26 MOMENTUM • VIRGINIA TECH MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Roberts works with a group of young learners at a STEM event . Photo courtesy of Darrell Roberts . that I feel are relevant to current events , and music is a big part of how that ’ s expressed . I always try to find those connections .”
A recent article from Roberts ’ blog focused on a moment where a song by Queen , a group of white rock and roll artists , created a poignant moment on Soul Train , which was a national showcase for black music and culture . The occasion was brought into being because of a boy with leukemia who wanted to dance with the Soul Train dancers , buoyed by the Make-A-Wish Foundation . Queen ’ s song , “ I Want to Break Free ,” was the soundtrack . Roberts had seen the show during his senior year in high school , but the moment had bearing on tensions that exist today . His blog for that moment summarized the hope that the moment gave him , and the hope he still finds in similar moments of kindness .
“ Humanity still exists ,” he wrote . “ It just takes cutting through the hatred and division to find the existing examples and to create newer ones .”
Roberts has not separated his work and his love of music . In a future blog post , he hopes to write an article about nuclear-oriented songs , such as George Clinton ’ s “ Atomic Dog ,” which also happens to be the unofficial stepping anthem of his beloved fraternity .