your lifetime you’re gonna come across a tremendous amount of barriers whether it
tremendous amount of barriers whether it
tremendous amount of barriers whether it be circumstance racial financial
be circumstance racial financial
be circumstance racial financial environmental negative disability you’re
environmental negative disability you’re
environmental negative disability you’re gonna come across some type of barrier I
gonna come across some type of barrier I
gonna come across some type of barrier I feel like if you have a heart you can
feel like if you have a heart you can
feel like if you have a heart you can break any barriers a lot of people
break any barriers a lot of people
break any barriers a lot of people confined by a barrier tend to have I
confined by a barrier tend to have I
confined by a barrier tend to have I don’t care attitude so to me if you care
don’t care attitude so to me if you care
don’t care attitude so to me if you care about your situation enough to get help
about your situation enough to get help
about your situation enough to get help I feel like anything is possible the
I feel like anything is possible the
I feel like anything is possible the first step is identifying the problem
first step is identifying the problem
first step is identifying the problem sit back and think or write down what’s
sit back and think or write down what’s
sit back and think or write down what’s keeping you stagnant what’s holding you
keeping you stagnant what’s holding you
keeping you stagnant what’s holding you back when you find that out you’re on
back when you find that out you’re on
back when you find that out you’re on the road to getting over that bump the
the road to getting over that bump the
the road to getting over that bump the second step is to think or write down
second step is to think or write down
second step is to think or write down all the good things that can or will
all the good things that can or will
all the good things that can or will come from you getting past those walls
come from you getting past those walls
come from you getting past those walls and realize there’s going to be a
and realize there’s going to be a
and realize there’s going to be a challenge but don’t let that stop you
challenge but don’t let that stop you
challenge but don’t let that stop you always remember that it’s somebody out
always remember that it’s somebody out
always remember that it’s somebody out here doing what they have to do in that
here doing what they have to do in that
here doing what they have to do in that situation is 10 times worse than yours
situation is 10 times worse than yours
situation is 10 times worse than yours so don’t make your situation an excuse
so don’t make your situation an excuse
so don’t make your situation an excuse once you find out what’s the blockage
once you find out what’s the blockage
once you find out what’s the blockage that’s preventing you from growing the
that’s preventing you from growing the
that’s preventing you from growing the third step is to start looking for
third step is to start looking for
third step is to start looking for solutions that can get you out the hole
solutions that can get you out the hole
solutions that can get you out the hole you fell in or came across look at or
you fell in or came across look at or
you fell in or came across look at or listen to success stories from people
listen to success stories from people
listen to success stories from people that were in your shoes and made it out
that were in your shoes and made it out
that were in your shoes and made it out you might find some resource programs
you might find some resource programs
you might find some resource programs that help them and get some
that help them and get some
that help them and get some encouragement at the same time this is
encouragement at the same time this is
encouragement at the same time this is how I did it growing up I was dealt a
how I did it growing up I was dealt a
how I did it growing up I was dealt a bad hand born to a teenage mother and a
bad hand born to a teenage mother and a
bad hand born to a teenage mother and a housing project and Watts my mom did
housing project and Watts my mom did
housing project and Watts my mom did drugs
drugs
drugs I never knew my
I never knew my
I never knew my father I grew up in a system I dropped
father I grew up in a system I dropped
father I grew up in a system I dropped out of high school I ran with hoodlums
out of high school I ran with hoodlums
out of high school I ran with hoodlums and built a long rap sheet that began
and built a long rap sheet that began
and built a long rap sheet that began with an arrest for burglary at the age
with an arrest for burglary at the age
with an arrest for burglary at the age of 14 which led to me cycling in and out
of 14 which led to me cycling in and out
of 14 which led to me cycling in and out of detention centers for petty crimes by
of detention centers for petty crimes by
of detention centers for petty crimes by the age of 16 I was selling drugs on
the age of 16 I was selling drugs on
the age of 16 I was selling drugs on probation and had already been shot four
probation and had already been shot four
probation and had already been shot four times I was tired
times I was tired
times I was tired so then I found myself at step one
so then I found myself at step one
so then I found myself at step one identifying the problem and I found out
identifying the problem and I found out
identifying the problem and I found out for me it was environmental and
for me it was environmental and
for me it was environmental and circumstance how are you gonna do good
circumstance how are you gonna do good
circumstance how are you gonna do good when it’s no good around you or you
when it’s no good around you or you
when it’s no good around you or you don’t have the tools that’s a good
don’t have the tools that’s a good
don’t have the tools that’s a good question right it’s real hard
question right it’s real hard
question right it’s real hard not a lot make it especially when you
not a lot make it especially when you
not a lot make it especially when you just end too deep like I was now I was
just end too deep like I was now I was
just end too deep like I was now I was that step to writing down all the good
that step to writing down all the good
that step to writing down all the good things that can or will come from me
things that can or will come from me
things that can or will come from me getting past those roadblocks
it was my GED a job and a chance to get
it was my GED a job and a chance to get out the hood and go to college to
out the hood and go to college to
out the hood and go to college to capture this foretaste of this world
capture this foretaste of this world
capture this foretaste of this world that I only got a sample of every time I
that I only got a sample of every time I
that I only got a sample of every time I went to the hood I thought about it I
went to the hood I thought about it I
went to the hood I thought about it I dreamed about it I wanted it I told
dreamed about it I wanted it I told
dreamed about it I wanted it I told myself I was going to change and that if
myself I was going to change and that if
myself I was going to change and that if I push myself I can do whatever i
I push myself I can do whatever i
I push myself I can do whatever i started working with different groups
started working with different groups
started working with different groups and organizations getting different
and organizations getting different
and organizations getting different bills and proposition passed that helps
bills and proposition passed that helps
bills and proposition passed that helps kids in school who are being punished by
kids in school who are being punished by
kids in school who are being punished by the school to Prison Pipeline and other
the school to Prison Pipeline and other
the school to Prison Pipeline and other things like helping returning citizens
things like helping returning citizens
things like helping returning citizens get reintegrated in society who did life
get reintegrated in society who did life
get reintegrated in society who did life in prison and I haven’t got a chance to
in prison and I haven’t got a chance to
in prison and I haven’t got a chance to start my own organization that helps
start my own organization that helps
start my own organization that helps kids that grew up like me I
to me a lot of athletes celebrities
to me a lot of athletes celebrities school board members and Congress
school board members and Congress
school board members and Congress members and I even got a chance to meet
members and I even got a chance to meet
members and I even got a chance to meet the US Attorney General and President
the US Attorney General and President
the US Attorney General and President Obama now you’re probably wondering how
Obama now you’re probably wondering how
Obama now you’re probably wondering how I got in this wheelchair well a year and
I got in this wheelchair well a year and
I got in this wheelchair well a year and a half ago me and five colleagues
a half ago me and five colleagues
a half ago me and five colleagues college were invited to Savannah Georgia
college were invited to Savannah Georgia
college were invited to Savannah Georgia from Los Angeles California to tell our
from Los Angeles California to tell our
from Los Angeles California to tell our stories at a community safety forum
stories at a community safety forum
stories at a community safety forum hosted by the Talon County Juvenile
hosted by the Talon County Juvenile
hosted by the Talon County Juvenile Court when we did that local judges law
Court when we did that local judges law
Court when we did that local judges law enforcement school board members and
enforcement school board members and
enforcement school board members and elected officials were blown away by the
elected officials were blown away by the
elected officials were blown away by the ideas and planners for concrete change
ideas and planners for concrete change
ideas and planners for concrete change that night but later that night while
that night but later that night while
that night but later that night while two on River Street me and one of the
two on River Street me and one of the
two on River Street me and one of the speakers met some kids who are actually
speakers met some kids who are actually
speakers met some kids who are actually supposed to be attending the forum and
supposed to be attending the forum and
supposed to be attending the forum and we followed them on the way back to our
we followed them on the way back to our
we followed them on the way back to our hotel while having a conversation didn’t
hotel while having a conversation didn’t
hotel while having a conversation didn’t have to go on one Street too far they
have to go on one Street too far they
have to go on one Street too far they pulled out a gun and tried to kill us
pulled out a gun and tried to kill us
pulled out a gun and tried to kill us because we had nothing they could still
because we had nothing they could still
because we had nothing they could still my friend and I ran I took two bullets
my friend and I ran I took two bullets
my friend and I ran I took two bullets to the arm and went to the back that
to the arm and went to the back that
to the arm and went to the back that rips I ripped into the vertebrae behind
rips I ripped into the vertebrae behind
rips I ripped into the vertebrae behind my heart the prognosis was that I would
my heart the prognosis was that I would
my heart the prognosis was that I would never walk again
never walk again
never walk again I still remember waking up the next
I still remember waking up the next
I still remember waking up the next morning trying to get out the bed and I
morning trying to get out the bed and I
morning trying to get out the bed and I couldn’t move I stayed at Memorial
couldn’t move I stayed at Memorial
couldn’t move I stayed at Memorial Hospital for a month and a half then I
Hospital for a month and a half then I
Hospital for a month and a half then I was transferred to the Shepherd spinal
was transferred to the Shepherd spinal
was transferred to the Shepherd spinal Center in Atlanta where they helped me
Center in Atlanta where they helped me
Center in Atlanta where they helped me develop my emotional and physical health
develop my emotional and physical health
develop my emotional and physical health and independence a quote by Martin
and independence a quote by Martin
and independence a quote by Martin Luther King the ultimate measure of man
Luther King the ultimate measure of man
Luther King the ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of
is not where he stands in moments of
is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he
comfort and convenience but where he
comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and
stands in times of challenge and
stands in times of challenge and controversy while I was in that hospital
controversy while I was in that hospital
controversy while I was in that hospital bed in Atlanta I was talking to my
bed in Atlanta I was talking to my
bed in Atlanta I was talking to my mentor and somehow we ended up talking
mentor and somehow we ended up talking
mentor and somehow we ended up talking about firefighters and how they have to
about firefighters and how they have to
about firefighters and how they have to run into the fire to save a life
run into the fire to save a life
run into the fire to save a life then some clicked in my head we broke
then some clicked in my head we broke
then some clicked in my head we broke down fire into forgiveness introspection
down fire into forgiveness introspection
down fire into forgiveness introspection respect and education then I ended up
respect and education then I ended up
respect and education then I ended up staying in Georgia for 17 months talking
staying in Georgia for 17 months talking
staying in Georgia for 17 months talking to kids throughout the state through
to kids throughout the state through
to kids throughout the state through fire and a place that was foreign to me
fire and a place that was foreign to me
fire and a place that was foreign to me but I knew by sharing my own experiences
but I knew by sharing my own experiences
but I knew by sharing my own experiences and education with people who are in
and education with people who are in
and education with people who are in situations that I escaped from we can
situations that I escaped from we can
situations that I escaped from we can break barriers today I just want to
break barriers today I just want to
break barriers today I just want to challenge everyone who’s going through a
challenge everyone who’s going through a
challenge everyone who’s going through a hard or negative time in their life to
hard or negative time in their life to
hard or negative time in their life to look at the situation in a different way
look at the situation in a different way
look at the situation in a different way reach out for help get yourself educated
reach out for help get yourself educated
reach out for help get yourself educated on what’s going on and why you might
on what’s going on and why you might
on what’s going on and why you might find out that you’re living in a system
find out that you’re living in a system
find out that you’re living in a system or area that’s built for you to fail
or area that’s built for you to fail
or area that’s built for you to fail whatever it is you need to find out so
whatever it is you need to find out so
whatever it is you need to find out so you can move forward with your life I’m
you can move forward with your life I’m
you can move forward with your life I’m going to close with this quote for
going to close with this quote for
going to close with this quote for Martin Luther King the true functions of
Martin Luther King the true functions of
Martin Luther King the true functions of education is to teach one to think
education is to teach one to think
education is to teach one to think intensively and me and to think
intensively and me and to think
intensively and me and to 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 remember don’t run from the fire run
and remember don’t run from the fire run
and remember don’t run from the fire run to it and by being proactive
to it and by being proactive
to it and by being proactive you can break barriers thank you as a
you can break barriers thank you as a
you can break barriers thank you as a pleasure
”
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