A Letter From the Future

Hi Dimitri,

I’m writing to you all the way from Bangkok, Thailand in the 2019. It’s a long ways off for you, but it’s definitely something you can look forward to seeing on day, in the not so distant future. I thought about you today as I looked out at the expanse of this amazing city, and it brought me to tears. Why was I crying you may ask? It’s because as I was sightseeing I thought about the abuse you’re having to endure at the moment, and your sense of hopelessness. I don’t want you to give up. I know it’s easier said than done, but trust me, it gets better.

Turning Failure to Triumph – A Cape Verdean Athlete’s Journey to Rio

 

Jordin Andrade

With the Rio Games just weeks away, athletes around the world are gearing up for what will be one of the biggest events of their athletic careers. Thousands of people will gather to watch the world’s best represent their respective countries, taking with them the pride of nations, with the hopes and dreams of generations on their shoulders. They will demonstrate what hard work and perseverance means. As many of these athletes step on the international stage they bring with them untold stories of inspiration. What many of us as spectators will see, is for many reasons a finished product. We will see athletes deliver in sports for which they have worked years to perfect their skills and aim to take home a medal. As a Jamaican, I have always been interested in the Olympics, particularly in the track events. One of the main reasons for such an interest is because I have grown up seeing what a difference the sport makes in the life of not just the athletes, but a nation.

Instagram Comedian parodies West Indian Culture

Non-stop laughter is what you can expect if you visit the Instagram page @prnc_charming, it is the Instagram account of rising internet sensation Stephen Francis. A New York native, Stephen has been posting short fifteen second comedy clips on his Instagram account since September of 2014. His comedy sketches are usually parodies of West Indian culture which many, especially West Indians within the diaspora can relate to. He has a growing list of fans and his social media reach is expanding with each new post. I wanted to take sometime to focus on the man behind the comedy, his motivations, and where he hopes to take his talent. 

A Model of Success

Seth Sturgill – Photo courtesy of Sergio Garcia – 2014

Working in higher education I get the amazing opportunity to meet students from across the globe. In so doing I come across individuals with varying goals and motivations. A big reason why I started this blog was to provide a means of inspiring others, and in so doing, to help share the story of people I meet.

Turning Adversity into Success – A Student’s Journey to Medical School

Growing up everyone can remember playing make believe, we found any inanimate object we had and created a world around it. Once I turned my backyard into an olympic stadium. The trees became people, and the grass became the track on which

A Life Well Lived

I have faced many obstacles in my life. Obstacles that took both emotional and physical strength to overcome, yet the most challenging obstacle of all is learning to accept that death is a reality of life. It is a lesson I have tried to understand time and time again, but the answer continues to evade me. The truth is that life is filled with complexities that we may never truly grasp, like poverty in a world of rich resources, or why an all powerful God would allow humanity to endure pain and suffering, sickness and death.

College Student Committed to Motivating Others

The youth of our generation holds the key to what the future of our world will look like. In today’s society, the older generations often view the youth negatively. To many, the young are those too engulfed with their youth that they fail to understand the ramifications of their actions, good or bad. Working in academia it is always encouraging when I come across students who not only value their collegiate experience, but also those who have a strong desire to excel in all endeavors. I have always been interested in learning about what motivates others to excel. I have come to learn that each person has a story, everyone reaches a point in their life where their struggles and their success’ merge to form their belief and value system regarding the future .

A Letter to Mom and Dad

My parents are my biggest heroes, and while it may sound cliche, it is not meant to be. I am unable to identify a single individual who can compare to my parents regarding the sacrifices they have made just so that I may be able to realize my own dreams. I use to take the love of my parents for granted, but I learned quickly that while I had the comfort of a loving home and caring family, it was not the norm for many individuals.

In Memory of Norma Rivera

This post is dedicated to my late aunt, Norma Rivera. The post is a written copy of a tribute I gave at her memorial service. Included within the tribute are excerpts from a previous blog post (It’s a Matter of Life and Death).

In Memory of Aunt Norma
Tribute given on: April 16, 2014

No amount of emotional preparation can prepare you for a moment such as this. A moment we all know we will confront at some point in our lives, the moment of our final earthly goodbye to a close friend or family member.