MY WHY: BY Eugene Seals
I am the only boy of 8 kids and I’m #7. I was runner-up for Mr. Basketball and League MVP for my league in 1999-2000, Defensive Player of the year and Co-Captain of my college team and ended my career 9th all-time in block shots and rebounds at 6’6 (the shortest player in the top 10 at the time). I have played for the Clippers summer league team and preseason, I also played overseas for 6 years in Mexico, Columbia, Spain, Greece and Macedonia. I was always considered a leader and I am now the youth leader at my church. I have owned a coffee shop and a basketball training program; I have been an athletic director, a basketball coach and I speak all over the country. All of which is good to have done in 36 years…But this is my resume, and this is not my why. You might care about my resume, but my why is what I am doing. I have a story that needs to be shared, so do you, and you, and you!
Dignity Revolution is a program created by Bob Lenz as an anti-bullying program, but it is so much more. We empower youth to have a voice; we teach youth how to stand up for the value in themselves and others. We teach interpersonal communication and ways to address tough situations. We hope to get into every school in America to stop violence like school shootings and suicide.
We let people know it’s ok to be different. Has anyone ever seen a platypus? Some people consider the platypus a mistake, but I disagree. It’s part fish, it’s part duck, it’s part rodent…a true creation. You are not a mistake just like the platypus is not a mistake. JUST BE YOU!
My WHY is not my resume, but my WHY is to just be me and share about the value of every person. Will you build not just a resume but a legacy? Will you leave a mark that matters and be willing to be like the platypus and be different?