Authors of 'The Pact' to speak at the Alys Stephens Center in September

Monique Jones, Editor-in-Chief
Published On: 08/25/2008

Three men beat the odds to become prolific doctors and inspirational leaders. The authors of “The Pact”-Dr. Sampson Davis, Dr. George Jenkins and Dr. Rameck Hunt-will talk about their book and their life stories all day Sept. 23 at the Alys Stephens Center. The authors are being brought to UAB through a campus-wide effort spearheaded by Amanda Azoroh and Alice Esame, two students who were inspired by the men’s stories.

“The Pact” was introduced to Esame, a Blount Hall resident assistant and participant in UAB leadership, through a list of selected readings for the Leadership Guild Club. “It is an inspiring story for me,” Esame says. “It’s a great story to tell people you can achieve anything.”

The story of the three men is a moving one. Davis, Jenkins and Hunt grew up in Newark, New Jersey, where they were surrounded by violence and a lack of community support. The men decided they would make an agreement to go to school and become doctors. They have since achieved their goal-one is a dentist, the other two are doctors-and now have the life experience to share with other students who might feel that they have no other options for success.
Azoroh and Esame want the authors’ visit to affect as many students as possible. “If we just had an event where they came and talked and left, there wouldn’t be as much of an impact,” says Azoroh, a student in biology. “There will be a round table with Blazer Men [a group designed to help male students]…there will be a luncheon where around 30 students can talk to the authors.” Azoroh also plans to invite Birmingham City high school students as well.

Azoroh hopes this event will give UAB students the inspiration to succeed. “Some young men at UAB said they don’t have an outline [for their career goals],” says Azoroh, “and some of them probably don’t have support. She gives an example of the book’s power to inspire. “I gave the book to a football player, and after he read it, he said, ‘I don’t have any excuse anymore.’” Since then, he has given the book to other players.

Both Azoroh and Esame want to make sure that people understand that it doesn’t matter where they come from; people can achieve anything they want as long as they focus. “When it feels like there’s no way out, you can change. There are people you can go to [for help],” says Esame about the book’s message. “[The doctors’ story] is real life. You can do it.” Azoroh also says that their stories give more reality to what people can accomplish despite their circumstances. “They went through this not knowing where their next meal was coming from,” she says. “Once you talk to these men, you’ll have inspiration.”

To learn more about the book “The Pact” and the true story behind it, visit www.threedoctors.com.

Email: uabkscope@yahoo.com