I'd like to thank my %uh and everyone
else arming   
at Long Beach City College for giving me
this opportunity to speak to you
and share my story with you and I was
led by saying that
I'm appear speaking but I'm up you're
not speaking to you
more action but I'm speaking here with
you home
I hope to do that it could be a
collaborative experience
where we learn from each other I'm
because I think the way we learn and
connect
is by sharing our stories and sharing
ourselves one another human being I'm
afraid I would like to tell you that
I'm know better than anyone else in this
room my pain has been no greater than
anyone else's pain
and my story is but just one
among many our viewers so I hope happens
today
is that we learn from each other as much
as this paradox happens
where we think that we are original
individuals and don't need another one
or another person to keep going we
sometimes feel that we are alone
in this world as tough as we say we are
in appear to be
but we're not alone we are human beings
a much more connected than me
and need each other more than we think
I have many billy goats that I remember
throughout my life with the first one me
I'm the combined effort everybody I have
ever known
I'm the combined effort to
everybody I have ever known by Chuck
Palahniuk wasn't me
meaning yes I'm an individual yes you
are an individual
yes my name is Jamie as well as I love
you have warnings
yes I have suffered throughout my life
to get here where I am today
but without you
in his room and everyone else that I
have met drop my life my story
would not have existed or continued to
exist
and that's very important for me
so I hope that what happened is that I
love you realize your own story
what is your story and ask yourself
your muscles that relate to you in your
world
what Israel do you have a little
what do you hope to accomplish
and I'm what have you accomplished
already
that continues is great experience your
life that shithole
you're mine how would you like to be
remembered
I hope you realize that we are all
important as well
allman sitting here today I'm I hope you
realize that our energies
your energy as a singer matters
you and our stories
your story must be here if you have not
done so already
so the right into the window rim
let me just and my my introduction by
saying one thing
we all have in common in his room
already
without even speaking to you and without
really knowing each other
one thing I can say is that what we all
have in common is that we have
Feldman we have all summer time
homeowner loans
and for some a buzz
our life isn't there is no ice because
now he was
my interests as I speak to you are a
little bit later
about my studies menninger somebody from
all around the concept of summer
and no it is not you know gonna be a
depressing
yes this consists of a lot of you know
really
things that cause reaction political
really happens like I said before
that we can all ask personal
and please feel free to interrupt me if
you have questions I want to please
you raise your hand in Aspen if you
aren't clear about something please ask
speaking to me
I and European I'm
so as I was saying because the majors
with a problem because it was something
writer's prison life the question always
remains after the storm
how do we continue and that is a very
important question
not just to our survival your survival
but your legacy
how do you continue after every
challenge you have faced
in your life and will continue to face
I'm
how we doing mylan okay
ok yes alright awesome thank you okay
I'm I'm
so I was born in Los Angeles add to an
immigrant governor in family
I I want a Catholic family both the man
and woman
that greeted me had their share stories
as
all around yes I remember a couple happy
moments
in my child but unfortunately most of my
childhood
is really the people members I accept
them however
and I'm not ashamed of my scars as the
usual
because not every experience that we
live there
it makes the person we are today I was a
cutter
I was molested as a child my mother
later 11 my brothers and I
as a child and I struggle boss being
different I'm
after attempting suicide and have it
mailed I run away and be able
and injured in the bombing challengers
as well I was institutionalized until
the HP
up nineteen again if it weren't for
the great social worker and
understanding judge a loving way
resistor
counselors and therapists features
people in and around the %um
that share the same experiences I was
going to and similar situations I
wouldn't be standing here today speaking
to you
but there is one more important aspect
to this question on well this
which was a question I always that I
wasn't made inside me and I always do
last
actually ask myself even today after
something has happened
now on after a challenge in my life now
world
terribly well as long as I was asking
when did I and many after the storm
what did I want at some yes in some
other places I was in from the very
beginning I had to prove to others
that why that I was probably shouldn't
be on the inside
yes I had to carry myself as tough as
nails
my soul million in isolation in some
other places I was in
my room many different places that I was
in
teenagers had only bars on the windows
and at times the resolution under the
Sun
shining through a crack on the wall or
seeing the Sun through a gated fence was
enough for me
my made to keep me
and seen and imagine what the next day
you like didn't know that was moved from
in the hospital to group homes
two senators Democrat hall which no
longer exists now I always will be down
inside me
that there was something out there
better for me
you can call it was gone
you can call it a soul you can call it
energy you can call you should reveal
you can call it baby are call it
whatever suits your world
in Hindu happens as well I called
I was a young child without pain
rebelling questioning fighting curious
but finding a sec accepting the reality
is that not just my mind
life in general after nobody does
118 per day and the done thing to say in
my mind telling me
that he could have spent is energy on
someone that actually want to live
something something as I saw him walk
away that day
and I think it was a realization
but I was writing my own chapters my own
love life
it was the beginning of the realization
than I was the one in control of my
actions up my
consequences up mind suffering I want to
control it might be
because pain is inevitable problem
but what Islam is are some at the age of
18 individuals are you there man speeded
for institutionalize adult because I was
considered a high-risk you
I was kept for next 3 years old when he
bowled at a group home
I had to prove not just my cell but also
home to the judge
my social worker and everyone rooting
for me that I could make it
and Berlin here that's exactly what I
did
I actually bought until I could no
longer
I worked on my anger management my story
on my
outcomes and I graduated high school
with a 4.0 GPA
and with me
and he made it home among Regional High
School at the age of 19 I applied to
america perhaps
have you heard American okay okay
so there's like the peace corps which is
international cars in the United States
great program if you're interested look
it up %uh something
I certainly wouldn't hear and 20 min I
actually did on the state
in a game dominated in our neighborhood
in I'm
and I loved it I were divided
18-year-old and we open the safe haven
for an after school
at like with an after school program
identification were detained at City
College for the first time I actually
went into the city college
for the very first time action did okay
actually
however I had just moved out emancipated
from the ZS
with another young man from my crippled
and we tended to be around we rented
this apartment in LA
but we realized how top was out there
not only have we not been talking about
budgeting
writing checks credit how the choices
that we made
and the consequences were gonna affect
us both academically
and personally I don't even know how to
cook
but we tried and failed and we could not
actually afford to do so unveiled
miserably
I just got a billion colony
I moved in with another friend that
allow them to live rent-free
while attempting to look for another job
wall I'm early morning
term ended I'm
I'm moving to a new city called mumble
and my first time actually have Romero I
went
to a Albertsons already a member
Albertans
yet they don't exist anymore yes
California I'm not at all
are and my little actually
position was as a regular and
I remember the first members lost I
remember speaking to remember telling my
story
and I was actually higher numbers did
and not only actually nevermind bruting
come after americorps
as an independent individual
but I was looking friends and made a lot
of amazing people
works on all my friends what concern on
my family I don't that's cool again this
time
at Long Beach City College but yet again
I'm failing
miserably the personals here I ended
with 8mm
withdrawal I had one
and one I did not know a financially
I did not know what all the programs
that is that out there
I did not know what all the resources in
a row this
I did not know that building and
developing relationships
professors other schemes were appointed
be necessary
take him to the next level so when they
do actually dropped out again
and I failed miserably in home
what I did is actually ended up going
into the way more than actually
started looking for jobs and as the
years passed
I'm coming in you know me or maybe
you're
Carson three well I actually open that
store when it was nothing but
heard back then actually nunnally the
a whole wall exist at the town center
and I got my first job there and I was
like a part-time seasonal employees
well seven years later I was the only
gap incorporated
I was a logistics manager for Gap and
again the more runs
and with all my heart a group that I
later now
all my family now yes I was earning
money
yes I am moved up the ladder
yes and the job didn't do the passion on
yes I agree with that but for me
it was an unfulfilling experience and I
always have one regret
my rear end was I hadn't finished my
heart education
I always lived with his regret every
time I log on
saying what would it be like finish
school if I had a college degree
really like like someone remembers up
the last congressional report however
I'm here was making close to fifty five
thousand dollars a year
without a degree but I can tell you that
he did
every time I would wake up in the
morning and the things I would do
in the day for me because I think I'm
yes I was able to drop
because I think I was able to survive
but I was just doing that
surviving I wasn't living I
no always ask myself these questions and
I'm
filled with questions I still have
questions actually try my professors are
usually crazy because I
commonly asked questions them but that's
a good thing
please always ask questions with this my
purple
and I didn't have an answer but not only
was the question was is my perm is but
is this how I wanna to share my cell
until the daytime
told the and you'll always know
so what I did was what I don't
promoter I resigned without a job
and no plan but I resigned
and began to surging
and I did take a little bit of that pay
was like a severance pay that they
giving up two years I'm and when
traveling I went to Central America
went to Guatemala Honduras and at the
time
I had a close relationship good because
that you can call relation to the man
that really mean
yet all we had cancer and wanted to make
amends and we took this opportunity to
visit Central America
and it was a really memorable trip
for I was based at that yet again
and when I say that in my life I'm
really isolated
with a chuckle for me because it's not
one of those things that we say dramatic
like all my Nana his it was really
industrial experience
my father and my little brother and I
were
like swimming in dangerous waters arm
but we didn't know that
in El Salvador basically something to
the ocean
and I began to drown and I saw mike von
when I remembered
I have other details here but what I can
tell you the most memorable
why remember this is because as I was
slowing
water and I was watching
on this person drown and I felt this
panic in my soul what I remember for a
split second
was one the sky looking fun
and as always and the Sun there's always
us on my back
which is why later on described what my
organization we call
are and all I can think about
when my immigrant my
all I could think about was
now all my life have been 1 but instead
I was thinking
what had I not done I have to make a
long story short
I'm thankfully of course we're actually
rescued by a lot of people that made a
national chain
and rescue not just only me and my
brother fallen
I'll but after that day
my film in silence but for me
in London on my experience of mine
because when I came back to the states
I had another machines want me
me happy where and I'm happens
and one hand and whatever remembered
came to me was when I was a member
working with
kid and injuring myself on
having other regions of me in listening
to their stories
but I'm
how we doing do you have any questions
are
are we going okay thank you thank you
again
for listening
a modern
up
up well
when I came back I said it was
americorps
and so what did I do I actually ended up
applying again to americorps
raise your the second term in America
but this time I did it with happens and
humanity
if this is a problem how many have you
heard Habitat for Humanity yes
I work with Habitat for Humanity which
is a housing organisation
and because of my life skills before
in the retail industry I use those
skills
to coordinate the opening a recycling
business was nonprofit the sports this
saturday by the way if you wanna go in
the city of Montclair
but again I also made friends and I now
consider my family however I noticed
something I was there
what I noticed is as people walked in
because it was a low-income
community the people that will go in
there not only wanted
advise for like home improvement but
they actually wanted advice
life skills how do you do
taxes howdy who no other different
things
how can we were with you know my
childhood
was an interesting thing because here we
had created his nonprofit
with selling houses we had this little
space
and I dot I have an idea I'm going to
create a class on
and so actually a volunteer I
and I she was working on a master's at
the time we put together a plan
said politcal in the classroom and we
will provide things like life skills
like budgeting like
you know how do you file taxes how do
you work with no federal
you know resources but because it was
shut down because
Habitat for Humanity is a howling
organization but the president after
up the organizations that to me you know
if not here
may be amended and immediately
what came to mind was have too much
school have to do it
have to look at a dream so what happened
is exactly that
I applied actually again to Long Beach
City College after finishing my German
2010
I've earned another Education Award and
I attended Long Beach City College again
and this time
I was bill with questions and
I was ready to do anything I could
to make this thing happen I moved your
friends arrive
have two part-time jobs I was really an
rentals freedom
in a museum and I was also looking at
them
no transmission and engine and again
I'm a I'm and amazing people and I still
not consider
my family me %um Martin gentleman
I'm same end
John is mine were not my family at one
with the college thing to do
great individuals are professors just to
name a few Phyllis arias
doctor restructure Karen rose Daria
rosenberg real
rubin age my and everybody else
that was a part of my journey here it
was because I love them
that I stand here today as well and also
thanks to the programs like minded
how many have you funded awesome when
these bus
yes season whether pointed the Honors
Program
I see couple the other that's right CCCP
real GDP is
yes californian community college
programs partnerships
TSP I get to the new world out there and
my vision to myself again tomorrow
after being on the North Campus Store
here
where they take you out different
campuses from California amazing
experience
because I found on the Stanford yeah I
like bergen
I fell in love with easy senators and
fell in love with healing
and that's exactly what I did actually
come november thirtieth
2012 I applied to Berkeley
UCLA ezer a you see senators
Cal State Long Beach an apparent mission
statement
for standard however on March 2013 just
a year 6 months ago I like doing it
again
I was ready to transfer but on march
23rd
a car my girlfriend and me while I'm
it was a devastating accident
an almost fatal like injuries were so
severe
I have been left permanently disabled
invisible disabilities
I'm the pain
I said what you want is a police are not
visible with the pain is not I broke
my eye sockets all bidders my pelvis
fractured my red my angle
added test reconstruction and I was told
there was another one
you this millions
a total dick surgeries and I have been
lebanon mitterrand screws and plates
from my body when I woke up for michael
Mosley time I know what confirms here
and I had lost
are not only knew happen my skin on my
left leg
I must my team and I'm hungry
on
time
congressman thank you I felt my life
upon a bargain
I cried I gotta death again but the
meeting thing happen
and people showed up everything
professors X possible
people have named a view from City
College friend
individual amazing people
that I realize care and I realize that
you love me
care and
this is again as I say this I want you
to think about yourself
because you have the potential and
probably already have
touched many lives and have the
potential much like
and just know that
you are important enough that I know you
will have people out there that support
you
and if you don't there will be somebody
them
as I was sitting right in my hospital
bed
my girlfriend Camilla which is there has
been there every day
and when they brought a hole like a male
actor and we're gonna
from a coma in like 30 days later and
what they were it was all admission
letters to every university and like
however there was one
minor problem I was I could walk
I actually could barely even move but
with the help of many people
after I was discharged from the hospital
many people sent to me you know there's
always next year
you want you've accomplished listener
you have your acceptance letters
take it easy there's always next year
but of course
me being stubborn I have a hard head
thinkin I was like no
mom humming how people out there who
would how people with no legs
people didn't you how big can how they
do it other legal
like and they didn't they do it and that
is exactly what I did
after I was discharged from the hospital
with them
helpful many great people men
great people I was back up again and
then
learned how to walk again I went from
the wheel German
to a walker to what Cain to now only
continue limping one little thing when
that's all right
but I'm walking and I'm alive
and that green and I can honestly tell
you that experience
I live every day as a
accepted missionary zeal im sorry
berkeley
I would say that has been more like why
did you bring along the ceiling
yes that's right
at UCLA they came together
and again it will be amazing people
there is up to you
and I had to tell myself to not being
officially
at this time I had
a cane had just moved outta my water had
no team
and I still in Italy nation 30 nobody I
had pictures but I guess in the morning
and no they don't let that stop and it
did
and have not created some amazing
relationship began
amazing people I'm not an apology
major with mining in disability studies
and public policy
I just a studied history and philosophy
abroad this past year
and I went to Greece enterkin and it
runs
I am NOT academic peer counselor you
ceiling
and just yesterday actually I was just
hard for an internship
at the opposite the vice-chancellor at
him
apply to local children
and I plan to applied to both musically
and Harvard
immediate program which is a master's in
public policy with a Juris Doctor degree
program another thing happened however
and that is
I came in content my social worker many
years later
again and I am now working on hopefully
will be
I am home Raisin in the Sun which is an
organization
that I hope it helps a group home like I
was for you
homeless LGBTQ you any you
the finds himself in trouble that also
provides the skills and many
you know provide for me and congress Sun
for we think son has been dreaming
there's another poem that one and with
because I want to know probably also
thinkers how many in the normal one
well if you don't have time I'll
Brazilian writer is a great world he
hasn't says
I'm covered my men's will to live when I
realized that the media my life was the
one
I had chosen I recovered my
men's will deliver when I realized the
number
one child well as %um
and one which is you and I want you in
this because I don't know you
I know someone but what I Julian
Armstrong is that every single one
can change the world everything when he
has a problem
come
and the whole you share yourselves and
find your own story and shared with
others
because you are important wars
at home and the world deserves to know
and I we hear you won't have any
questions or
comments or anything please feel free to
approach me again I'm your peer
and just another human being viewers I
want to say thank you
and thanks I'm
