After graduating from North Central University in 2008, Terrence Lee Talley stayed close to home to work in the NCU Admissions office before branching out as a youth pastor. He loved his roles in different churches but reaching youth in big ways with big impact became a dream he could not resist.
Talley left church ministry to pursue his path as an evangelist and speaker and has been astounded by what God has done. “The biggest surprise was God wanted the dream for me I had for myself,” Talley said. Through that transition, Terrence discovered that God wanted to put him into a place of total dependency on Him.
Interruption
His work as a national speaker at youth events and school assemblies was gaining momentum, power-boosted by the 2018 release of his book “Secrets Anonymous.” There was no stopping this dynamic speaker who is able to captivate young audiences and reach into their hearts—until the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Suddenly the schools were empty as cities and states across the nation were in various stages of quarantine and lockdown, and Talley’s work as a speaker came to a screeching halt.
But he knew his message of hope and resilience was needed more than ever! Talley did a 2020-style pivot and expanded his capabilities to offer virtual events. He also used the COVID-induced slowdown to write his second book.
Admittedly surprising himself and others when he authored his first book in 2018, Talley said that God gets all the credit in explaining how he wrote a second book in a matter of months. “I am not a writer, I am not a book person,” Talley said. “But this is a case where God showed up. This is all God; this is not Terrence whatsoever.”
Well, maybe a little bit Terrence, he admitted, believing that some of his North Central University professors might recognize his writing process. “It was a lot to put together in a short amount of time. Not being a writer, it was like my senior project all over again—waiting until the last minute!”
“Secrets Revealed” (Ten16 Press, November 17, 2020) was released last fall. “The book was born when everything hit with COVID and we had to go into quarantine,” Talley said. “I wanted the students to have something to be able to write their stories and get it out. How do we help students tell their own stories? “Stories Revealed” is like a journal; each chapter deals with different topics and helps them explore their emotions, providing a guide.” The process helps readers understand and learn from their own stories.
Necessary conversations
Talley’s ability to embrace his own story is what powers his work. In 2020, following the death of George Floyd, Talley has found himself engaging more deeply and more frequently in his stories and experiences as a Black man. He now feels not only empowered but obligated to engage in conversations to explore the realities and complexities of race in America.
The first and most frequent conversations happened in his own home. “We have processed it a lot,” Talley said. “It’s in our daily conversations. Being an inter-racial couple, we are constantly talking it through, and we’re engaging in the journey of being able to talk to people and welcome those conversations.”
“What happened to George Floyd was a horrible event, and I just wanted to go home (Minneapolis) and be around home,” said Talley, who lives in Milwaukee. “It was not eye-opening to me but heartbreaking. I have to speak out more, I have to go with what’s been going on. I need to not just welcome those conversations but put myself out there for those conversations.”
Importance of Black history
Talley has met white people who are hungry to understand and want to speak up for Black people. He has also encountered those who do not see racism or even deny it. He knows he cannot always change people’s minds, but he can always tell his story.
He expects it to be a long journey, but it’s too important to ignore.
“My mom would always tell me, ‘If you’re going to do well at something, you better do it great so you will be okay to them,’” Talley said, noting she was referring to white people. “Jackie Robinson was the first black man to enter baseball. He had to be that great just to be the first one. We’ll find equality when we don’t have to be great and can still be in the group.”
Talley believes telling Black stories and embracing Black history are part of the change process. “People should care about Black history because black history is our history,” he said. “There is no America without black history. When we try to cover it up, we are covering up what makes America great. If you don’t know Black history, you don’t know our history. America has had more years with slavery than without. We won’t know how great we are as a country until we know all of who we are.”
