Who you gonna call?
Ghostbusters, of course.
And a Ghostbuster is exactly who the United Way of Greater Greensboro has called on to be the keynote speaker for the organization’s 2019 Community Speaker Series.
At the keynote event, which will be held on Monday, May 20 at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, Hudson will share what the United Way describes as his “amazing personal story of overcoming odds and adversity.”
Hudson, who was born into poverty in the housing projects of Benton Harbor, Michigan, grew up at a time when the struggle for civil rights in America was shifting into full gear.
According to the local United Way, “Odds were more in favor of Hudson spending a life in prison than experiencing a successful career in Hollywood.”
And a very successful career Hudson has had. In addition to being part of the immortal Ghostbusters team in the classic 1984 comedy with Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray, he played in the first sequel, and, more recently, has played roles in Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie,” HBO’s very well received series “Oz,” and in movies including “The Crow” and “Miss Congeniality.”
Hudson is currently the lead character in “The Family Business,” a show that airs on BET Networks.
A statement from the United Way notes that Hudson was selected as the organization’s keynote speaker in the series because of the wisdom he acquired prior to making it big in Hollywood. That statement said his upbringing allows him to relate to people and communities that are struggling, and also that Hudson understands the challenges of overcoming seemingly insurmountable problems and inspiring others to persevere.
The local United Way, which has been operating for nearly a century, is devoted to ending poverty in the area. The organization points out that there are 57,000 Greensboro residents who currently live in poverty, and that includes one out of every four children.
