CALVIN 'CYLK' COZART Director of Dreams

Director of Dreams: Calvin 'Cylk' Cozart

His newest directing venture ‘Inheriting The Land - Jim Crowe Meets Miss Maggie’s Will’, is a documentary based on the book written by Gene Stowe

We all strive to reach our full potential. To maximize ourselves on a personal, professional, and human level. These days. the American dream seems to be the ability to take what you love, turn it into a successful career, and in turn give back to the communities that lifted us up.

For some this may seem like an impossible feat, but award winning director, actor, producer, writer and basketball player Calvin ‘Cylk’ Cozart has managed to do just that. Cylk took what he loved, and used it to change the direction of his life. With this success, and his undeniable passion for life, he chooses to relay messages that inspire change, give back to communities all around the world, and be an advocate for those who need it most.

Coming from humble beginnings in the small town of Knoxville, TN, Cylk became a volunteer fire fighter at age 14, and played football and basketball in high school, where he was nothing less than a star.

Through basketball, a scholarship sent him to Montreal-Anderson College in North Carolina for his first year. Shortly after, he was recruited by Coach Nida, and transferred to King University where he continued his love for the game of basketball, and with that continued his legacy.

After his early success, Cylk’s talent took him on an adventure playing for the National Basketball Association Entertainment League, for the Utah Jazz. During this time, an injury would occur that would change Cylk’s journey. He went through months of rehabilitation, and ultimately realized the injury was not healing properly. At that point, a player that won the Larry Smith Award, was inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame & was a 3 time 3 point shooting champion for the NBA entertainment league became a professional model.

Cylk, who’s nick name means ‘Running Water’ in Cherokee, comes from a Cherokee mother, and a black father. With his edgy looks, and undeniable charm, it seemed to be a perfect fit.

As we could have guessed, this venture also became a successful career for the ever talented young man, and he would go on to be seen in GQ, Sports Illustrated and major billboards all over America.

He has ultimately continued his growth, and has become the founder of Cylk Enterprises, which encompasses multiple successful, and charitable endeavors he has created throughout the years.

Cylk has acted in over 20 TV shows, such as, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Saved By The Bell and Walker, Texas Ranger. As well as over 40 films, most famously known for his role as Robert in ‘White Men Can’t Jump’, with his combined films grossing over $1 billion.

Incredibly, this year on his birthday, February 1st, respected congress member Tim Burchett had the American flag flown over the United States Capitol in Cylk’s honor. Tim Burchett is the former mayor of Knox County, TN, and the current U.S representative for Tennessee’s 2nd congressional district, based in Knoxville.

He requested the flag be flown in honor of Cylk’s birthday to recognize his impact professionally, as well as how much he has given back to the community as a whole. To Cylk, this was such an incredible and unbelievable honor.

Additionally, this year, Cylk was the recipient of the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award directly from President Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

With all of his success, Cylk remains humble, friendly, energized & focused. Amongst his greatest achievements is his annual scholarship at King University, named after his mother, Betty Ruth Cozart. As well as his major involvement with many charities such as The Boys & Girls Club of America, the National Turrets Association, and the National Lupus Association, to name a few.

With a passion for educating our youth, he also teaches acting in hopes to help uplift young, aspiring men & women that may not think they were capable of living out their dreams. His spark seems to rub off on everyone he encounters, and he is happy to share his magnetic personality with any of his students that are lucky enough to be able to learn from him.

With a list of accomplishments that seems endless, Cylk is also the cofounder of Cures4Humanity, a cause on a mission to provide renewable energy, sustainable housing, clean water and nutritious food, ultimately with the hope to end world hunger. Through his humanitarian efforts, this educational philanthropist received the Urban League’s lifetime achievement award in 2012, which was presented to him by Martin Luther King III. Needless to say, this spirited man has molded his life into one that many of us can be inspired by.

Cylk has decided to change direction once again and explore his talents in directing. With his first film, ‘Ball of Confusion’ gaining a lot of attention, and holding two sold out shows at the Regal Theatre in his home town, only one day after the Corona Virus hit, it seems he has found another avenue to express himself in a way that can enlighten all those around him.

Being the first film he directed, ‘Ball of Confusion’, which got it’s name because according to Cylk, “The world is a ball of confusion”, is a documentary that takes us on a journey through the history of basketball, and showcases it’s global impact.Working with Keith Zimmerman, Cylk provides viewers with a version of the game basketball like no one has ever seen before. Starting at the beginning of the game, and weaving in and out of the culture all the way up to present day.

Cylk states “Basketball is a parody of life. You learn how to play basketball, you learn how to socialize with people. You learn that people have different perspectives that might not be like yours, and you might even learn about business. I’m in love with basketball and what it did for me”.

The film will be shown at the Music City Bowl in Nashville, TN, a major ESPN bowl week which is a 4-day celebration, and the screening will be paired with his beer ‘Country Roads Beer’ & his line of Cylk Tennessee Belnded Whiskey, which Cylk is extremely proud of. This pairing will be the first diversity owned brand to be a part of the sponsorship package

With his humble spirit, Cylk clearly shows joy, love and compassion through his products, he tells us “I look for sparks in everyone, I search for like energies. I look for passion and kindness in people”. The energy he possesses is nothing less than contagious, and he continues to spread his generous heart, and kind soul, with the help of his Keeping Dreams Alive Foundation. A foundation which goes into underprivileged communities, and helps provide scholarships for struggling youth from all ages, races and backgrounds. The only cost to anyone assisted by the Keeping Dreams Alive Foundation is to go back to the community they came from, and help someone else achieve their goals.

With his unwavering need to help people, Cylk’s advice to our youth is “Find something you are interested in, and study it. Ask questions, it’s something I wish I did more of. Learn the business while working on your craft”. His goal is always to spread the message of encouragement, uplift our youth and make them believe, as he does, that they are capable of accomplishing anything they want.

In true Cylk spirit, he spends part of his summer giving motivational speeches at an Annual Summer Basketball Camp

Find something you are interested in, and study it. Ask questions, it’s something I wish I did more of. Learn the business while working on your craft.

that is hosted by NBA Houston Rockets assistant coach, Elston Turner.

His newest directing venture, is a documentary based on the book written by Gene Stowe, ‘Inheriting The Land - Jim Crowe Meets Miss Maggie’s Will’. It is a story that parallels not only what we’re going through in America, but all around the world. This documentary, unlike one we have ever seen, dives into the lives of Maggie and Sally Ross, who lived in the late 1800’s in Marvin, North Carolina during the Jim Crowe era.

The Ross sisters owned 800 acres of land, and were said to be the wealthiest family in Union County. Upon their death, they willed their land to the people they considered to be their family, and happened to be African American. In a place where it was unheard of for black and white people to associate with one another, these sisters did the unthinkable. Yet to Maggie and Sally Ross, it was simply the right thing to do. The Ross sisters lived a life with acceptance that was unusual for the 1800’s, and reporters claimed to never have seen anything like it.

Their decision would go on to be argued in court, with a court date set for the Spring of 1921. At that time, what should have been a simple task of jury selection took many hours, spilling into the night and ultimately keeping the court in session until after midnight. The selection took so long because the jury members selected had to be okay with white people willing their land to black people, and this was just the first of many hiccups along the bumpy road that was ahead.

Many people in the state were outraged, and in shock. They would go on to argue that the Ross sisters were taken advantage of.

Yet, there was a faith of the people in court, and many wanted to see the decision of the Ross sisters request be upheld, which may be just as shocking, considering that time in history. For the Ross sisters, it was the way they chose to live, and is a way of life that would prove to be far ahead of it’s time, all starting with sisters that chose to live in love rather than in fear.

Cylk stated “Lord knows we need this type of a story, now.”, and we couldn’t agree more. With this film, Cylk hopes to open our eyes, he tells us “I want to create a dialogue. I want to show the reality that if people can be treated as equals back in that era, why can’t we do it now? You can’t just say it, you need to show it, and with the idea that you can’t unlearn something, my hope is to show that you can’t just say you love everybody, you have to show it”.

Unbelievably, all the characters in the reenactments of the film will be having their debut as first time actors, as they are all descendants of the real people being portrayed, some of who still live on the very property Maggie & Sally Ross once owned.

With directing being his newly found passion, and focus in life, Cylk hopes to one day take this educational documentary and use it as a platform to create a series that documents incredible moments throughout history that should have been taught in school, but somehow ended up brushed under the rug, much like the story of the Ross Sisters.

Cylk tells us that he “appreciates the journey” that has taken him to where he is now, and hopes to spread the message of equality. In the future, he would love to teach a class, or even have a school that teaches the business side of show business. Teaching all the ins and outs of the many positions that need to be filled within the entertainment industry, such as production crew, costume designers and hair stylists.

He has a passion for spreading encouragement and allowing his success to translate into the ability to teach and uplift men and women from all walks of life.

In a film where “truth transcends color”, it’s our honor to be featuring the Hollywood premier of his new film, ‘Inherit The Land’ at our Hollywood Weekly Film Festival on November 6th at the Rawley Theatre.

Although his life is one to look up to, Cylk let’s us know that there is much more to be done, and we believe he is just getting started. If there’s one thing we can learn from this multi-talented entrepreneur it’s that with love, and acceptance, anything is possible and with endless perseverance, we can all reach our full potential, and help our communities do the same.