Life works in funny ways!
Had an opportunity offered by some friends at the Athletics to sit on a MH panel, before today’s game, to represent WAALC & the #SameHere Movement.
As much as you all know I love traveling (half joking, due my lack of leg room videos on planes I frequently share in “stories”), given that it was Memorial Day wknd & I’m heading to Utah, I couldn’t make this particular pregame event in Oakland.
That said, I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity collaborate w the team once known for the “Bash Brothers.”
Enter Mike Daniel! Mike is a friend of one of our volunteers from the beginning of our launch, Gina Loretelli. Gina recommended that with Mike’s life story – about literally being left at the front porch of his grandmother’s as a little baby – he fit perfectly to represent our #SameHere message, on the panel with the A’s.
Mind you, when the vision is your own “baby,” you’re protective as to who represents that vision – especially a vision around a sensitive topic, like MH.
Mike & I spent about an hour on the phone last week, & got along like old friends. I heard more about his story as a young child, about his “career” as a pro wrestler back in the day, & about his Ted Talk on the power of vulnerability. Needless to say – I was “sold.”
The power of the #SameHere message is that ANYONE with any type of story, willing to be vulnerable, can feel like they are an ambassador of this Movement – bc it’s all about connecting through the fact that we’ve all faced challenges.
You’ll see in the pics, on the panel itself, which took place pregame, Mike shared the #SameHere sign with the panel & the rest of the room. Mike said that in a state like Cali, w so many diverse backgrounds, a universal sign was very well received. Can’t tell you how rewarding that is to see, & how appreciative I am to Mike, for carrying this message to yet another market, on our behalf.
I look forward to having Mike as part of our “Crazy” family for months & years to come, & even sharing his full story as a Hero Profile!