1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Naked Sports, the podcast where we live at 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. Our purpose reveal 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: the common threads that bind them all. So what's happening 4 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: in women's basketball right now is what we've been trying to. 5 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 2: Get to for almost thirty years. 6 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: From the stadiums where athletes to break barriers and set records. 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 2: Caitlin Quark broke the all time single game assists record. 8 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 3: This is crazy for rookies to be doing. 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: Our discussions will uncover the vital connections between these realms 10 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: and the community we create. Welcome to Naked Sports. I'm 11 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: your host, Carrie Champion. I wonder if we can give 12 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 1: people your origin story. Do you mind if we begin 13 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: there with your origin story and transition into this initiative 14 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: and your crusade. I would think to get people who 15 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: were incarcerated or in different positions that probably think their 16 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: life is over, you're helping them get new opportunities. I 17 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: thought it was really interesting, you know that you said 18 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: you've met some of the smartest people in penitentiary and 19 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: they've been in jail, and that you take that street hustle, 20 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: that's a skill set and you're able to use it. 21 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: In the workforce, so I want to ultimately get there, 22 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: but in the beginning, if you don't mind, if you 23 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: could just tell me your first and last name, in 24 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 1: your title position, how you'd like to be identified. 25 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 4: My name is Larry Miller. Currently I am the chairman 26 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 4: of the advisory board for the Jordan Brand head Nike. 27 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 2: I love that. 28 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: I love Jordan Brand. We love anything Jordan Brand in 29 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: any space. We see it often when we're at All 30 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: Star just for ourselves where we shop. A lot of 31 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: the athletes obviously love Jordan brand as well. We have nice, sexy, 32 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: sassy women representing Jordan brand, which I love and even 33 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: I just saw recently Tianna Taylor. That's a new move 34 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: you guys are taking on actresses and actors. 35 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 4: Actually, Tiata Taylor has been a part of the Jordan 36 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 4: family for probably since she was about sixteen years old, 37 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 4: so she's had a connection with the Jordan brand for 38 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 4: quite a few years. She's just kind of blown up 39 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 4: and it's become more known at this point. But yeah, 40 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 4: she's been a part of the Jordan family for quite 41 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 4: a while. 42 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, I think that's genius. Well, here's my question 43 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: from my understanding. Someone who of your stature now, at 44 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: least in the professional world, seems to make people like 45 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: sit up straight when they walk in the room because 46 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: of what you've been able to accomplish. And now your 47 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: story is very familiar with those who know you, But 48 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: for those who don't know you, can you walk me 49 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 1: through growing up in West Philly the life you lived? 50 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 3: Sure? Sure so. 51 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 4: All through elementary school, I was like smart kid, teacher's 52 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 4: pet kind of kid, and going out of my way 53 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 4: to try to please teachers and parents. But once I 54 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 4: got to be like eleven, twelve, thirteen years old, the 55 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 4: street started to pull at me in before I knew it. 56 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 4: When I was twelve thirteen, I joined a gang. I 57 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 4: was in and out of trouble throughout my teenage years. 58 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 4: When I was sixteen years old, I shot another kid 59 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 4: and killed him. I shot in a senseless, unnecessary, gang 60 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 4: related incident. I was charged as an adult at sixteen 61 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 4: was I ended up pleading guilty to second degree murder. 62 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 4: Was sentenced to four and a half to twenty years. 63 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 4: Did the four and a half got my ged while 64 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 4: I was While I was incarcerated, got out back to 65 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 4: the same environment, back to the same situation. And ended 66 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 4: up ending in and out of jail again. The last 67 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 4: time I was arrested, I had five arm robbery charges. 68 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 4: I ended up getting four to ten years for all 69 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 4: of that beat A couple ended up getting four to 70 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 4: ten years. But this time, when I got to the 71 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 4: prison and when I got arrested, this time, I had 72 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 4: decided that I wanted to change my life. I didn't 73 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 4: want to continue to live that type of lifestyle. My 74 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 4: oldest daughter had just been born, and I was kind 75 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 4: of like, hey, I want to be there for her, 76 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 4: so I need to I don't want to live this 77 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 4: life anymore. 78 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 3: But I didn't know how to change. 79 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 4: I didn't know what I needed to do or how 80 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 4: because you know, my life had become like a criminal. 81 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 4: I was a criminal at that point. But when I 82 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 4: got there, I found out that there was a program 83 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,679 Speaker 4: where you could actually take college classes inside the jail, 84 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 4: and then you could qualify to move into trailers that 85 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 4: were parked outside the jail wall and live in those 86 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 4: trailers and leave every day and go to school and 87 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 4: have to be back by eight o'clock at night. Long 88 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 4: story should I ended up getting into that program got 89 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 4: my associate's degree while I was in that program, and 90 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 4: that was really what started me to believe that I 91 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 4: could change my life. I started to really believe that 92 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,919 Speaker 4: through education I could I had an opportunity to change 93 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 4: my life and build something positive with my life. Ended up, 94 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 4: like I said, got my associate's degree from Montgomery County 95 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 4: Community College in Pennsylvania, transferred to a halfway house in 96 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 4: North Philly, and transferred my credits to Temple University in 97 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 4: North Philly. Got my bachelor's degree in accounting. Of all things, 98 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 4: as a criminal, I decided that I wanted to be 99 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 4: an accountant, got my accounting degree, and when I was 100 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 4: about to graduate, there was what was known as the 101 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 4: Big eight accounting firms. 102 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 3: And you know, if your goal was to. 103 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 4: Try to work for one of the Big Eight, and 104 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 4: I had kind of narrowed it down to one that 105 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 4: I was really really interested in, called Arthur Anderson. Ended 106 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 4: up going there, spending the whole day interviewing with a 107 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 4: number of people all day, and in the back of 108 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 4: my mind all day, I'm thinking, should I share my 109 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 4: story with these folks? Because all they knew was I 110 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 4: was a young black man about to graduate with honors 111 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 4: from Temple University, and they were interested, and I was interested. 112 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 4: So ended up spending the whole day interviewing, and all 113 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 4: day I'm thinking I need to share. So finally I 114 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 4: get to the last guy who was like the hiring manager, 115 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 4: and I decided that I'm going to share my story 116 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 4: with him, and so I kind of start to share 117 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 4: with him, and as I'm talking, I can see his 118 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 4: face changing, like not in a good way. And when 119 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 4: I got done, he was like, hey, that's a great story, 120 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 4: and he reached in his pocket he pulled out an 121 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 4: envelope and he said, he said, I have an offer 122 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 4: letter here that I was all ready to give you, 123 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 4: but I can't give it to you now. He said, 124 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 4: I wish you the best, but I can't hire you. 125 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 4: And at that point, there were a lot of things 126 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 4: going through my mind. The first one was, you know, 127 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 4: this has been a waste of my time and effort. 128 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 4: They're never going to let me with my criminal background 129 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 4: build any type of professional career, So maybe I should 130 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 4: just go back to what I know. But I decided 131 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 4: I wasn't going to give up. But I also decided 132 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 4: that I wasn't going to volunteer the information anymore. I 133 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 4: wouldn't lie about it if I asked, I wouldn't, you know, 134 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 4: deny it. But I wasn't going to volunteer it. And 135 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 4: so for basically forty years, that's how I built my career. 136 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 4: People that I'm close to, like I consider family, We're 137 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 4: that close, had no idea about my background. People that 138 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 4: I've worked with for over my career, worked closely with, 139 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 4: had no idea. My oldest daughter for years was pushing me, like, Dad, 140 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 4: you need to share your story. I think it can 141 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:53,239 Speaker 4: motivate and inspire people. And for years I was like, Nope, nope, nope, 142 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 4: I'm not going to do that because I was always 143 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 4: nervous and afraid that if I if it came out somehow, 144 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 4: it would ruin everything I have built up to that point. 145 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 4: But I guess over the years she kind of wore 146 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 4: me down, and over the years I started to feel like, Okay, 147 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 4: I've built a career here. Now I can go ahead 148 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 4: and share this story. And I did start to believe 149 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 4: that it could motivate and inspire people to see that, 150 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 4: you know, someone could come from where I come from 151 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 4: and be able to accomplish the things that I've been 152 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 4: able to accomplish, that it could maybe give people hope, 153 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 4: and especially folks who are who are in the criminal 154 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 4: justice system or have been in the criminal justice system, 155 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,959 Speaker 4: to really inspire them with the fact that you know, 156 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 4: you can change your life. You have to put in 157 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 4: the work and put in the effort, and you have 158 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 4: to be fortunate enough to have some people that believe 159 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 4: in you and will support you in it. But you 160 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 4: can change your life. And so my daughter and I 161 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 4: wrote this book together that came out about four or 162 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 4: five years ago, and it was really. 163 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 3: A really incredible thing for me. It was cathartic for me. 164 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: Uh. 165 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 4: It allowed me to to lift this burden that I 166 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 4: was carrying around for all these years of being afraid 167 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 4: that somehow my story would come out and ruin everything 168 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 4: that I'd done. I had recurring nightmares and migrains just 169 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 4: because I was always anxious and nervous that this would 170 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 4: come out. And since we've we've since we published a book, 171 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 4: it's been it's been amazing to me. I Uh, people 172 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 4: have have really supported me when when I would when 173 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 4: I knew we were going to do this, I kind 174 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 4: of had a list of people that I wanted to 175 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 4: share with so that they heard directly from me. 176 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 3: As opposed to some other way. 177 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 4: And at the top of that list were Michael Jordan 178 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 4: and Phil Knight, and Uh it was during the pandemic, 179 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 4: so I sent both of them a text and said, Hey, 180 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:54,319 Speaker 4: something personal. 181 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 3: I'd like to talk to you about. 182 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 4: And UH ended up talking to Phil Knight first and 183 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 4: kind of shared the story with and his comment to 184 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 4: me was, when you said something personal, I didn't know 185 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 4: what to expect, but I could tell you for sure 186 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 4: it wasn't this. But he said, I think your story 187 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 4: is not only inspirational, but aspirational, and you should share 188 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 4: it and I'll help you in any way I can. 189 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,079 Speaker 4: And then the next day I ended up talking to 190 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 4: Michael Jordan and kind of went through the same deal 191 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 4: with him, and when I was done, I was on 192 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 4: the phone with him. When I was done, it was 193 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 4: silence on the other end of the line. It's probably 194 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 4: only a couple of seconds, but it felt like a 195 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 4: couple hours. And then he said, he said, I agree 196 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 4: with your daughter. You need to share this story, and 197 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 4: anything I can do to help, I will. And so 198 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 4: I figured once those two kind of I had their blessings, 199 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 4: so to speak, that gave me a lot more confidence 200 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 4: that I was doing the right thing by sharing. 201 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: I don't know what space in which you can apply 202 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: for a job and they don't do a background check? 203 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: Is that something that doesn't happen in management school? That 204 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: part of the first The first thing I thought was like, well, 205 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: don't they do a background check? 206 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 2: And wouldn't that drop up? 207 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,560 Speaker 4: So it wasn't a background check. But on my first 208 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 4: job was with Campbell's Soup company, and on the application 209 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 4: it said have you been convicted of a crime in 210 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 4: the last five years? Well, I could truthfully answer that 211 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 4: no because it had been longer than five years, and 212 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 4: that started my career. And I went on if the 213 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 4: question was there, it usually had a time limit on it, 214 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 4: and I could truthfully say no. 215 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 3: But here's his story that I shared with folks after. 216 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:36,199 Speaker 3: So after the book was. 217 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:41,439 Speaker 4: Done, I got a call one day from a guy 218 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 4: named Todd Laiwiki. I don't know if you know who 219 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 4: Todd Todd is. He Todd at the time ran what 220 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 4: was called Vulcan Sports and under and Entertainment for Paul Allen. 221 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 4: For Paul Allen, so he ran the Seahawks, the Trailblazers, 222 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 4: the Sounders, all of Paul's sports and entertainment stuff. Todd 223 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 4: was the president of that, and he's the one that 224 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 4: actually hired me. He was when I went to work 225 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 4: for the Trailblazers. I was president of the Trailblazers for 226 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 4: five years. When I went to work there, Todd was 227 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 4: the one who hired me. And when the book came out, 228 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 4: he sent me a text and said, Hey, next time 229 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 4: you're in Seattle, something I like to talk to you about. 230 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 3: So I was in Seattle. 231 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 4: Him and I go out to breakfast and he starts 232 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,319 Speaker 4: to tell me that when they when they were looking 233 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 4: to hire me, they were like, hey, we want this 234 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 4: is our guy. They had the NFL do the background check, 235 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 4: and these guys went down to City Hall and Philly 236 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 4: went into some back rooms and found all these old 237 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 4: manual records with all my criminal. 238 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:47,319 Speaker 3: Stuff on it. 239 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,239 Speaker 4: And so they get back to Todd with that information, 240 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,559 Speaker 4: and Todd is now kind of conflicted because he still 241 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 4: wants to hire me. 242 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 3: He still thinks I'm the right person for the job. 243 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 2: But I'm sorry. Does Todd know the book isn't out yet? 244 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 2: He knows, no. 245 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:04,559 Speaker 3: The book came out. 246 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 4: The book came out, But then he's trying to he 247 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 4: wanted to share something with me that I didn't know, 248 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 4: and what that was was that because I didn't know 249 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 4: anything about this, what he was sharing with me was 250 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 4: that when they were looking to hire me, they got 251 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:23,959 Speaker 4: the NFL security to do the background check. They found 252 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 4: all this information and took it back to Todd. Todd 253 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 4: now is like torn because he still wants to hire me, 254 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 4: still thinks I'm the right guy for the job, but 255 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 4: he's concerned that if he shares this information with Paul 256 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:41,839 Speaker 4: Allen that Paul would kind of nix it. So he 257 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 4: called David Stern, who was the commissioner of the NBA 258 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 4: at the time, and shared the information with David, who 259 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 4: also still wanted to hire me, and asked David if 260 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 4: he had to share this information with Paul, and so 261 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 4: he said. 262 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 3: David said, yeah, you do. 263 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 4: You can't know this, hire this person and not have 264 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 4: shared the information with the owner. And so he said 265 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 4: he called Paul and he kind of started to talk 266 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 4: to Paul and share this with Paul. 267 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 3: He said. 268 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 4: When he was done, Paul was like, well, I got 269 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 4: one question. He said, Well, he said, how long ago 270 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:14,440 Speaker 4: was this? I don't know, Toy, He said, well, don't 271 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 4: worry about it then, So they hired me anyway, knowing 272 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 4: about my criminal past, but never told me about it. 273 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 4: So I was still worried and concerned that somehow they 274 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 4: would find out. But they already knew and never told 275 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 4: me about it, which to me was well to me, 276 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 4: I have a lot of One of my regrets is 277 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 4: that both Paul Allen and David Stern passed before I 278 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 4: had a chance to thank them for giving me the opportunity. 279 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 4: But what it shows is that they were hiring who 280 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 4: I am today, not who I was back when I 281 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 4: was committing all these criminal acts, and they still decided 282 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 4: to hire me in spite of it. 283 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 2: Why do you think that is? 284 00:14:55,560 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: Oftentimes when people are labeled, they find it difficult to 285 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: to rebound to find grace. What was it about you 286 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: outside of being chosen? And you probably already knew that 287 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: you were chosen, But what was it about the way 288 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: in which you conducted business that allowed people to say, 289 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: that's not who he is. That might have been who 290 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: he was, but that's not who he is. 291 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 4: I think you know, you know, you're right. I think 292 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 4: I had. The difference was I had spent enough time 293 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 4: and had enough time to build up this credibility as 294 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 4: to who I am and how I operate and how 295 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 4: I do business and how I manage people and manage business, 296 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 4: that I think I had a track record that they 297 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 4: could actually look at and say, Okay, yeah, we know 298 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 4: about all that other stuff, but we also see this 299 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 4: this positive track record here. The problem is a lot 300 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 4: of people come home don't have that track record to show, 301 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 4: so it's hard for them to get past the fact 302 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 4: that this criminal, uh, this criminal. 303 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 3: Stuff is in their background. 304 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 4: But I think for me, it was really the fact 305 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 4: that I had a track record of having been somebody 306 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 4: who you know, had these positive qualities that they were 307 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 4: looking for. So I think that's really what it came 308 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 4: down to. They they when they talked to when they 309 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 4: got this information, this criminal information, they compared that with 310 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 4: who they who they knew, and who they had met, 311 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 4: and with all the things that I'd been able to 312 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 4: do in my in my career at that point, and 313 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 4: I think that's what made the difference for me. 314 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: Well, Larry, you say it so matter of factly, you know, 315 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 1: and I know that you obviously have personally, not even 316 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: just professionally, personally, had to come to a place where 317 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: you forgave yourself for being someone you didn't want to 318 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: be when you were a child and you were figuring 319 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: it out that you know, I couldn't imagine how difficult 320 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: that had to be for you. But then you have this, 321 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: this this opportunity to change the narrative for black men. 322 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: We often see and hear how black men don't get 323 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: these opportunities once they have been a die has been cast. 324 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: If you will, do you think I mean while being 325 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: the president of the Portland Trail Blazers, taking the Jordan 326 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: brand from a certain financial amount of being worth over 327 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: several billion dollars. Now, from my understanding, I think there 328 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 1: is a consistency there of how you were able to 329 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 1: operate and move were you would you consider yourself one 330 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: of the great marketers in this industry? Is it a 331 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: business of relationships for you and how you treat people 332 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: or how you are able to bring the best out 333 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: of people? Is it how you manage your surroundings? What 334 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,640 Speaker 1: do you think has contributed to your consistent success? You're 335 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: the chairman of the board? 336 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 3: Correct? 337 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:53,680 Speaker 2: Am I wrong in saying. 338 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 4: That's chairman of the advisory board. So we created an 339 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 4: advisory board for the Jordan Brand, and I'm the chairman 340 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 4: of the advisory board, but for many years I ran 341 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 4: to Jordan Brand. 342 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: I mean just very casually, very throw away, just like, yeah, 343 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,640 Speaker 1: no big deal, and so then that's fine. 344 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 2: I'm blown away. So I need people to understand you. 345 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: You're very matter of fact, but that is a huge 346 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: responsibility and everyone knowing that you had this magnificent story 347 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: which is aspirational, yes, and inspiring. 348 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 4: Well, I agree with you. I think it's it was 349 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:31,360 Speaker 4: a little bit of all of those things. I think 350 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:36,479 Speaker 4: it's how I treated people. I think it's my management style. 351 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 4: I think I have a pretty good creative vision. 352 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 3: I think I'm able to come up with visions and say, hey, you. 353 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 4: Know what, this is what I think we should do 354 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 4: or we should consider this. And I think it's been 355 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 4: my my approach and how I interact with people. Relationships, 356 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:02,479 Speaker 4: to me, are extremely important in building a career in 357 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:06,679 Speaker 4: business or anywhere. I think having relationships with people and 358 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 4: to me, you know, I'm not big on the word 359 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 4: networking because to me, networking means I'm trying to get 360 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 4: something from you. But I prefer that you're building relationships 361 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 4: with people, because to me, that indicates to me that 362 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 4: it's a two way situation that hey, we can help 363 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 4: each other or we can look out for each other. 364 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 4: I'm going to be there for you if you need me, 365 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 4: and I know if I need you, you're going to 366 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 4: be there for me. To me, those are the kind 367 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 4: of real relationships that make a difference. And I think 368 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 4: in business sometimes it's challenging to build those kind of relationships, 369 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,400 Speaker 4: but I think the benefit if you're able to do that, 370 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 4: is extremely, extremely beneficial to be able to build relationships 371 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:55,640 Speaker 4: with people that they know you're there for them if 372 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 4: they need you, and vice versa, and a lot of times, 373 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 4: you know, in business world, it's a little it's difficult 374 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 4: to to work those kind of relationships. But I feel 375 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,439 Speaker 4: blessed that I've been able to build a lot of 376 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 4: those relationships over the years. 377 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 2: How long did you keep this a secret? 378 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 1: And thank goodness for your daughter, but how long did 379 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: you keep this a secret? 380 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 4: Probably about thirty years or so, it's not more, if 381 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 4: not long. So heavy and I I mean, I had 382 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 4: recurring nightmares of being you know, I'd be I'd wake 383 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:31,439 Speaker 4: up in a cold sweat after dreaming that I was 384 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 4: in the back of a police car, or I was 385 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 4: in front of a judge or in a cell, and 386 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 4: so it was never far from me, and it was 387 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 4: I had migrains so bad I ended up in the 388 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 4: er a number of times. 389 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 3: And I know all of that. 390 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 4: Was the pressure that I was feeling, because I was 391 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 4: always worried and concerned that somehow this story would come 392 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 4: out and it would it would ruin everything. After the 393 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 4: book came came out, and what actually once I started 394 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 4: sharing with my daughter, so the process that we used, 395 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 4: her and I would get together and she'd ask questions, 396 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 4: I tell stories, We talk and she would record it 397 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:15,479 Speaker 4: and then go back and transcribe it. And then at 398 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 4: the end we had this document. It wasn't really a book, 399 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 4: it was just all this information and we ended up 400 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 4: working with a ghostwriter who helped us put it in 401 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 4: book form. But even when I started talking to her 402 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,919 Speaker 4: and started sharing and getting stuff out with her, the 403 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 4: nightmare stopped, the migraines stopped, because this this burden I 404 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 4: was king, was gone. 405 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 1: Had any power over you because you put the sea, 406 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: you brought it to light. I feel like that's so beautiful, 407 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: it's it's such a teachable moment. 408 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 4: You're absolutely right. I you know what I was fearing, 409 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,120 Speaker 4: I didn't fear anymore. You know what I was anxious 410 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 4: and worried about, I didn't And you know, I think 411 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 4: it was Again I thank my daughter all the time too, 412 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 4: because I think, uh, the opportunity to tell the story 413 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 4: on my own terms, not trying to defend myself because 414 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 4: somehow it came out, has made a major difference as well. 415 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 4: So it's like like a burdensman lifted off my shoulders, 416 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 4: and you know feel I used to always feel also that, 417 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 4: especially when I was talking to young people and I 418 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 4: talk about my career and stuff, but I couldn't really 419 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,160 Speaker 4: tell them about how I got to where I am 420 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 4: and the things I had to go through. And I 421 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 4: always felt like I was cheating the folks that I 422 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 4: was talking to because I wasn't really telling them the 423 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 4: whole story. And I always had to always felt like 424 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 4: I had to be careful with my words because I 425 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 4: didn't want to say anything that would raise questions like well, 426 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 4: what do you mean or how does it you know 427 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 4: what I mean, so that people would start to dig deeper. 428 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 3: So I always was you know. 429 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 4: It is and at the same time, I'm trying to 430 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 4: build this career and manage this business, and I got 431 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:00,679 Speaker 4: a family, I got all these things in but I'm still, 432 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 4: you know, still worried about and worried about whether or 433 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 4: not this would come out. 434 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: So the book, you tell the people. You have a 435 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,239 Speaker 1: short list of people you need to tell. These are 436 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: the people who have helped you, invested in you, perhaps 437 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: hired you, but you've you've formed relationships with them, and 438 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: you wanted them to know you were very honest about 439 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: who you were. So you get to the space and 440 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: you have this book, which is still available. You can 441 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 1: still buy it wherever you get books, if you are 442 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 1: listening and or watching and now the works you've transitioned. 443 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 1: You saw what you were able to do. And I 444 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: allude to this because you mentioned it also in the 445 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: book that you met some of the who you believe 446 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: some of the greatest minds while while you were in jail. 447 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: And I don't doubt that there is a skill set 448 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: to being a criminal. You're just putting your skill set 449 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: to the royal use, right. There is a skill set 450 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: to be being a hustler. You're a businessman in very 451 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: different ways. There's a business person in very in another 452 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:07,879 Speaker 1: type of way, and I believe that wholeheartedly. If you had, 453 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: if anyone has had any experience with criminals, you're like, 454 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 1: what a mastermind? So now there is this you are 455 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 1: working on an initiative, initiative, and it's for to appeal 456 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: to criminal justice reform. What would you like to see 457 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: because I think in your story you were sentenced at 458 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: sixteen years old for second degree manslaughter I believe, and 459 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: it was four and a half years or four years 460 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: to twenty and you served four and a half and 461 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: that could have could you could have done twenty and 462 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: twenty years of your life could have been gone, and 463 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 1: this could have been a totally different story. What is 464 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,719 Speaker 1: the reform the initiative that you are working on based 465 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 1: off of your life story and what you've been able 466 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 1: to learn as an executive someone who's made it. 467 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 4: So for me, I think a couple of things. One 468 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 4: of the reasons that my daughter was able to convince 469 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 4: me to do this is that I think my life, 470 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 4: my journey is kind of a testament to the fact 471 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,679 Speaker 4: that people can change their life, and not only change 472 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 4: their life, but can become productive citizens, people that can 473 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 4: become taxpayers instead of people that we pay taxes to 474 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 4: take care of and so to me, the opportunity to 475 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 4: show that it can be done was one of the 476 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 4: major reasons that I wanted to write this book. But 477 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 4: now what I'm where I am now is like, how 478 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 4: can I help provide opportunities for other people to be 479 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 4: able to use their intellect their creativity in a positive 480 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 4: way and be able to build life where they can 481 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:46,200 Speaker 4: come home and take care of their families and contribute 482 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 4: to their communities. And again, to me, it is about 483 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 4: providing opportunities for people. Like I said, some of the 484 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 4: most creative, intelligent people I've ever met are people I 485 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 4: met while I was incarcerated. The issue is, for the 486 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 4: most part, these folks were not in a situation where 487 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 4: they could express that creativity and that intellect in a 488 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 4: positive way, and so they used it. However, however they could, 489 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 4: and I think if given the opportunity, if given the 490 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 4: ability to change their lives and given the ability to 491 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:26,159 Speaker 4: build something positive with their life, I'm one hundred percent 492 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,879 Speaker 4: convinced that the majority of people would take advantage of 493 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 4: that opportunity. And so one of the things I'm pretty 494 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 4: i guess I'm pretty proud of is that Harvard Business 495 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 4: school took the book when it came out and they 496 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,919 Speaker 4: wrote a case study based on the book, and I 497 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,639 Speaker 4: actually was at Harvard the first time they taught it, 498 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:52,120 Speaker 4: and it was an NBA Executive NBA program, so leaders 499 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 4: and future leaders in business were the people who were 500 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 4: being taught this class. But one of the arts that 501 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 4: they showed that they showed in the in the case 502 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:09,199 Speaker 4: study showed that at the time, the recidivism rate was 503 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 4: seventy seven percent, meaning seventy seven percent of people get 504 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 4: out and within two to three years. 505 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 3: They're back in the system. 506 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 4: But it also showed that if people were able to 507 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:23,719 Speaker 4: learn a marketable skill set where they could you know, 508 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 4: make a decent living, you know, learn some type of 509 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 4: skill set, trade or whatever, that that in that scenario 510 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 4: the seventy seven percent dropped to thirty percent. If people 511 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 4: were able to get a bachelor's degree, it dropped to 512 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 4: six percent, and with the masters it was at zero. 513 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,400 Speaker 4: So to me, that's a clear indication if people are 514 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 4: able to, you know, either through education through some type 515 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 4: of training, are able to build a life for themselves, 516 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 4: are able to have hope that they can build a 517 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 4: life for themselves, people don't go back to jail under 518 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 4: that scenario. And I'm a firm believer that if we 519 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 4: can reduce the reciptivism rate, that we can reduce overall crime. 520 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 4: Because the majority of crime right now is being committed 521 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 4: by people who were already in the system. If we 522 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 4: could take some of those people and keep them from 523 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 4: getting back in the system, I think it would reduce 524 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 4: crime overall. So what we're doing with with JUMP is 525 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 4: we called our organization JUMP with stands for Justice and 526 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:31,400 Speaker 4: Upward Mobility Project. We're we're really looking to work with UH, 527 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 4: with companies, whether it's corporations, We're looking to work with 528 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 4: athletes and UH. We're doing things for instance, with the 529 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 4: with the NBA, we're working with the Players Coalition UH 530 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 4: and and through entertainment, through business and through sports. We 531 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 4: think that there's an opportunity here to figure out how 532 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 4: we can provide opportunities for people to be able to 533 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 4: change their lives. 534 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: You were able to, obviously with your relationship with sports, 535 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: you were able to partner with and introduce this program. 536 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 2: I know I read Super Bowl. 537 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: I think you were doing something with Malcolm at the 538 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 1: Player's Coalition with Malcolm Jenkins, something created by Malcolm Jenkins, 539 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: and we got to forget the other. 540 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 4: Player, yeah Jenkinson. 541 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 2: Bolden, Oh yeah, yeah. 542 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: And also you have partnered with a few teams in 543 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 1: the NBA. What are those relationships, what do they look like, 544 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: what do they what do they provide? 545 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 4: So with the Players Coalition, it really provides another platform 546 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 4: for us to be able to use to tell this 547 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:49,959 Speaker 4: story and to get this information out. One of the 548 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 4: major things that we're trying to do is to change 549 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 4: the narrative, change the narrative about people who've been in 550 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 4: the system, and not have everybody spread with the same narrative. 551 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 3: To be able to. 552 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 4: Say, hey, you know, there are a lot of people 553 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 4: who have been in the system but have come home 554 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 4: and been able to be contributors to their communities, to 555 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 4: their families, and so working with we've developed an incredible 556 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 4: relationship with the Players Coalition. We did have an event 557 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 4: a Super Bowl Week in the Saturday before Super Bowl 558 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 4: where we basically shared some of what we're doing, They 559 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 4: shared what they're doing, and we talked about how we're 560 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 4: partnering on some of these things, how we're partnering on 561 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 4: re entry and trying to provide opportunities for people coming 562 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 4: back into society from the system. With the NBA, we 563 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 4: actually have an apprentice program that we're able to get 564 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 4: young men who have been either in the system or 565 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 4: teetering on the brink of being in the system into 566 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 4: the dis apprentice program. And we've got four teams that 567 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 4: are involved now, and we've actually got young men who've 568 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:02,520 Speaker 4: been placed with these teams with the idea that they 569 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:07,480 Speaker 4: can learn and actually it can develop into roles within 570 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 4: the organizations. And so we're starting with four we're working 571 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 4: with four NBA teams right now and the goal is 572 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 4: to get this program going with every NBA team we 573 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 4: were working with and talking to us some there are 574 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 4: some companies out there, some corporations out there that have 575 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,960 Speaker 4: that have taken on re entry and have taken on 576 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,400 Speaker 4: second chance, hiring it in a big way and are 577 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 4: doing some great work with it. Low's Corporation, uh Loew's 578 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 4: Home Home Home Remodeling. They've hired over fifty two thousand 579 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 4: people who have currently been in the criminal justice system 580 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 4: and uh And when the way they rate employees ranked 581 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:59,719 Speaker 4: their employees, the folks out of that program consistently outranked 582 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 4: their of their employee base. So it just shows that 583 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 4: you know, when you get folks who've been in the system, 584 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 4: who've had some issues, but they've had a chance to 585 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 4: turn their life around, usually you get the best out 586 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 4: of those people when you give them an opportunity. 587 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 3: JP. 588 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 4: Morgan Chase is another one that's in this, you know, 589 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 4: the largest bank in the world. They've hired over twenty 590 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 4: one thousand people who were formerly in the system. And 591 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 4: again that's both of these are being driven directly by 592 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 4: the CEOs and leaders of those companies who are saying, 593 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 4: this is important to us, and we want to get 594 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 4: behind this and support it. And so you know, we're 595 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:44,120 Speaker 4: looking to use that those type of narratives to get 596 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 4: other companies and other corporations to get involved, because if 597 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 4: they can see the results of what's happening with the 598 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 4: companies who have done it, then maybe that would open 599 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 4: them up to be more willing to take advantage or 600 00:32:56,680 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 4: to provide these opportunities. 601 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: You're a great ambassador spokesperson for this. I think that 602 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 1: is truly, honestly what probably the calling has always been 603 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: and what your legacy will really really hang its hat on. 604 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:16,200 Speaker 1: I'm curious, just in a vulnerable space, are you ever 605 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: ashamed of your past? No matter how successful. 606 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 4: You are, always and the biggest burden that I've carried 607 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 4: around all these years has been the fact that I 608 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 4: took the life of a young black man for. 609 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 3: No particular, no reason. 610 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 4: It was senseless, it was I was drunk, I was 611 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 4: sixteen years old, I was angry, and it was something 612 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 4: that I regret every single day of my life, the 613 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 4: fact that I know I was responsible for that. One 614 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,480 Speaker 4: of the benefits that has come out of this is 615 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 4: that I was able to meet with the family of 616 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 4: the young man who I shot. 617 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 3: His name is David White. I was able to meet with. 618 00:33:56,560 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 4: His family and share how sorry and remorseful I am 619 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 4: for what I did and how every day I wish 620 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 4: I could go back and undo it. And having the 621 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 4: opportunity to meet with them, they each spoke about how 622 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 4: what happening impacted them, but at the end of each 623 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 4: one of them speaking, they said, but I forgive you. 624 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 4: And that was one of the most powerful things that 625 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:24,399 Speaker 4: came out of this for me, because to you made 626 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:29,120 Speaker 4: this point earlier. I've been working on forgiving myself over 627 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 4: the years. Definitely have asked God for forgiveness and to 628 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:36,240 Speaker 4: have the family be willing to forgive me as well 629 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 4: has been has been major for me. So that, to 630 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 4: me is probably the most important thing for me that 631 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 4: came out of this whole whole situation, because again I've 632 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:51,360 Speaker 4: carried that around for all these years, and just like 633 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:55,920 Speaker 4: I said, just realized, like you know, how remorseful I 634 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,560 Speaker 4: am for what I did. And hopefully you know there's 635 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:02,279 Speaker 4: you know, young man out there who's about to do 636 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 4: something stupid, who may hear what I have to say 637 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:07,440 Speaker 4: and hear my story and decide not to do it. 638 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 4: But it's really, of course I do feel shame. But 639 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 4: you know, one of the things that I've learned and 640 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 4: worked on for myself, and I share this with other people, 641 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:25,399 Speaker 4: there really shouldn't be shame in overcoming obstacles. 642 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:29,279 Speaker 3: You know. The shame should be and is if you. 643 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 4: Don't overcome the obstacles and you don't do anything better 644 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,719 Speaker 4: with your life. But to me, you know, because you've 645 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:39,879 Speaker 4: had some struggles and you've had some challenges and you're 646 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:43,040 Speaker 4: able to get over and get past those struggles and challenges, 647 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,319 Speaker 4: the reality is that's not something you should be ashamed of, 648 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:54,400 Speaker 4: but it is. And the reality is I won't say shame. 649 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 4: I would say regretful. I would say I've been regretful 650 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 4: of what I've done, But I do believe also that 651 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 4: and you mentioned earlier about being chosen. I do believe 652 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 4: also that everything that I've done, everything that's happened in 653 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 4: my life, has led me up to this point and 654 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:14,040 Speaker 4: has put me in a position to try to help 655 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:18,800 Speaker 4: some other people. So yeah, but I do still carry 656 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 4: the regret for the things that I've done for sure. 657 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 1: Well, I find that most people have some sort We're 658 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: just hard on ourselves, how we operate. It's so interesting, 659 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: especially high achieving people. We're just very hard on ourselves. 660 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 1: And I think that you know, forgiveness is a journey. 661 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:40,480 Speaker 1: I think the best part is that you've You've taken 662 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 1: the load off of your shoulders by telling this secret 663 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 1: that was holding you back in so many ways, healing, growing, 664 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 1: getting rid of the regret, understanding it. What a beautiful 665 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:55,480 Speaker 1: story and in an inspiring one. Like I said before, 666 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: I mean, it really is something special. When they do 667 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:02,360 Speaker 1: the movie, I can be I can play the reporter 668 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 1: who interviews you in case you are looking. You know, 669 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:07,640 Speaker 1: you don't have to do a casting call, you don't 670 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 1: have to go too far. 671 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 3: Check check you got it, You got it. 672 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:14,520 Speaker 2: You got it. Is there anything that I need to 673 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:15,319 Speaker 2: know what's coming up? 674 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:16,920 Speaker 1: Do you have any programs that are coming up, anything 675 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:19,400 Speaker 1: that we need to look for, anything that is surrounded 676 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:21,800 Speaker 1: by any particular event. I know you had Super Bowl 677 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 1: and I think All Star Weekend. Maybe you did some 678 00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:27,160 Speaker 1: things as well. Is there any any programming around any 679 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 1: live events that you want to talk about. 680 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:33,279 Speaker 4: Well, we don't have anything specific programmed as far as 681 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 4: live events right now, but we are continuing to work 682 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:40,360 Speaker 4: with the NBA, continuing to work with the NFL, continuing 683 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:43,880 Speaker 4: to work with companies that we're involved in to build 684 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 4: programs that can really help folks to, like I said, 685 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 4: to be able to come home and not just survive, 686 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:56,160 Speaker 4: but the thrive. Our goal overall is to create a 687 00:37:56,239 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 4: million jobs into the future of for for folks who've 688 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 4: been in the system but have the ability to come 689 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:09,160 Speaker 4: home and be contributors. Uh, you know, so we we 690 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,839 Speaker 4: and and and we also are focused on reducing recidivism 691 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 4: because again I think those two go hand in hand. 692 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 4: If we can create opportunities for people, they don't go 693 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 4: back to jail. I was at an event and there 694 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:25,839 Speaker 4: was a woman there who was speaking about about having 695 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,680 Speaker 4: been in the system, and her boss was there, the 696 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:31,000 Speaker 4: person that she worked for, and he talked about what 697 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 4: a great employee she was and what a great job 698 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:38,839 Speaker 4: she was doing. And someone asked her about the opportunity 699 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:41,360 Speaker 4: that she had been given and she said, you know, 700 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 4: I don't see it as an opportunity, she said, I 701 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 4: see it as a privilege. And if you got people 702 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 4: working for you who see it as a privilege to 703 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 4: come and be apart those you're going to get the 704 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,480 Speaker 4: absolute best out of those people. And I know for 705 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 4: myself when I heard her say that, that's what was 706 00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:59,760 Speaker 4: my thought was every every day when I was getting 707 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:01,759 Speaker 4: up on the work because I was like, man, this 708 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:04,120 Speaker 4: is a privilege. I get to do this instead of 709 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:07,480 Speaker 4: walk the penitentiary yard or you know, I'm asked. So 710 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,960 Speaker 4: for me, I was going to give it the best, 711 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 4: give it my best. And I think I think for 712 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:16,279 Speaker 4: most people who come out of the system and get 713 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:19,759 Speaker 4: those opportunities like that, you're gonna get the best out 714 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:22,480 Speaker 4: of those folks because they don't see it as an opportunity, 715 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:23,719 Speaker 4: see as a privilege. 716 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,880 Speaker 2: What a blessing. Larry Millard, thank you so much for 717 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 2: coming on the pod. I appreciate it. 718 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:32,560 Speaker 1: It has been very, very very wonderful to hear your 719 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:37,799 Speaker 1: story inspiring for me and also just naked how it is. 720 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,880 Speaker 1: You just speak the truth and I appreciate it. Naked 721 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:45,240 Speaker 1: Sports written and executive produced by me Carrie Champion, produced 722 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:48,960 Speaker 1: by Jock Lees Thomas, sound design and mastered by Dwayne Crawford. 723 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:51,400 Speaker 1: Naked Sports is a part of the Black Effect podcast 724 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:52,720 Speaker 1: network in iHeartMedia