Earlier this year, my friend Finley asked me to speak to a class from the Center of Entrepreneurship and Education's Second Chance program that he was in charge of about my background as a Graphic Designer and a business owner. The Second Chance Program participants have had problems with the law and are in the program to turn their lives around and become more entrepreneurial and employable. When I spoke to them, I hoped that I would be able to inspire them with my story and show them that there are young, visible minorities (A good percentage of them are too) doing positive things in the community.
However, after attending their graduation and hearing about some of their stories the opposite happened. They inspired me. I've faced a lot of the same challenges as most people in this economy and sometimes I feel like the deck is continually stacked against me. Then when I think about the challenges these guys have to overcome on a daily basis my issues seem minor at best. Andre Levingston, owner of the Halifax Rainmen and co-founder of the newly formed Canadian Basketball League gave the keynote speech and woke up something inside me. He applauded the group for their completion of the program and for raising $1000 for the Community YMCA and encouraged them to keep dreaming, dream big and to not be afraid to ask for help. He made me realize that I am not dreaming big enough. I have realistic aspirations for myself and for Glitterati that I am actively pursuing but I also have some far fetched "dreams" that I tell myself will never come true so I more or less give them up. Maybe it's time I let myself believe that those "dreams" ARE possible and ignore those that doubt me (Including myself). I thank him and the Second Chance 2011 graduating class for reminding me that it's still ok to dream.
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