots over here by way of boat.

man brother heart way

My parents made a great sacrifice to make sure that we had something wonderful at Christmas, and through the help of the state and others, we were able to have a good meal.

parents great good christmas

Often when we reach great heights in life, we forget who brought us there. Well, I have not.

reach great forget life

Not one has ever left my team to go join a gang.

go gang left team

There are some basic rules if they want to join the tumbling team. No drinking, no smoking, no swearing, no drugs and, most of all, no belonging to a gang. I read the riot act to them the minute they want to join. I tell them there's only one gang they can belong to if they want to be with me and that's Jesse White's gang.

me team smoking white

I believe in commitment to duty. That's how I've lived my life.

my-life life believe commitment

When you give young people an opportunity to use their time wisely, we support them, and when we do that, we support ourselves.

you opportunity time people

These kids are looking for direction, for identification. Kids join gangs because they need a father figure or they want to be part of a group.

direction looking group father

Some people collect coins. Some people collect rocks. Some people collect stamps. I colllect kids and hope I can do something for them.

some-people i-can hope people

My administration is committed to continue using taxpayer dollars wisely.

wisely using continue administration

The most influential people in my life are deceased. These include my parents, George Dunne, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., my minister in college.

king my-life life people

I used to jump out of airplanes. I was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. When parachuting, you never look down at the ground. You feel for it with your legs. Your knees are your shock absorbers - you cannot tighten them. Same as skiing.

down feel look you