world what was going on, not just in their music but going out there and funding protests, like harry belafontee they used to do, singing at the protests. these were artists i looked up to. when i was 15 i wrote an essay, a black history month essay competition -- >> i wondered if this was true. >> it's true. i wrote this when i was 15. and they said, "how are you going to make this in 500 words or less?" i said, "i'm going to become a successful artist. i'm going to become a musician and do what i love, which is making music. but i'm also going to use the platform i gained from becoming a successful musician to try to make change in the world. >> trevor: it's such an interesting journey to get into. 15 saying i'm going to become a successful recording artist and not just for the music or fame, but to use the platform. that's what you've done. your latest initiative, "humanlevel," it's a really interesting one. for a long time, people have argued many people who are activists or many people who want to get involved in politics like to get involved at flashy levels-- who is running for president

but you whether you had to deal with harry belafonte, your city points here, that must have taken quite a bit in the past for both of you. >> it was a challenge, especially in the fifties and sixties, there are million pictures off a person's face from different angles. sometimes you only had two angles with which to work and you have to use your imagination. so that digital art was helpful for me because i could get the face right and as soon as i got tracing paper, i could finish it out, add more lines. >> anthony, when you read the book, what how much was the information you to you, how much did you actually learn? where you defied by any of it or will you familiar with mrs. stories? >> i would say i learned a lot, but there was a few of the stories that were kind of familiar with it actually enhanced the stories more. what being a kid, you would hear the stories, you would hear different stories were on different things when -- i'm sorry, events, and usually would be because it was another story that brought that story about. one of the stories that why would like to tell is, my son

many actual people, if i want a character i just make them up but there's a scene where there's harry belafonte or miriam bell, you had to go in and find reference material. >> .. that is somewhere which was hopeful for me because i couldn't hyperfocus on trying to get that face right and then it was big on paper, i can do this more expressive lines to finish it out. >> anthony, when you wrote the books how much was new information to you? how much did you actually learn and were you surprised by any of it are were you familiar with most of the stories? >> i would say i learned a lot but that was a few of the stories that were kind of familiar. it actually enhanced the stories more because being a kid and you would hear the stories, you would hear different stories on different things in -- i'm sorry, events, usually it would be because it was another story that brought that story about. one of the stories that i would like to tell is my son, he was watching the freedom riders documentary, and so i had him go back and read the story about the freedom riders. he called me up and he was crying on