PROMO: Watch Jesse Owens’ Determination Inspire Brooklyn’s Finest of Today

When it really comes down to it, all the positivity in the world doesn’t erase the simple fact that it’s hard to pursue your dreams. Like real hard. It’s particularly difficult when you’re always being told that you—and your entire kind—are not meant for greatness. That was the level of adversity Jesse Owens was up against when he stunned the world—and, more importantly, Adolf Hitler—at the 1936 Olympics, beating out all of his fellow competitors to take home the gold. 

Owens’ dedication—not just to becoming the fastest man in the world, but to doing so on his terms—remains an inspiration to all Americans today, particularly young black men and women who have faced real challenges in their rise to the top. In the video above, you can hear from two such individuals, rappers Young M.A and Buckshot, who embody the kind of commitment that Owens personified nearly 80 years ago. “Nothing you want or go after is gonna be easy,” as Buckshot puts it. But no matter how many people say you’ll never make it, your destiny truly sits in your own hands.

Be sure to check out the video above, and catch Race when it hits theaters February 19.