so I just want to let everybody know who’s struggling or going through a hard
who’s struggling or going through a hard
who’s struggling or going through a hard time right now that that’s gonna make
time right now that that’s gonna make
time right now that that’s gonna make you stronger
you stronger
you stronger it’s gonna make you a better person you
it’s gonna make you a better person you
it’s gonna make you a better person you might ask how’s my struggling gonna make
might ask how’s my struggling gonna make
might ask how’s my struggling gonna make me a better person
me a better person
me a better person well the struggles prepare you for the
well the struggles prepare you for the
well the struggles prepare you for the future or to show you something that
future or to show you something that
future or to show you something that you’re not doing there’s a lot of beauty
you’re not doing there’s a lot of beauty
you’re not doing there’s a lot of beauty in the struggle a bunch of people
in the struggle a bunch of people
in the struggle a bunch of people procrastinate because of it and invade
procrastinate because of it and invade
procrastinate because of it and invade their own greatness simply because
their own greatness simply because
their own greatness simply because they’re in the wrong place at the wrong
they’re in the wrong place at the wrong
they’re in the wrong place at the wrong time or they placed himself around
time or they placed himself around
time or they placed himself around people who pump negativity in their head
people who pump negativity in their head
people who pump negativity in their head on top of all the negativity that
on top of all the negativity that
on top of all the negativity that they’re already soaked in growing up
they’re already soaked in growing up
they’re already soaked in growing up prime example and my neighborhood it was
prime example and my neighborhood it was
prime example and my neighborhood it was gang bangers ballers pimps show offs and
gang bangers ballers pimps show offs and
gang bangers ballers pimps show offs and drug dealers that’s what I was around
drug dealers that’s what I was around
drug dealers that’s what I was around growing up that’s what I saw so that’s
growing up that’s what I saw so that’s
growing up that’s what I saw so that’s what I soaked in how are you gonna do
what I soaked in how are you gonna do
what I soaked in how are you gonna do good when there’s no good around you
good when there’s no good around you
good when there’s no good around you that’s a good question huh growing up I
that’s a good question huh growing up I
that’s a good question huh growing up I was dealt a bad hand born to a teenage
was dealt a bad hand born to a teenage
was dealt a bad hand born to a teenage drug addict in a housing project in
drug addict in a housing project in
drug addict in a housing project in watts I never knew my father
watts I never knew my father
watts I never knew my father I dropped out of high school ran with
I dropped out of high school ran with
I dropped out of high school ran with hoodlums built a long rap sheet that
hoodlums built a long rap sheet that
hoodlums built a long rap sheet that began with the wrestler burglary at the
began with the wrestler burglary at the
began with the wrestler burglary at the age of 14 which led to me cycling and
age of 14 which led to me cycling and
age of 14 which led to me cycling and another detention centers for petty
another detention centers for petty
another detention centers for petty crimes when I was 15 I was walking home
crimes when I was 15 I was walking home
crimes when I was 15 I was walking home from a park late night and the car
from a park late night and the car
from a park late night and the car pulled up on me with somebody hanging
pulled up on me with somebody hanging
pulled up on me with somebody hanging out the sunroof long story short I was
out the sunroof long story short I was
out the sunroof long story short I was shot at six times I was hit three out of
shot at six times I was hit three out of
shot at six times I was hit three out of the six and what woke me up is the last
the six and what woke me up is the last
the six and what woke me up is the last bullet went right past my face hit the
bullet went right past my face hit the
bullet went right past my face hit the wall and pieces the concrete hit my face
wall and pieces the concrete hit my face
wall and pieces the concrete hit my face and got into my eye
and got into my eye
and got into my eye it was the crazy situation but I learned
it was the crazy situation but I learned
it was the crazy situation but I learned a lot from it enough to make me seek out
a lot from it enough to make me seek out
a lot from it enough to make me seek out guidance from counselors mentors my
guidance from counselors mentors my
guidance from counselors mentors my probation officer and the college
probation officer and the college
probation officer and the college professor who actually cared about me
professor who actually cared about me
professor who actually cared about me because I was like a yo-yo the whole
because I was like a yo-yo the whole
because I was like a yo-yo the whole time they were working with me
time they were working with me
time they were working with me straddling the fence but I started to
straddling the fence but I started to
straddling the fence but I started to see that they really cared about me at
see that they really cared about me at
see that they really cared about me at first I thought they just wanted to use
first I thought they just wanted to use
first I thought they just wanted to use me for their
me for their
me for their program but they wanted to see me be
program but they wanted to see me be
program but they wanted to see me be somebody successful and not a product of
somebody successful and not a product of
somebody successful and not a product of my environment I was on the verge of
my environment I was on the verge of
my environment I was on the verge of life in prison or chaos from the streets
life in prison or chaos from the streets
life in prison or chaos from the streets but that group of people spent a lot of
but that group of people spent a lot of
but that group of people spent a lot of time working with me on my beliefs and
time working with me on my beliefs and
time working with me on my beliefs and my behavior and they helped show me my
my behavior and they helped show me my
my behavior and they helped show me my self-worth because all I knew was that
self-worth because all I knew was that
self-worth because all I knew was that culture is the dysfunction that I grew
culture is the dysfunction that I grew
culture is the dysfunction that I grew up in changing my ways was one of the
up in changing my ways was one of the
up in changing my ways was one of the hardest things I think I ever had to do
hardest things I think I ever had to do
hardest things I think I ever had to do I almost lost my life doing it I had to
I almost lost my life doing it I had to
I almost lost my life doing it I had to change my friends where I hung out and
change my friends where I hung out and
change my friends where I hung out and most importantly my ways this was so
most importantly my ways this was so
most importantly my ways this was so hard because my so-called friends and
hard because my so-called friends and
hard because my so-called friends and homies from the hood turned on me
homies from the hood turned on me
homies from the hood turned on me because they thought I turned on them it
because they thought I turned on them it
because they thought I turned on them it got to the point where I was getting
got to the point where I was getting
got to the point where I was getting into a fight or altercation just to get
into a fight or altercation just to get
into a fight or altercation just to get to a meeting or the program they thought
to a meeting or the program they thought
to a meeting or the program they thought I turned on them because I stopped
I turned on them because I stopped
I turned on them because I stopped hanging out and going to her functions
hanging out and going to her functions
hanging out and going to her functions and started to go to school board a
and started to go to school board a
and started to go to school board a legislative meetings I start began to
legislative meetings I start began to
legislative meetings I start began to change my ways I met up with the US
change my ways I met up with the US
change my ways I met up with the US Attorney General and I even got a chance
Attorney General and I even got a chance
Attorney General and I even got a chance to meet President Obama and many others
to meet President Obama and many others
to meet President Obama and many others like Congress members school board
like Congress members school board
like Congress members school board members and plenty of celebrities and
members and plenty of celebrities and
members and plenty of celebrities and athletes I work with a lot of groups and
athletes I work with a lot of groups and
athletes I work with a lot of groups and organizations getting certain bills and
organizations getting certain bills and
organizations getting certain bills and proposition pass I got completely into
proposition pass I got completely into
proposition pass I got completely into youth I grew see and became a violence
youth I grew see and became a violence
youth I grew see and became a violence prevention counselor
prevention counselor
prevention counselor I worked getting certain bills and
I worked getting certain bills and
I worked getting certain bills and proposition passed such as pop 47 the
proposition passed such as pop 47 the
proposition passed such as pop 47 the reduced penalties for some crime
reduced penalties for some crime
reduced penalties for some crime initiatives as well as school discipline
initiatives as well as school discipline
initiatives as well as school discipline policy and the LAUSD school comment Bill
policy and the LAUSD school comment Bill
policy and the LAUSD school comment Bill of Rights which discourages suspension
of Rights which discourages suspension
of Rights which discourages suspension as a punishment which means fewer kids
as a punishment which means fewer kids
as a punishment which means fewer kids out of school and fewer incarcerations
shortly after those successes I moved
shortly after those successes I moved with my biological mother who I found on
with my biological mother who I found on
with my biological mother who I found on Facebook and another crazy area because
Facebook and another crazy area because
Facebook and another crazy area because I got a job and a buffalo wings that one
I got a job and a buffalo wings that one
I got a job and a buffalo wings that one of my mentors own if the bus didn’t come
of my mentors own if the bus didn’t come
of my mentors own if the bus didn’t come on time to walk to the Train
on time to walk to the Train
on time to walk to the Train was the worst I had to do with the fact
was the worst I had to do with the fact
was the worst I had to do with the fact that I was affiliated in an area where
that I was affiliated in an area where
that I was affiliated in an area where they don’t like blacks or people that
they don’t like blacks or people that
they don’t like blacks or people that was from where I was from one day when I
was from where I was from one day when I
was from where I was from one day when I made it to the train station this guy
made it to the train station this guy
made it to the train station this guy gave me a look and they made me get on
gave me a look and they made me get on
gave me a look and they made me get on the next cart when I got to my stop I
the next cart when I got to my stop I
the next cart when I got to my stop I heard a gunshot and that same person
heard a gunshot and that same person
heard a gunshot and that same person that gave me that look I just ended up
that gave me that look I just ended up
that gave me that look I just ended up shooting somebody on the train and I
shooting somebody on the train and I
shooting somebody on the train and I already had been shot four times before
already had been shot four times before
already had been shot four times before that and it was just like it just blew
that and it was just like it just blew
that and it was just like it just blew my mind I couldn’t take it anymore so I
my mind I couldn’t take it anymore so I
my mind I couldn’t take it anymore so I called my mentor and I told him like how
called my mentor and I told him like how
called my mentor and I told him like how I felt and I told him that I was ready
I felt and I told him that I was ready
I felt and I told him that I was ready to give up and about a week later I got
to give up and about a week later I got
to give up and about a week later I got a call saying do you want to get out the
a call saying do you want to get out the
a call saying do you want to get out the situation you’re in and I told him yes
situation you’re in and I told him yes
situation you’re in and I told him yes I’m tired of coming home from long days
I’m tired of coming home from long days
I’m tired of coming home from long days at work sleeping on the floor waking up
at work sleeping on the floor waking up
at work sleeping on the floor waking up to roaches in my face and doing it all
to roaches in my face and doing it all
to roaches in my face and doing it all over again the next day he said well
over again the next day he said well
over again the next day he said well pack your bags and come outside on the
pack your bags and come outside on the
pack your bags and come outside on the car ride to where we’re going he
car ride to where we’re going he
car ride to where we’re going he uplifted me like no other and explained
uplifted me like no other and explained
uplifted me like no other and explained to me that I was a diamond in the rough
to me that I was a diamond in the rough
to me that I was a diamond in the rough under the mentorship of dr. Rafat Reis I
under the mentorship of dr. Rafat Reis I
under the mentorship of dr. Rafat Reis I enrolled at Mount San Antonio College
enrolled at Mount San Antonio College
enrolled at Mount San Antonio College and I took classes at Cal Poly Pomona
and I took classes at Cal Poly Pomona
and I took classes at Cal Poly Pomona University he exposed me to that
University he exposed me to that
University he exposed me to that dynamics of a college campus he got me
dynamics of a college campus he got me
dynamics of a college campus he got me out of that culture of dysfunction I was
out of that culture of dysfunction I was
out of that culture of dysfunction I was talking about so that I can breathe once
talking about so that I can breathe once
talking about so that I can breathe once I was able to breathe
I was able to breathe
I was able to breathe I began to think once I began to think I
I began to think once I began to think I
I began to think once I began to think I started to excel he took me under his
started to excel he took me under his
started to excel he took me under his wing and created a road map to academic
wing and created a road map to academic
wing and created a road map to academic success he helped me pay my rent for
success he helped me pay my rent for
success he helped me pay my rent for four months kept me busy and out of
four months kept me busy and out of
four months kept me busy and out of trouble in October 2015
trouble in October 2015
trouble in October 2015 five Robertson scholars and I were
five Robertson scholars and I were
five Robertson scholars and I were invited to Savannah Georgia from Los
invited to Savannah Georgia from Los
invited to Savannah Georgia from Los Angeles California to tell our stories
Angeles California to tell our stories
Angeles California to tell our stories at a community safety forum hosted by
at a community safety forum hosted by
at a community safety forum hosted by the Chatham County juvenile court local
the Chatham County juvenile court local
the Chatham County juvenile court local judges law enforcement school board
judges law enforcement school board
judges law enforcement school board members and elected officials were blown
members and elected officials were blown
members and elected officials were blown away by the ideas and plans for concrete
away by the ideas and plans for concrete
away by the ideas and plans for concrete change that we gave that night
before we left one of the scholars and I
before we left one of the scholars and I decided to tour a River Street during
decided to tour a River Street during
decided to tour a River Street during the process we met some local kids who
the process we met some local kids who
the process we met some local kids who were actually supposed to be attending
were actually supposed to be attending
were actually supposed to be attending the forum exactly the kind who I hope to
the forum exactly the kind who I hope to
the forum exactly the kind who I hope to reach with our message and we followed
reach with our message and we followed
reach with our message and we followed them while having a conversation then
them while having a conversation then
them while having a conversation then they put out a gun and tried to kill us
they put out a gun and tried to kill us
they put out a gun and tried to kill us because we had nothing nick is still I
because we had nothing nick is still I
because we had nothing nick is still I took two bullets to the arm and went to
took two bullets to the arm and went to
took two bullets to the arm and went to the back was ripped into the vertebrae
the back was ripped into the vertebrae
the back was ripped into the vertebrae behind my heart the prognosis was that I
behind my heart the prognosis was that I
behind my heart the prognosis was that I would never walk again I stayed at
would never walk again I stayed at
would never walk again I stayed at Memorial Hospital for about a month and
Memorial Hospital for about a month and
Memorial Hospital for about a month and a half and then I was transferred to the
a half and then I was transferred to the
a half and then I was transferred to the Shepherd’s brain and spinal Centre in
Shepherd’s brain and spinal Centre in
Shepherd’s brain and spinal Centre in Atlanta where they helped me develop my
Atlanta where they helped me develop my
Atlanta where they helped me develop my emotional and physical stamina and
emotional and physical stamina and
emotional and physical stamina and independence I learned a lot from the
independence I learned a lot from the
independence I learned a lot from the people and the stories there here’s the
people and the stories there here’s the
people and the stories there here’s the quote by Martin Luther King the ultimate
quote by Martin Luther King the ultimate
quote by Martin Luther King the ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in
measure of man is not where he stands in
measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but
moments of comfort and convenience but
moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge
where he stands in times of challenge
where he stands in times of challenge and controversy after I was shot I
and controversy after I was shot I
and controversy after I was shot I decided to stay in Savannah because I
decided to stay in Savannah because I
decided to stay in Savannah because I don’t want to run from the problem I
don’t want to run from the problem I
don’t want to run from the problem I want to run to it and I knew by being
want to run to it and I knew by being
want to run to it and I knew by being proactive and sharing my own experiences
proactive and sharing my own experiences
proactive and sharing my own experiences in education we can solve some of the
in education we can solve some of the
in education we can solve some of the problems that exist in the community so
problems that exist in the community so
problems that exist in the community so while I was laying there in the hospital
while I was laying there in the hospital
while I was laying there in the hospital bed and Rehab
bed and Rehab
bed and Rehab me and dr. Reece had a conversation and
me and dr. Reece had a conversation and
me and dr. Reece had a conversation and somehow firefighters came up and we was
somehow firefighters came up and we was
somehow firefighters came up and we was talking about how firefighters have to
talking about how firefighters have to
talking about how firefighters have to go into the fire to save a life and if
go into the fire to save a life and if
go into the fire to save a life and if they don’t the person would die and then
they don’t the person would die and then
they don’t the person would die and then I said fire I like that and then we kind
I said fire I like that and then we kind
I said fire I like that and then we kind of broke fire down to forgiveness
of broke fire down to forgiveness
of broke fire down to forgiveness introspection respect and education and
introspection respect and education and
introspection respect and education and I turn fire into a program in Georgia
I turn fire into a program in Georgia
I turn fire into a program in Georgia that helps at-risk youth who’s been
that helps at-risk youth who’s been
that helps at-risk youth who’s been traumatized mischievious made the wrong
traumatized mischievious made the wrong
traumatized mischievious made the wrong decision wrong place wrong time
decision wrong place wrong time
decision wrong place wrong time incarcerated parents or just trying to
incarcerated parents or just trying to
incarcerated parents or just trying to be something that they’re not
the court invited a fire our forgiveness
the court invited a fire our forgiveness introspection respect and education the
introspection respect and education the
introspection respect and education the motto is we will not run from the fire
motto is we will not run from the fire
motto is we will not run from the fire but we will run to it using fire as the
but we will run to it using fire as the
but we will run to it using fire as the metaphor for problems instead of running
metaphor for problems instead of running
metaphor for problems instead of running away from the problems we don’t want we
away from the problems we don’t want we
away from the problems we don’t want we want to run to them
want to run to them
want to run to them fire consists of a series of youth
fire consists of a series of youth
fire consists of a series of youth empowerment workshops that focus on
empowerment workshops that focus on
empowerment workshops that focus on conflict resolution emotional
conflict resolution emotional
conflict resolution emotional intelligence life skills and
intelligence life skills and
intelligence life skills and communication skills if we achieve our
communication skills if we achieve our
communication skills if we achieve our goal then we will have safety safe safer
goal then we will have safety safe safer
goal then we will have safety safe safer and healthier communities communities
and healthier communities communities
and healthier communities communities everywhere before I close I would like
everywhere before I close I would like
everywhere before I close I would like to challenge everybody in this room who
to challenge everybody in this room who
to challenge everybody in this room who is going through a harder negative time
is going through a harder negative time
is going through a harder negative time in their life to look at the situation
in their life to look at the situation
in their life to look at the situation in a different way reach out for help
in a different way reach out for help
in a different way reach out for help get yourself educated on what’s going on
get yourself educated on what’s going on
get yourself educated on what’s going on and why you might find out that you’re
and why you might find out that you’re
and why you might find out that you’re living in the system or area or probably
living in the system or area or probably
living in the system or area or probably just hanging around people that I built
just hanging around people that I built
just hanging around people that I built for you to fill whatever it is you need
for you to fill whatever it is you need
for you to fill whatever it is you need to find out so I can move forward your
to find out so I can move forward your
to find out so I can move forward your life and I’m going to close with this
life and I’m going to close with this
life and I’m going to close with this quote by Martin Luther King the true
quote by Martin Luther King the true
quote by Martin Luther King the true functions of education is to teach one
functions of education is to teach one
functions of education is to teach one to think intensively and I think
to think intensively and I think
to think intensively and I think critically intelligence plus character
critically intelligence plus character
critically intelligence plus character those are the goals of true education
those are the goals of true education
those are the goals of true education and I’ve learned on my 20-year journey
and I’ve learned on my 20-year journey
and I’ve learned on my 20-year journey that education is liberation thank you
that education is liberation thank you
that education is liberation thank you as a pleasure
”
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