Captain Harvard

By Casey Lartigue Jr.

I have another reason to thank my critics. The latest update is that they inspired me to re-engage with Harvard University.

As background, I graduated from the Harvard University Extension School (HES) and Harvard University Graduate School of Education (HGSE). I am a former executive editor of the Harvard Crimson newspaper.

For many years I was not in contact with Harvard and might have gone on with my life without it. I gave speeches at the HGSE and Harvard Law School back in 2003, but I went 12 years without visiting Harvard even as a tourist.

Why in 2015 did I accept an invitation to fly from Seoul to Cambridge to speak at an HES symposium? Critics. I saw some cutting comments from critics after I started receiving some attention for my work related to North Korean refugees.

My favorite laugh-out-loud line was from an angry woman who recently said that I must think of myself as "Captain Harvard." Out of the many intended slights, attacks and rude things that people have said about me over the decades, that is by far one of my all-time favorites and worthy of being the title of my future autobiography.

I advise people not to get angry at critics. Many critics are angry, disgruntled, depressed, disappointed in themselves, jealous about others having fun and success, poisoned ideologically or philosophically, etc. Research shows that individuals have about 50,000 to 80,000 thoughts per day, with 90% of them being negative. I didn't respond to the angry woman. Instead, I decided to embrace being "Captain Harvard."

I began contacting people at Harvard University to create opportunities. In-person and online, I have now given almost 20 speeches at four different schools at Harvard University (Harvard Law School, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Extension School, Harvard College). I am a Goodwill Ambassador at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a "Crimson Connect" mentor for Harvard students and alumni. Thanks to critics, I got inspired to re-connect with Harvard.

In my latest go-around it seems that one thing leads to another, but it may be that I am more inspired and accomplished this time. On Feb. 1, Jill Felicio of Harvard's Division of Continuing Education interviewed me for the Harvard Extension School's Author Spotlight Series (it started at 2 a.m. Seoul time). Harvard's Ed. Magazine editor Lory Hough watched and contacted me later. Aiden Fitzgerald, one of the magazine's staffers, wrote a feature that made me look so good that even my own mother might have wanted to write a rebuttal.

Things have come full circle. In 2003, I spoke at the first Alumni of Color Conference (AOCC) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. At that time, I spoke about my work helping to create and expand education choices for low-income children in the USA, especially Washington, D.C. Twenty years later, on March 3, I spoke about my work empowering North Korean refugees to engage in public speaking.

During that trip in March, I stopped by the Harvard Crimson newspaper. Cara Chung, the Korean-American president of the Crimson, invited me to the Crimson's 150th Anniversary Celebration. Six weeks later, I was back at Harvard, sharing memories with Crimson staffers I worked with decades ago. The VIP was probably Joseph F. Kahn, a former president of the Crimson I worked with who is now executive editor of the New York Times.

During my trip in late April, I was joined by Lee Eun-koo, co-founder with me of Freedom Speakers International (FSI), and bestselling author E Ji-sung. We met with Harvard University professors, staff, and students to talk about a possible conference in the future. We also shared E's latest book about his work rescuing North Korean refugees. I wrapped up that trip with an online speech to the Harvard Club of Seattle.

A few weeks later, back in Seoul, I was the keynote speaker at an online event hosted by the Harvard Club of Washington, D.C. That was event one of two. Next month, the Harvard Club of Washington, D.C., will be holding a dinner event for Freedom Speakers International. I will be joined by FSI co-founder Lee and seven North Korean refugees in our organization.

On June 6, FSI held an event with Harvard students in the Radcliffe Choral Society (RCS) during their trip to South Korea. I am an active member of the Harvard Club of Korea so I met RCS again a few days later.

Thank you, critics, for inspiring me once again. These activities with Harvard University probably would not have happened without your input. Special thanks to the angry woman online who derisively called me "Captain Harvard." I have no plans to write a "Captain Harvard" autobiography, but if critics keep chirping then I may be inspired to do so.

Casey Lartigue Jr. (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu) is co-founder with Lee Eun-koo of Freedom Speakers International (FSI) and co-author with Han Song-mi of the book "Greenlight to Freedom." He has two diplomas from Harvard University and is a Goodwill Ambassador to the Harvard Graduate School of Education.