thank you and I want to take a moment to really thank dr. Boucher dr. Collins
really thank dr. Boucher dr. Collins
really thank dr. Boucher dr. Collins because they helped me find my voice so
because they helped me find my voice so
because they helped me find my voice so thank you I love being in this setting
thank you I love being in this setting
thank you I love being in this setting not because I’m speaking or I’m
not because I’m speaking or I’m
not because I’m speaking or I’m lecturing but because we’re all coming
lecturing but because we’re all coming
lecturing but because we’re all coming together in a moment in time to connect
together in a moment in time to connect
together in a moment in time to connect and that’s really important for me one
and that’s really important for me one
and that’s really important for me one of the key issues of understanding who
of the key issues of understanding who
of the key issues of understanding who we are is understanding our identity and
we are is understanding our identity and
we are is understanding our identity and that changes it changes continuously and
that changes it changes continuously and
that changes it changes continuously and it’s part of what we’re talking about
it’s part of what we’re talking about
it’s part of what we’re talking about today which is to stop drop and roll is
today which is to stop drop and roll is
today which is to stop drop and roll is constantly stopping and understanding
constantly stopping and understanding
constantly stopping and understanding who we are now this brings me to
who we are now this brings me to
who we are now this brings me to metanoia and it’s very simple to stop
metanoia and it’s very simple to stop
metanoia and it’s very simple to stop dropping a rolling it’s when the mind
dropping a rolling it’s when the mind
dropping a rolling it’s when the mind the heart and the soul connects and we
the heart and the soul connects and we
the heart and the soul connects and we need to take a shift Carl Jung the
need to take a shift Carl Jung the
need to take a shift Carl Jung the psychologist said that this happened
psychologist said that this happened
psychologist said that this happened when our emotions were in conflict and
when our emotions were in conflict and
when our emotions were in conflict and our psyche would break and in breaking
our psyche would break and in breaking
our psyche would break and in breaking we created a rebirth now I’ve had a
we created a rebirth now I’ve had a
we created a rebirth now I’ve had a hundred and forty eight thousand
hundred and forty eight thousand
hundred and forty eight thousand metanoia –‘s in my life I’m not gonna
metanoia –‘s in my life I’m not gonna
metanoia –‘s in my life I’m not gonna share them all with you don’t worry I
share them all with you don’t worry I
share them all with you don’t worry I kind of lost track when I was stroke
kind of lost track when I was stroke
kind of lost track when I was stroke County but the reality is that I want to
County but the reality is that I want to
County but the reality is that I want to stress it metanoia is continuous it’s
stress it metanoia is continuous it’s
stress it metanoia is continuous it’s not something that we have in once in a
not something that we have in once in a
not something that we have in once in a lifetime
lifetime
lifetime it happens continuously through our
it happens continuously through our
it happens continuously through our lifetime much more than once a year
lifetime much more than once a year
lifetime much more than once a year let’s just put it that way now I’m gonna
let’s just put it that way now I’m gonna
let’s just put it that way now I’m gonna start my story of Metanoia when I was in
start my story of Metanoia when I was in
start my story of Metanoia when I was in second grade I was nine years old and it
second grade I was nine years old and it
second grade I was nine years old and it was a third grade third week of school
was a third grade third week of school
was a third grade third week of school and my teacher mrs. McCrory a beautiful
and my teacher mrs. McCrory a beautiful
and my teacher mrs. McCrory a beautiful black african-american woman with
black african-american woman with
black african-american woman with beautiful suits and beautiful pearls and
beautiful suits and beautiful pearls and
beautiful suits and beautiful pearls and she wanted to get to know us so she
she wanted to get to know us so she
she wanted to get to know us so she asked this question what do you want to
asked this question what do you want to
asked this question what do you want to be when you grow up
be when you grow up
be when you grow up and first of all I wanted to impress her
and first of all I wanted to impress her
and first of all I wanted to impress her and second of all I knew exactly what I
and second of all I knew exactly what I
and second of all I knew exactly what I wanted to do so I’m raising my hand and
wanted to do so I’m raising my hand and
wanted to do so I’m raising my hand and I want her attention and she is going to
I want her attention and she is going to
I want her attention and she is going to be impressed so she finally called him
be impressed so she finally called him
be impressed so she finally called him and she was Amy what do you want to be
and she was Amy what do you want to be
and she was Amy what do you want to be when you grow up said I want to be
when you grow up said I want to be
when you grow up said I want to be President of the United States and she
President of the United States and she
President of the United States and she looked at me
looked at me
looked at me and she became serious and I became
and she became serious and I became
and she became serious and I became scared and I knew for sure she had seen
scared and I knew for sure she had seen
scared and I knew for sure she had seen my second grade report card
she was very gentle and she was very
she was very gentle and she was very kind and she walked up to me she says
kind and she walked up to me she says
kind and she walked up to me she says Amy there’s two reasons you can’t be
Amy there’s two reasons you can’t be
Amy there’s two reasons you can’t be President of the United States one
President of the United States one
President of the United States one you’re female
you’re female
you’re female remember was the 1970s and two you
remember was the 1970s and two you
remember was the 1970s and two you weren’t born in the United States if
weren’t born in the United States if
weren’t born in the United States if you’re not born in the United States you
you’re not born in the United States you
you’re not born in the United States you cannot become president now I don’t know
cannot become president now I don’t know
cannot become president now I don’t know if that jolted me maybe in the back of
if that jolted me maybe in the back of
if that jolted me maybe in the back of my mind it did it definitely surprised
my mind it did it definitely surprised
my mind it did it definitely surprised me but she was right on both counts I
me but she was right on both counts I
me but she was right on both counts I was female and I was born in Cuba I am a
was female and I was born in Cuba I am a
was female and I was born in Cuba I am a Cuban exile and in on October 20th 1960
Cuban exile and in on October 20th 1960
Cuban exile and in on October 20th 1960 to my parents Jose Antonio Sancho and
to my parents Jose Antonio Sancho and
to my parents Jose Antonio Sancho and Luisa
Luisa
Luisa I’m a Meza came to the United States as
I’m a Meza came to the United States as
I’m a Meza came to the United States as Cuban exiles they would return they came
Cuban exiles they would return they came
Cuban exiles they would return they came for freedom and to give us a better life
for freedom and to give us a better life
for freedom and to give us a better life and with them they brought some baggage
and with them they brought some baggage
and with them they brought some baggage they brought a seven-year-old my sister
they brought a seven-year-old my sister
they brought a seven-year-old my sister Lena a two-year-old my sister ELISA and
Lena a two-year-old my sister ELISA and
Lena a two-year-old my sister ELISA and a six-month-old bundle of joy me now
a six-month-old bundle of joy me now
a six-month-old bundle of joy me now they wanted us to have a normal life but
they wanted us to have a normal life but
they wanted us to have a normal life but my parents brought their own metanoia
my parents brought their own metanoia
my parents brought their own metanoia they brought the fact that they would
they brought the fact that they would
they brought the fact that they would return to Cuba my mother left her mother
return to Cuba my mother left her mother
return to Cuba my mother left her mother and her siblings she was a youngest of
and her siblings she was a youngest of
and her siblings she was a youngest of 10 her heart remained over there my
10 her heart remained over there my
10 her heart remained over there my father a successful businessman loved
father a successful businessman loved
father a successful businessman loved his entire business came with his family
his entire business came with his family
his entire business came with his family and he he became a janitor at the local
and he he became a janitor at the local
and he he became a janitor at the local hospital they did want us to have a
hospital they did want us to have a
hospital they did want us to have a normal childhood and we did I had a cat
normal childhood and we did I had a cat
normal childhood and we did I had a cat a dog a bossy older sister a neurotic
a dog a bossy older sister a neurotic
a dog a bossy older sister a neurotic younger sister and we and we enjoyed our
younger sister and we and we enjoyed our
younger sister and we and we enjoyed our life and I continued being that bundle
life and I continued being that bundle
life and I continued being that bundle of joy
of joy
of joy yeah we never moved into a Spanish
yeah we never moved into a Spanish
yeah we never moved into a Spanish neighborhood our first neighborhood was
neighborhood our first neighborhood was
neighborhood our first neighborhood was all Anglo where mrs. was my
all Anglo where mrs. was my
all Anglo where mrs. was my mother’s friend and I learned how to
mother’s friend and I learned how to
mother’s friend and I learned how to speak Spanish and English simultaneously
speak Spanish and English simultaneously
speak Spanish and English simultaneously at the age of five we moved to an all
at the age of five we moved to an all
at the age of five we moved to an all Jewish neighborhood where mrs. Brown
Jewish neighborhood where mrs. Brown
Jewish neighborhood where mrs. Brown taught us about the Holocaust and my
taught us about the Holocaust and my
taught us about the Holocaust and my mother shared recipes with her when that
mother shared recipes with her when that
mother shared recipes with her when that neighborhood transitioned into an all
neighborhood transitioned into an all
neighborhood transitioned into an all african-american neighborhood my best
african-american neighborhood my best
african-american neighborhood my best friend Abby would take me home and while
friend Abby would take me home and while
friend Abby would take me home and while her parents mrs. Williams and dr.
her parents mrs. Williams and dr.
her parents mrs. Williams and dr. Williams plays played jazz music I
Williams plays played jazz music I
Williams plays played jazz music I learned about their sufferings and then
learned about their sufferings and then
learned about their sufferings and then finally the neighborhood transitioned
finally the neighborhood transitioned
finally the neighborhood transitioned into a Haitian neighborhood where I
into a Haitian neighborhood where I
into a Haitian neighborhood where I attempted to learn Creole and our
attempted to learn Creole and our
attempted to learn Creole and our neighbor Darlene would take two buses to
neighbor Darlene would take two buses to
neighbor Darlene would take two buses to go to work and again I learned about her
go to work and again I learned about her
go to work and again I learned about her sufferings it was a challenge of
sufferings it was a challenge of
sufferings it was a challenge of understanding my identity my parents had
understanding my identity my parents had
understanding my identity my parents had given us a gift of diversity there were
given us a gift of diversity there were
given us a gift of diversity there were no boundaries but they were Cuban exiles
no boundaries but they were Cuban exiles
no boundaries but they were Cuban exiles and they would return and that’s where
and they would return and that’s where
and they would return and that’s where my challenge came I could identify with
my challenge came I could identify with
my challenge came I could identify with all the all the people that I came
all the all the people that I came
all the all the people that I came across with but I couldn’t identify with
across with but I couldn’t identify with
across with but I couldn’t identify with a country that caused my parents so much
a country that caused my parents so much
a country that caused my parents so much pain I was Cuban but to the world I was
pain I was Cuban but to the world I was
pain I was Cuban but to the world I was a Cuban immigrant at the house I was a
a Cuban immigrant at the house I was a
a Cuban immigrant at the house I was a Cuban in exile and I was confused I
Cuban in exile and I was confused I
Cuban in exile and I was confused I could identify with the world but I
could identify with the world but I
could identify with the world but I didn’t want identify as a Cuban because
didn’t want identify as a Cuban because
didn’t want identify as a Cuban because my parents had pain and that was
my parents had pain and that was
my parents had pain and that was something I lived with one of the things
something I lived with one of the things
something I lived with one of the things I realized was that I became a chameleon
I realized was that I became a chameleon
I realized was that I became a chameleon I could understand everyone’s pain not
I could understand everyone’s pain not
I could understand everyone’s pain not because I went through it but because I
because I went through it but because I
because I went through it but because I saw it through my parents eyes and
saw it through my parents eyes and
saw it through my parents eyes and that’s where my struggle was so becoming
that’s where my struggle was so becoming
that’s where my struggle was so becoming a chameleon was something that was safe
a chameleon was something that was safe
a chameleon was something that was safe for me now I need to stress the fact
for me now I need to stress the fact
for me now I need to stress the fact that chameleons didn’t mean that I was
that chameleons didn’t mean that I was
that chameleons didn’t mean that I was being what other people wanted me to be
being what other people wanted me to be
being what other people wanted me to be I was connecting but it was a human
I was connecting but it was a human
I was connecting but it was a human connection I understood the human
connection I understood the human
connection I understood the human connection of pain
connection of pain
connection of pain and that was a great gift that being a
and that was a great gift that being a
and that was a great gift that being a cuban exile was given to me and
cuban exile was given to me and
cuban exile was given to me and eventually I made the connection I made
eventually I made the connection I made
eventually I made the connection I made the connection that it was okay to be a
the connection that it was okay to be a
the connection that it was okay to be a Cuban exile because of their pain and at
Cuban exile because of their pain and at
Cuban exile because of their pain and at the same time but the most important
the same time but the most important
the same time but the most important thing that I was Cuban but I was human
thing that I was Cuban but I was human
thing that I was Cuban but I was human and that’s where life continues that’s
and that’s where life continues that’s
and that’s where life continues that’s where I had to stop drop and roll and
where I had to stop drop and roll and
where I had to stop drop and roll and understand that now by now you’ve
understand that now by now you’ve
understand that now by now you’ve probably guessed that I did not become
probably guessed that I did not become
probably guessed that I did not become president of the United States but I did
president of the United States but I did
president of the United States but I did hold several presidential positions to
hold several presidential positions to
hold several presidential positions to of companies that I owned with my family
of companies that I owned with my family
of companies that I owned with my family and three of the organizations that I
and three of the organizations that I
and three of the organizations that I hold near and dear to my heart and we’ve
hold near and dear to my heart and we’ve
hold near and dear to my heart and we’ve come a long way since October 20th 1962
come a long way since October 20th 1962
come a long way since October 20th 1962 both my sisters are so bossy and
both my sisters are so bossy and
both my sisters are so bossy and neurotic but they’re there they’re
neurotic but they’re there they’re
neurotic but they’re there they’re successful and well my father well my
successful and well my father well my
successful and well my father well my father’s in the audience today and I’m
father’s in the audience today and I’m
father’s in the audience today and I’m the one who’s proud and 31 years later
the one who’s proud and 31 years later
the one who’s proud and 31 years later at the age of 40 I was able to ask one
at the age of 40 I was able to ask one
at the age of 40 I was able to ask one person the same question mrs. McCreery
person the same question mrs. McCreery
person the same question mrs. McCreery asked me at the age of nine which was
asked me at the age of nine which was
asked me at the age of nine which was what do you want to be when you grew up
what do you want to be when you grew up
what do you want to be when you grew up this time I asked have you accomplished
this time I asked have you accomplished
this time I asked have you accomplished everything in life and I asked that
everything in life and I asked that
everything in life and I asked that question to my mother a week before she
question to my mother a week before she
question to my mother a week before she passed away we were in the hospital and
passed away we were in the hospital and
passed away we were in the hospital and I was holding her hand tight and I
I was holding her hand tight and I
I was holding her hand tight and I wanted to hold on to the moment and I
wanted to hold on to the moment and I
wanted to hold on to the moment and I wanted to make sure that she was okay
wanted to make sure that she was okay
wanted to make sure that she was okay with what she did I wanted to understand
with what she did I wanted to understand
with what she did I wanted to understand that she was okay with what she did
that she was okay with what she did
that she was okay with what she did which made me okay with what I had
which made me okay with what I had
which made me okay with what I had become and I asked her and she was fine
become and I asked her and she was fine
become and I asked her and she was fine responding Claro que si of course yes
responding Claro que si of course yes
responding Claro que si of course yes and we had come together she had
and we had come together she had
and we had come together she had fulfilled me she had completed me and
fulfilled me she had completed me and
fulfilled me she had completed me and that moment in time so I asked you all
that moment in time so I asked you all
that moment in time so I asked you all to do this to take that moment and
to do this to take that moment and
to do this to take that moment and identify identify with who you are take
identify identify with who you are take
identify identify with who you are take that moment to understand who you are
that moment to understand who you are
that moment to understand who you are your core take that moment to introduce
your core take that moment to introduce
your core take that moment to introduce yourselves to yourselves thank you
”
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