I want you to close your eyes for me I want you to picture a unicorn what
I want you to picture a unicorn what
I want you to picture a unicorn what does your unicorn look like why is it a
does your unicorn look like why is it a
does your unicorn look like why is it a sought-after creature why is it we seek
sought-after creature why is it we seek
sought-after creature why is it we seek these mythical creatures and beings
these mythical creatures and beings
these mythical creatures and beings especially when we use our imagination
could the answer be that they’re because
could the answer be that they’re because they’re uniquely different and they
they’re uniquely different and they
they’re uniquely different and they don’t fit in any box open your eyes
don’t fit in any box open your eyes
don’t fit in any box open your eyes much like the unicorn living outside the
much like the unicorn living outside the
much like the unicorn living outside the box it’s about finding your true
box it’s about finding your true
box it’s about finding your true identity your passion and what makes you
identity your passion and what makes you
identity your passion and what makes you happy I struggled with this for years as
happy I struggled with this for years as
happy I struggled with this for years as I throughout my childhood I grew up in
I throughout my childhood I grew up in
I throughout my childhood I grew up in the inner city of Los Angeles with my
the inner city of Los Angeles with my
the inner city of Los Angeles with my eight siblings where I attended public
eight siblings where I attended public
eight siblings where I attended public school to second grade I became bored
school to second grade I became bored
school to second grade I became bored with the schoolwork and I was an
with the schoolwork and I was an
with the schoolwork and I was an extraction in class instead of skipping
extraction in class instead of skipping
extraction in class instead of skipping grades that suggested they came up with
grades that suggested they came up with
grades that suggested they came up with a magical idea to bust me to a magnet
a magical idea to bust me to a magnet
a magical idea to bust me to a magnet school where I was one of only three
school where I was one of only three
school where I was one of only three blacks so as you could imagine after a
blacks so as you could imagine after a
blacks so as you could imagine after a while I didn’t fit in in the
while I didn’t fit in in the
while I didn’t fit in in the neighborhood and I didn’t fit in that
neighborhood and I didn’t fit in that
neighborhood and I didn’t fit in that school it was a struggle to feel like I
school it was a struggle to feel like I
school it was a struggle to feel like I belong with the kids in the neighborhood
belong with the kids in the neighborhood
belong with the kids in the neighborhood because I didn’t behave like them
because I didn’t behave like them
because I didn’t behave like them I didn’t sound like them and I didn’t
I didn’t sound like them and I didn’t
I didn’t sound like them and I didn’t look like them my vernacular was
look like them my vernacular was
look like them my vernacular was different my path was different I was
different my path was different I was
different my path was different I was different but I couldn’t accept this
different but I couldn’t accept this
different but I couldn’t accept this because of it I was teased to the point
because of it I was teased to the point
because of it I was teased to the point of being bullied can you imagine someone
of being bullied can you imagine someone
of being bullied can you imagine someone bullying me I wanted nothing more to fit
bullying me I wanted nothing more to fit
bullying me I wanted nothing more to fit in to fit inside the box to be like the
in to fit inside the box to be like the
in to fit inside the box to be like the kids in the neighborhood at school most
kids in the neighborhood at school most
kids in the neighborhood at school most of the kids came from wealthy
of the kids came from wealthy
of the kids came from wealthy backgrounds and felt a sense of
backgrounds and felt a sense of
backgrounds and felt a sense of privilege not only was I teased because
privilege not only was I teased because
privilege not only was I teased because of the neighborhood I came from but also
of the neighborhood I came from but also
of the neighborhood I came from but also because the color of my skin I felt like
because the color of my skin I felt like
because the color of my skin I felt like a charity case try being an inner-city
a charity case try being an inner-city
a charity case try being an inner-city kid it was a lost cause for me for so
kid it was a lost cause for me for so
kid it was a lost cause for me for so long
long
long all I wanted to do was belong belonging
all I wanted to do was belong belonging
all I wanted to do was belong belonging to something
to something
to something belong where was the group at school or
belong where was the group at school or
belong where was the group at school or the group in my neighborhood
the group in my neighborhood
the group in my neighborhood I just wanted to belong I wanted to fit
I just wanted to belong I wanted to fit
I just wanted to belong I wanted to fit in I wanted to be in that box a part of
in I wanted to be in that box a part of
in I wanted to be in that box a part of the in-crowd
fast forward to high school sorry yeah
fast forward to high school sorry yeah fast forward to high school not only was
fast forward to high school not only was
fast forward to high school not only was I a straight-a student I was a star
I a straight-a student I was a star
I a straight-a student I was a star athlete but my path was much of the same
athlete but my path was much of the same
athlete but my path was much of the same bus to a predominantly all-white high
bus to a predominantly all-white high
bus to a predominantly all-white high school and left to hang out with the
school and left to hang out with the
school and left to hang out with the inner-city kids after school I didn’t
inner-city kids after school I didn’t
inner-city kids after school I didn’t fit the stereotypical profile of an
fit the stereotypical profile of an
fit the stereotypical profile of an athlete but I didn’t fit the profile of
athlete but I didn’t fit the profile of
athlete but I didn’t fit the profile of an inner-city kid if thugs gangbangers
an inner-city kid if thugs gangbangers
an inner-city kid if thugs gangbangers and drugs again I was I was teased for
and drugs again I was I was teased for
and drugs again I was I was teased for being too smart for using proper grammar
being too smart for using proper grammar
being too smart for using proper grammar for growing up poor and for being black
for growing up poor and for being black
for growing up poor and for being black but again all I wanted to do is I wanted
but again all I wanted to do is I wanted
but again all I wanted to do is I wanted to feel like I wanted to feel accepted
to feel like I wanted to feel accepted
to feel like I wanted to feel accepted and like I belonged struggling to fit in
and like I belonged struggling to fit in
and like I belonged struggling to fit in I turned to my best friend my older
I turned to my best friend my older
I turned to my best friend my older brother we had a long talk my sophomore
brother we had a long talk my sophomore
brother we had a long talk my sophomore year and other that talk came an
year and other that talk came an
year and other that talk came an epiphany he explained to me that I
epiphany he explained to me that I
epiphany he explained to me that I didn’t fit in because in fact I was
didn’t fit in because in fact I was
didn’t fit in because in fact I was different and I needed to embrace it he
different and I needed to embrace it he
different and I needed to embrace it he advised me to do some soul-searching to
advised me to do some soul-searching to
advised me to do some soul-searching to understand what made me happy and once I
understand what made me happy and once I
understand what made me happy and once I knew it I could create my own box my
knew it I could create my own box my
knew it I could create my own box my entire adult life lid has been about
entire adult life lid has been about
entire adult life lid has been about living outside the box from a 10-year
living outside the box from a 10-year
living outside the box from a 10-year NFL career to attaining my MBA to
NFL career to attaining my MBA to
NFL career to attaining my MBA to becoming a snowboard coach yes
becoming a snowboard coach yes
becoming a snowboard coach yes that’s no more coach funny story about
that’s no more coach funny story about
that’s no more coach funny story about how I became a snowboard coach in 2005
how I became a snowboard coach in 2005
how I became a snowboard coach in 2005 my friends asked me if some of my
my friends asked me if some of my
my friends asked me if some of my friends asked me to go on a snowboarding
friends asked me to go on a snowboarding
friends asked me to go on a snowboarding trip my initial response was black
trip my initial response was black
trip my initial response was black people in snow we don’t mix we’re
people in snow we don’t mix we’re
people in snow we don’t mix we’re tropical people I decided to take him up
tropical people I decided to take him up
tropical people I decided to take him up on the offer anyway I fell in love with
on the offer anyway I fell in love with
on the offer anyway I fell in love with the sport from day one and wanted to
the sport from day one and wanted to
the sport from day one and wanted to pass that passion on others probably
pass that passion on others probably
pass that passion on others probably broke some of my contractual obligations
broke some of my contractual obligations
broke some of my contractual obligations with the NFL with my decision as well
with the NFL with my decision as well
with the NFL with my decision as well the Epiphany of just how different I was
the Epiphany of just how different I was
the Epiphany of just how different I was and out of the box I was smacked me dead
and out of the box I was smacked me dead
and out of the box I was smacked me dead in the face a couple of weeks ago I was
in the face a couple of weeks ago I was
in the face a couple of weeks ago I was standing on top of the board across
standing on top of the board across
standing on top of the board across course
course
course a snowboard an event race and as I
a snowboard an event race and as I
a snowboard an event race and as I looked around I realized I was the only
looked around I realized I was the only
looked around I realized I was the only black coach or athlete there as I
black coach or athlete there as I
black coach or athlete there as I continually received awkward stares it
continually received awkward stares it
continually received awkward stares it dawned on me that I was in fact just
dawned on me that I was in fact just
dawned on me that I was in fact just that different and living outside the
that different and living outside the
that different and living outside the box but it was at that moment I realized
box but it was at that moment I realized
box but it was at that moment I realized that my brother was what my brother was
that my brother was what my brother was
that my brother was what my brother was telling me about being different
telling me about being different
telling me about being different I had become a rose they learned to love
I had become a rose they learned to love
I had become a rose they learned to love his storms the traditional path isn’t
his storms the traditional path isn’t
his storms the traditional path isn’t for everyone
for everyone
for everyone I believe traditional in the box before
I believe traditional in the box before
I believe traditional in the box before being at a pass such as lectures
being at a pass such as lectures
being at a pass such as lectures education through lectures
education through lectures
education through lectures non-traditional 95s and so on and so
non-traditional 95s and so on and so
non-traditional 95s and so on and so forth people are drawn to what is
forth people are drawn to what is
forth people are drawn to what is uniquely different and on the cutting
uniquely different and on the cutting
uniquely different and on the cutting edge you have to take your uniqueness
edge you have to take your uniqueness
edge you have to take your uniqueness and be whom you are so that your light
and be whom you are so that your light
and be whom you are so that your light shines on the world diversity of thought
shines on the world diversity of thought
shines on the world diversity of thought and experience is what makes
and experience is what makes
and experience is what makes revolutionary breakthroughs and
revolutionary breakthroughs and
revolutionary breakthroughs and uniqueness when you look at people like
uniqueness when you look at people like
uniqueness when you look at people like the Wright brothers Thomas Edison or
the Wright brothers Thomas Edison or
the Wright brothers Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein they all have one thing
Albert Einstein they all have one thing
Albert Einstein they all have one thing in common they didn’t fit in any box
in common they didn’t fit in any box
in common they didn’t fit in any box they were comfortable in who they are
they were comfortable in who they are
they were comfortable in who they are despite the negativity despite the
despite the negativity despite the
despite the negativity despite the naysayers and doubters it’s a lot harder
naysayers and doubters it’s a lot harder
naysayers and doubters it’s a lot harder in today’s society because we have
in today’s society because we have
in today’s society because we have access to so much more and largely in
access to so much more and largely in
access to so much more and largely in part due to the individuals I just
part due to the individuals I just
part due to the individuals I just mentioned there are so many still in our
mentioned there are so many still in our
mentioned there are so many still in our social media reality TV etc that it’s
social media reality TV etc that it’s
social media reality TV etc that it’s easy to get caught up in trying to fit
easy to get caught up in trying to fit
easy to get caught up in trying to fit inside a box one that might not even be
inside a box one that might not even be
inside a box one that might not even be real as students we must realize that
real as students we must realize that
real as students we must realize that social media is a highlight reel for
social media is a highlight reel for
social media is a highlight reel for people’s lives whether it’s a sick
people’s lives whether it’s a sick
people’s lives whether it’s a sick snowboard trick or someone doing
snowboard trick or someone doing
snowboard trick or someone doing something amazing it’s all in highlight
something amazing it’s all in highlight
something amazing it’s all in highlight all a highlight we don’t see the trials
all a highlight we don’t see the trials
all a highlight we don’t see the trials and tribulations that they go through
and tribulations that they go through
and tribulations that they go through and we see it we want it we want to be
and we see it we want it we want to be
and we see it we want it we want to be in it we want to be a part of it a part
in it we want to be a part of it a part
in it we want to be a part of it a part of the in-crowd which most of the times
of the in-crowd which most of the times
of the in-crowd which most of the times is a fictitious society what you need to
is a fictitious society what you need to
is a fictitious society what you need to understand is that a million likes will
understand is that a million likes will
understand is that a million likes will never be enough if you don’t learn to
never be enough if you don’t learn to
never be enough if you don’t learn to like yourself first
like yourself first
like yourself first I encourage you to figure out who you
I encourage you to figure out who you
I encourage you to figure out who you are what you like and what makes you
are what you like and what makes you
are what you like and what makes you tick regardless of the box people who
tick regardless of the box people who
tick regardless of the box people who try to put you in it’s not about fitting
try to put you in it’s not about fitting
try to put you in it’s not about fitting in it’s about being authentic and
in it’s about being authentic and
in it’s about being authentic and standing in your own truth so why is
standing in your own truth so why is
standing in your own truth so why is living outside the box so important to
living outside the box so important to
living outside the box so important to me
me
me it’s where true happiness lies you have
it’s where true happiness lies you have
it’s where true happiness lies you have to be true to yourself and the desires
to be true to yourself and the desires
to be true to yourself and the desires of your heart even if your desires go
of your heart even if your desires go
of your heart even if your desires go against the status quo and you’re looked
against the status quo and you’re looked
against the status quo and you’re looked at as a unicorn I want you to close your
at as a unicorn I want you to close your
at as a unicorn I want you to close your eyes again
eyes again
eyes again now picture yourself what’s unique about
now picture yourself what’s unique about
now picture yourself what’s unique about you what are you passionate about what
you what are you passionate about what
you what are you passionate about what does your heart desire what makes you
does your heart desire what makes you
does your heart desire what makes you want to live life to the fullest every
want to live life to the fullest every
want to live life to the fullest every day I challenge you to be the first you
day I challenge you to be the first you
day I challenge you to be the first you and not the second someone else thank
and not the second someone else thank
and not the second someone else thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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