# Detailed Summary

In this heartfelt speech, the speaker expresses profound gratitude to God for the ability to influence and touch the lives of people globally. The speaker acknowledges the significance of various individuals in their life, particularly their mother, who at 95 years old embodies resilience and strength. The speech iterates the importance of family, especially the speaker’s father, who instilled values of gentility and forgiveness through his actions over 40 years.

The speaker quotes Eleanor Roosevelt, emphasizing the difference between small, good, and great minds, and recognizes the influence of Pauletta's father, who imparted wisdom about manhood and the essence of life. A poignant moment in the speech is a video clip of Pauletta's father speaking about the importance of love and caring for one another, reinforcing the theme of compassion as a fundamental purpose of life.

The speaker reflects on the current state of the world, criticizing the negativity fostered by social media and calling for collective responsibility to improve the future for younger generations. The emphasis is placed on personal accountability, as the speaker states, "I blame no one. I look in the mirror," indicating a desire for self-reflection and change. The speech concludes with a hopeful note, highlighting the opportunity for renewal and practice of love and care, stating that "tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives."

Overall, the speech is a blend of gratitude, reflection, and a call to action, urging everyone to embrace love and responsibility in a challenging world.


I'm up here to say thank you to God for giving me this ability, for blessing me, for shaping me, for chastising me, for teaching me, for punishing me, and for allowing me to be a vessel and touch people around the world. 



Denzel Washington Accepts the AFI Life Achievement Award | AFI 2019 | TNT

 I'm up here to say thank
you to God for giving me

this ability, for blessing
me, for shaping me,

for chastising me, for
teaching me, for punishing me,

Everything ends, it's because
I'm your mother, that's why--

Still, the other day,
because I'm your mother,

To my father, who taught me by
example how to be a gentle man.

The most important person
in my life, 40 years--

40 years of sacrifice,
40 years of forgiveness.

She taught me about faith,
spirituality, love--

real love, unwavering
love in spite of myself.

I would not be alive
without Pauletta Washington.

Small minds discuss
other people, gossip.

That was Eleanor Roosevelt.
That was also Pauletta's

He taught me so much about
what being a man really is.

I want to end the night
with a short video

that we recorded of Pauletta's
father 30 years ago,

that my son Malcolm gave
me, an AFI graduate.

Just a short, 30-second video,
and this is what Pauletta's

And God intends for us
to love all mankind.

And by being in a loving
mood, caring for one another,

 In this Twitter, tweet, meme,
mean world that we've created

is consider what we've done and
think about the young people,

the future, and
individually, collectively

do the best we can to try
and turn this thing around.

On the other side of
it, what an opportunity

we have because tomorrow
is the first day

So what an opportunity we have
to practice what he preached.

 I'm up here to say thank
you to God for giving me
this ability, for blessing
me, for shaping me,
for chastising me, for
teaching me, for punishing me,
for allowing me to
be a vessel and touch
people around the world.
I want to thank
AFI, Cicely Tyson,
Ed Zwick, Spike
Lee, Carl Franklin,
Alan Nierob, my mother--
she's 95 years old now.
[APPLAUSE]
She's something else.
She's tough.
Everything ends, it's because
I'm your mother, that's why--
shut up.
Still.
Still, the other day,
because I'm your mother,
that's why-- shut up.
To my father, who taught me by
example how to be a gentle man.
The most important person
in my life, 40 years--
40 years of sacrifice,
40 years of forgiveness.
She taught me about faith,
spirituality, love--
real love, unwavering
love in spite of myself.
I would not be alive
without Pauletta Washington.
I wouldn't be alive.
[APPLAUSE]
Small minds discuss
other people, gossip.
Good minds discuss events.
Great minds discuss ideas.
That was Eleanor Roosevelt.
That was also Pauletta's
father, my father-in-law.
He was a great man.
He taught me so much about
what being a man really is.
I want to end the night
with a short video
that we recorded of Pauletta's
father 30 years ago,
that my son Malcolm gave
me, an AFI graduate.
[APPLAUSE]
Just a short, 30-second video,
and this is what Pauletta's
father had to say 30 years ago.
 We were put here for a reason.
God created man.
And God intends for us
to love all mankind.
And by being in a loving
mood, caring for one another,
that's our purpose for life.
We should care for one another.
And we should love one another.
[APPLAUSE]
 In this Twitter, tweet, meme,
mean world that we've created
for our children,
the least we can do
is consider what we've done and
think about the young people,
the future, and
individually, collectively
do the best we can to try
and turn this thing around.
I blame no one.
I look in the mirror.
On the other side of
it, what an opportunity
we have because tomorrow
is the first day
of the rest of our lives.
So what an opportunity we have
to practice what he preached.
Goodnight.
[APPLAUSE]

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Denzel Washington Accepts the AFI Life Achievement Award | AFI 2019 | TNT

Transcription