Dwayne Joseph Jr.
Staff Writer
“The purpose of standing on that highway corner was to acquire a relationship with God,” said the man who went from being homeless for 19 years to a job as an announcer for Kraft Mac & Cheese.
Ted “Golden Voice” Williams visited Jackson State University and was the guest speaker on April 2, 2015 at the Community In Action (CIA) Reception hosted by the Alice Varnado Harden Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning held at the Mississippi e-Center.
“The Harden Center for Service wanted a platform where we could recognize students and student organizations for all of the service they have done, and also encourage them to continue to serve,” said Kimberly Harris, Community Service/Service-Learning Resource Specialist/NSE Coordinator.
She added: “Who better to help convey this idea than Mr. Ted “Golden Voice” Williams whom has been on both the receiving end as well as the giving end of service.”
Williams’, who co-authored the book, “Faith, Hard work, and Humility Brought Me from the Streets to Salvation,” was homeless in 2011 when a videographer from the Columbus Dispatch discovered him in Ohio on the side of the road holding a cardboard sign touting his vocal abilities for donations.
Williams’ story went viral and many learned how years of drug and alcohol abuse caused him to lose everything he held dear.
“When I read Proverbs 3:5 and 6 ‘Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto thy own understanding,’ the part that sunk so deep within me was acknowledging him in all my ways,” said Williams as he discussed how his faith in God has helped him overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his life.
Harris says that the Harden Center hopes each student left the reception with a more positive outlook as it pertains to service and not to look upon service as just a graduation requirement, but to make service a part of their lifestyle.
Blue and White Flash staff writer, Dwayne Joseph, Jr., sat down for a one on one interview with the Bedford–Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) native about his inspirational story and upcoming projects.
Dwayne Joseph: Having being a person in need of support services, why is it important for you to promote community service?
Ted Williams: There were many support services that were available. A lot of times the bureaucracy and red tape that it takes to get involved to get situations taken care of was kind of frightening. Either you don’t have an ID, you can’t find your birth certificate. But if you had these services available it would give a person a little more ambition or some kick in the butt, or lift in the pants to help themselves.
DJ: When you were homeless, did you feel that this was it for you?
TW: Not as much as I did when I was holding that sign. When I got to that point, I felt like I was at my last, this is it, what can I do any different? I’ve been to jail, my families given up on me. I haven’t been offered any radio jobs, so yea this is it. But the purpose of that corner was to acquire a relationship with God. Nobody knew that, they just thought I was over here begging money for crack but I was on there every morning to establish a relationship with God.
DJ: What current projects are you working on?
TW: I have the Ted Williams Project and I have to say that socks are one of the biggest things homeless people don’t have. As many times homeless people like to walk around with everything that they require, you just can’t. So we throw away a lot of things that we accumulate, but socks is one of the most passionate things dear to my heart. I’m going out here to make sure every man, woman, or child will not be without socks. I call it my Socks for Soldiers.
It’s not who you are, it’s what you are. Homelessness is a frame of mind because you can have everything you want and still be unhappy. God wants us to always be in need of him.
DJ: I read some information about you working for Kraft, tell me about it.
TW: I’m still doing the Kraft Mac and Cheese commercials, “You know you love it.” That’s the tagline. You know I tell people God not only gave me a new smile, he gave a Kraft Mac & Cheese logo with the shape of a smiling noodle with the tagline, “You know you love it.” Every day is a thank you Jesus moment.
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