A Tribute from One Storyteller to Another
I stumbled upon a local journalist’s story—his name is AJ Woodson, a local who has tried to fill the void of missing stories that reflect the community’s diversity—who is so busy trying to bury good leaders who don’t align with his way of thinking, he missed the mark on a story that should’ve been handled with pride and precision. So busy and unfocused is he that he misrepresented Denzel Washington’s recent CBS This Morning interview, calling it instead “CSB This Morning.” WHO DOES THAT?
At a time like this—when one of our hometown heroes is shining so bright—you don’t drop the ball. You don’t mislabel the moment. That’s not merely a typo; that’s like calling the North Star the Nirth Star. Maybe AJ Woodson was just too excited to tell the story… who knows. But while he missed the mark, I’m stepping in to not only correct the record—but to amplify the legacy of a man who embodies Mount Vernon excellence.
Denzel didn’t just let that slide either. When the CBS reporter called him a “Hollywood actor” coming to the stage, Denzel checked him—politely but powerfully.
“What is a Hollywood actor?” he asked. “I’m a Mount Vernon actor.”
That line hit. Hard. Because it wasn’t just a clever comeback—it was truth from a man who carries our city in his spirit, in his speech, and in his story.
When Denzel wins, every Mount Vernonite wins. He makes us proud. He keeps it humble. And he outshines us all.
I say that with no envy, no shame, no hesitation. Just truth.
Because when you’re born of this soil—Mount Vernon, New York—you understand the duality. It’s small enough for everybody to know your business, yet powerful enough to birth legends. And no matter how far we go or how high we climb, Mundy Lane runs through our veins like oxygen. Like rhythm. Like fire.
Denzel Washington is more than an actor. He’s a monument in motion. He’s Shakespeare with soul, Malcolm X in flesh, an Oscar winner with the aura of a man who still holds the door open for elders at the corner bodega. And here I am, a writer forged in the same city, telling stories with my own weapon of choice: the pen. Or the keyboard. Or the voiceover mic. Whatever delivers the message. But it’s all the same game—we’re chroniclers of the human experience.
His recent Broadway performance of Othello isn’t just theater—it’s time travel. It’s pain and precision wrapped in poetry. And for someone like me, who came up from the same streets, carved out a path through words, books, and relentless storytelling, this isn’t just art. It’s affirmation.
48 years ago, Denzel played Othello for the first time. Just a young brother with a vision, too young for the part, maybe. But hungry. And now, decades later, he returns to it not just as a man, but as a master. A craftsman sculpted by time, by struggle, by the weight of legacy.
You hear it in his voice when he talks about stage acting being the actor’s medium—about how nobody can help you when the curtain goes up. You either show up… or shut up.
And he always shows up.
Me? I’m still grinding, still pushing, still turning ink into income, pain into purpose. But knowing he’s out there—still giving everything, still leading from the back, still choosing art over applause—it reminds me why I started. Why I can’t stop.
He said recently: “I love seeing other people do well. Even if I’m out front, I love being in the back.” That hit different. Because in this world of flashing lights and fake hype, real ones move in silence. Real ones open doors.
Denzel is that door. He’s that mirror. That map.
And now, watching him on Broadway, pouring everything into this role, working with a cast that reveres him not just for who he is but for how he works—it’s humbling. It’s like seeing your big brother win the marathon and still jog back to make sure you’re alright. That you’re still running.
And while he might joke about being 70 and wanting to write books, or watch sunsets, or direct behind the scenes—I know he’ll never retire from impact. From being who he is: a beacon. A boss. A blessing.
So let me staple this right here: Denzel’s not just winning roles, he’s winning hearts. He’s winning history. And every time he steps on stage or screen, he reminds the rest of us from Mount Vernon that we’re part of that win too.
He is the blueprint.
And if you listen closely, you’ll hear the applause not just from Broadway—but from behind every stoop, every storefront, every soul back home.
We see you, Denzel.
And we’re still following your lead.
—Relentless Aaron
(Mount Vernon made. Storyteller for life.)
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