WHEN IT WAS MY TURN, I EXPLAINED
TO THEM WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE, I 
WAS A LOT LIKE THEM.
I DIDN'T HAVE A DAD IN THE 
HOUSE.
I WAS ANGRY ABOUT IT EVEN THOUGH
I DIDN'T NECESSARILY REALIZED AT
THE TIME.
I MADE BAD CHOICES.
I GOT HIGH WITHOUT ALWAYS 
THINKING ABOUT THE HARM IT COULD
DO.
I DIDN'T ALWAYS TAKE SCHOOL AS 
SERIOUSLY AS I SHOULD HAVE.
I MADE EXCUSES.
SOMETIMES I SOLD MYSELF SHORT.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS SAYING 
THIS, CHRISTIAN, YOU MAY 
REMEMBER THIS.
AFTER I WAS FINISHED, THE GUY 
SITTING NEXT TO ME SAID ARE YOU 
TALKING ABOUT YOU?
I SAID YEAH.
AND THE POINT WAS I COULD SEE 
MYSELF IN THESE YOUNG MEN.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT I 
GREW UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT 
WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE FORGIVING.
SO WHEN I MADE A MISTAKE, THE 
CONSEQUENCES WERE NOT AS SEVERE.
I HAD PEOPLE WHO ENCOURAGED ME 
AND NOT JUST MY MOM AND 
GRANDPARENTS, BUT TEACHERS AND 
COMMUNITY LEADERS.
THEY PUSHED ME TO WORK HARD AND 
STUDY HARD AND MAKE THE MOST OF 
MYSELF.
IF I DIDN'T LISTEN, THEY SAID IT
AGAIN.
IF I DIDN'T LISTEN, THEY SAID IT
A THIRD TIME AND THEY WOULD GIVE
ME SECOND CHANCES AND THIRD 
CHANCES.
THEY NEVER GAVE UP ON ME.
SO I DIDN'T GIVE UP ON MYSELF.
I TOLD THESE YOUNG MEN MY STORY 
THEN AND I REPEAT IT NOW BECAUSE
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT EVERY 
CHILD DESERVES THE SAME CHANCES 
THAT I HAD.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY.
TO DO WHAT WE CAN IN THIS YEAR 
OF ACTION TO GIVE MORE YOUNG 
AMERICANS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED 
TO MAKE GOOD CHOICES.
TO BE
