Guys, I’ve fought very hard to be where I am today. For a fat, dyslexic, below-average black kid to make it this far is not something I’ve ever dreamt of. Growing up was difficult as it is for most of us, I was so scared of doing more school that I actually opted to go to war and joined the Marine Corps. Ultimately I faced those fears and earned my way up to a master’s degree, and wrote a book “Finding Meaning After Military”. No one can take away the glory from the 18-year old me who faced the enemy and fought for his country in times of war. I’m working and trying hard every day to be a better version of myself, and I do like to share it with y’all.

I suffer from a TBI and that brings memory loss, and inability to focus on one thing and so many other things that I simply look at as small problems because I choose to look at them that way and therefore that’s all they are. But the reason why I share my personal achievements, as well as shortcomings with you guys, is to make a contribution. I want you all to see how imperfect, weak, unintelligent, and vulnerable you can actually be and still make a large valuable contribution to the world.

The only way I’ve overcome any of these things is by taking personal responsibility and working hard in order to make contributions. I teach personal responsibility and therefore I get called whitewashed, uncle Tom, or get attacked by other components of our society… It’s a righteous battle to me however and totally worth it because if I can inspire even one person to take responsibility for themselves in their life in order to do better then I can die happy.

I chose not to believe the narrative a long time ago and it has made all the difference. I’ve grown up in this country from the age of four years old, lives on both coasts and I’ve seen most of the states but when I talk about anything other than the victim narrative people tell me I’m not black enough… LOL, do you really think white people look at me and can tell the difference…?!?! We all suffer from confirmation bias but mine and the way I choose to think brings me power while the narrative in my opinion and observations brings Black people psychological pain and is disempowering many ways.

But All I’m trying to do is be a good man – no color, just a simple, successful American man.

There has never been a time in this country, where we have had more support in this country as black people. In this, all I’m trying to say is that I know how imperfect I am and I worked so hard to mitigate those imperfections in service to my God and humanity. There’s no greater thing to do with your life than contribution.

But you can’t do that if you don’t first learn how to take responsibility for yourself and your outcomes. You can’t change what you can’t take responsibility for and there’s no point in focusing on what you can’t change… This is why focusing on the past is futile. I want to inspire you to deliberately craft your future because in the end you can have your excuses or you can have your results.

Protector by Nature and by Trade
– Byron