‘Renaissance Man’ recalls Boys State presidency on podcast

The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast welcomes 2016 Boys Nation President Anighya Crocker, now a history major at Vanderbilt University.

Podcast co-host Mark Seavey, an experienced counselor at American Legion Boys Nation and Boys State, notes the 2016 session "was probably the best Boys Nation year we've ever had."

Crocker, of Springfield, Tenn., has an impressive background. He is an opera singer, was his high school's first National Future Business Leaders of America winner and is scheduled to make his debut next June as a conductor at Carnegie Hall.

Calling Crocker a "Renaissance Man," podcast co-host Jeff Daly asks him about how he chooses his pursuits. Crocker says he looks for a good story to tell, regardless of the task at hand.

"We are a species of story-tellers. We like to tell stories. We like to have good stories told to us. We learn from our stories. We bond through our stories. Whether I am writing a paper or doing a comparative analysis of Roman law or I am conducting a work or playing the piano I feel as though I am compelled to do so by telling a story."

Crocker also is pursuing a minor in law, history and society. He is now preparing for the admission test to law school, switching gears after seeing how the pandemic affected the music industry. He also expresses a desire to influence public policy and help people.

Now his goal is to become the governor of Tennessee. It's a lofty ambition but one achievable, thanks to his previous experiences with Volunteer Boys State and American Legion Boys Nation.

In accepting the Boys Nation presidency, Crocker said, "I love America, and I think we have this new sentiment where people who analyze America are considered un-American. Rather I submit the contrary, that anyone that is willing to analyze their own country and attempt to better it, I think that’s the most American thing that you can do.”

Download and listen to the new episode of Tango Alpha Lima, or watch the YouTube version, at legion.org/tangoalphalima.

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And check out the previous podcast episode about the Texas Boys State documentary.