Alumni Reflections: Toki Wright
Toki Wright is a two-time Emmy Award winning recording artist, professor, and cultural diplomat. As a CLA student, he pursued an individualized degree that aligned with his values and community involvement. Today, he encourages current CLA students to consider their own purpose with a singular question: What have you been put on the planet to do?
Where do you currently live and work?
I am Chair of the Professional Music Department at Berklee College of Music in the beautiful city of Boston, Massachusetts.
What did you study in CLA? What inspired you to pursue that path?
As a BIS major I put together a program called “A Study of Cultures” combining courses in African and African-American, American-Indian, and Chicano-Latino Studies. I also pursued a Youth Studies minor.
What advice would you give to prospective students?
Make sure that you think critically about your overall purpose in life. What have you been put on the planet to do? Think about pursuing a professional life that you would enjoy. Get laser focused on learning as much as you possibly can about your field of choice, but also take extra time to go outside of your comfort zone. Attain knowledge beyond your field of study. Also, maintain healthy relationships with people that will be supportive in your circle long-term.
What advice would you give to current students of color?
Always understand that you are where you are for a reason. No matter if people around you have low expectations, keep your head up and your back straight. Create strong bonds with other students of color, but always be open to creating constructive relationships with people of all ages, nationalities, backgrounds, etc. You never know where you’ll be in the world and need to make a phone call to request or extend support.
Anything else you'd like to contribute about your major, time in CLA, value of a liberal arts education?
Pursuing an individualized degree program allowed me to look at the world from many different perspectives. I knew I wanted to create a program that made sense to the work I was currently doing in the community. We now live in a world where having a one-dimensional frame of thinking or skill set can be considered less valuable. Soak up as much as you can broadly, and go deeper in pursuit of the subjects you resonate with the most.
