About Me
Processing the Process
Writing this section was an exciting, but grinding process. Initially, I wasn’t sure what to write about. All I knew was that people would get a sense of who I am after reading it. I wanted to say something inspiring and have my soul, spirit, and presence be infused into every word. I needed this section to be authentic to who I am; this was absolutely essential. Easier said than done, right? I spent days trying to figure out how to condense my lived experiences into a couple of paragraphs. The flashing cursor was the only thing on the word doc and it harshly reminded me of my progress. Maybe writing in a journal would give my manifesto life. However, pages were left blank and lifeless. I kept thinking about what I wanted to say, but the more I thought the less I wrote. My stomach curled and frustration is not a recommended workout. Luckily, three revelations unknotted the tension.
My first revelation was unlearning the concept of “think before you speak”. I was so concerned about saying the right thing that I never actually got to writing. “Good, alright, better, best, exceptional outstanding, premium, outer worldly...” I fell into the rabbit hole of searching for the right word. “Think before you speak” wasn’t how I processed the world. Never has been. I’m a “speak in order to think” type of person. My thoughts need to constantly flow like water cascading over a cliff. It’s easier for me to process my ideas, emotions, and experiences when I word vomit. So I applied this insight to writing. I consciously put pen to paper and then scribbled unconsciously. The only thing I focused on was capturing every thought with my pen. Write more, think less.
I realized that I love writing in cursive, my second revelation. I became entranced with watching the ink flow out of the pen and bleed into the paper as I captured my thoughts. Cursive connected letters seamlessly and my words ebbed and flowed across the horizon of the page. I was no longer concerned with saying the “right” or “exciting” thing because my thought process flowed rhythmically. I externally wrote what I needed to internally say and now, I can finally see it.
Third revelation, the faster I wrote, the deeper I sunk into my creative process. Memories popped into my mind like firecrackers. Each memory came from one of my lived experiences. I held stories of who I was in my back pocket all along and there was no need to fabricate a story to impress. All I needed was the willingness and courage to lean into my stories. I began to intuitively trust the authenticity of my words. It’s my pleasure to share 5 of my pocket stories. Together, these stories embody who I am. Here is The Story of My Voice.
Pocket Story#1: Life Long Lesson
My mom worked jobs that paid $4 an hour and she will be the first to tell you, you can’t buy shit with that. My father stretched every dollar he earned by constantly looking for deals. Buy one, get one half off. Buy two, get one free. His favorite deal was store giveaways where the first couple of customers got a free gift. My father was first in line regardless of what was being given away. He would come back with fishing poles, alarm clocks, and even cutting boards, all on the same day. My parents knew first hand how important money was. They constantly told me to “Get a good education, so you can get a good job, and make good money.” I listened to what my parents said because that was expected of me.
But like most 3rd graders, I partially listened. I only heard the first part. “Get a good education”. I pondered this phrase endlessly. “How would I get a good education?” Suddenly, a neon red heart flashed in my mind and the word “learning” was inscribed in it. I had to love learning. With my newfound inspiration, I absorbed as much information as I could. Who, what, when, where, why, and how became my favorite words. My 3rd grade teacher wasn’t thrilled as I was with my revelation.
“How many books did you read already?”
“Why don't you tell your classmates about The Ring of Fire? I’m certain that they would find that interesting. ”
“Where did all of this excitement come from?”
“When did you speak this much?”
“What do you think would happen if a dinosaur went into outer space?”
“Who are you, William?”
I am a learner. Anything that captures my attention, has my attention. Luckily for me, the world is full of phenomena. Learning unlocks my curiosity. Actually, it might be the other way around. Either way, I welcome this unique tandem. I love piecing bits of information together until a pattern or process presents itself. My understanding of myself deepens as my knowledge of the world expands. Without question, life will continue to teach me lessons and I'm humble for the opportunity to grow. I’m inspired to support others in embracing their curiosity, unique learning process, and a growth mindset. Sounds like a job filled with riches.
Pocket Story#2: Treasures of the Past
Growing up, my family went to San Francisco’s Chinatown twice a month. These family trips started when I was in elementary school and lasted until I graduated from high school. I have always been captivated by the density of Chinatown. Buildings jammed against each other so tightly that sunlight couldn’t find a crack to shine through. My eyes would rapidly trace the skyline hoping to find where one building ended and another began, but I would get distracted by laundry lines zig zagging in the sky. Sometimes, I saw a family pull in their clothes and wondered how they lived in a space designed for single room occupancy (SRO). I couldn’t look at the skyline for too long. On a busy day, pretty much everyday in Chinatown, people touched shoulders with one another while walking. One of the worst things to do in Chinatown is to stop in the middle of the sidewalk and impede the flow of traffic. You would be reminded that you are not walking and would be “gently” pushed to the side. I loved the closeness and intimacy of Chinatown. However, I looked forward to seeing one place in Chinatown due to the vastness of space. On our way home, we passed a large empty lot at the intersection of Jackson and Kearny Street. My eyes quickly examined every nook and crevice before the traffic light turned green. However, there was never enough time. This pit intrigued me. San Francisco is crowded. Chinatown is hella crowded. Why on earth would there be this much open space in San Francisco? Different theories floated in my mind, but I never had an answer. This question stayed with me until I went to college in 2006. I attended San Francisco State University because of these family trips. I enrolled in Asian American Studies 101 my first semester. To my surprise, I learned that Manilatown was established around the 1920s and existed right next to Chinatown. The International Hotel lived at the intersection of Jackson and Kearny Street and occupied the entire block. The International Hotel provided affordable housing for the Filipino community. Unfortunately, Manilatown shrunk as the redevelopment of the financial district expanded. The International Hotel was the last remaining block of Manilatown and was eventually torn down in 1979 leaving a gaping hole in the skyline and in the ground. It remained vacant until 2005. My childhood question was finally answered and I learned a surprising lesson.
Understanding the past is a way of knowing yourself because context provides clarity. Insights can be extracted from past experiences and wisdom can blossom if these insights are embraced. I believe that people can tap into their intuitive wisdom by reflecting on their own lived experiences. This is the foundation that I stand on.
Pocket Story#3: Giving Words a Voice
The campus of San Francisco State University was littered with tables even though the semester started. Each table represented an organization or club and I was stopped by a woman wearing a bright red t-shirt.
“Would you like to make a difference in your community?” The line was casted.
“Of course, I would. Who wouldn’t”. I took the bait.
“Did you know that kids who don’t read at a 3rd grade level by the time they are in the 3rd grade are more likely to drop out of high school?”
“I had no idea.”
“Yeah and kids from lower income neighborhoods start kindergarten 60% behind their peers from more affluent communities.”
“That is devastating”. My stomach dropped to the floor. I grew up in a mobile home and this hit too close to home.
“However, going into the classroom twice a week and doing literacy work can increase preschooler’s literacy skills by 1.5x. Would you be willing to make a 1-year commitment to ensure that these kids are prepared to succeed?”
“Of course, yeah, sign me up.” I was so excited that a little bit of my time could make such an impact.
For a whole year, I taught in a preschool classroom twice a week. I read books, sang songs, and led activities that connected back to the songs and books that we just explored.
One year turned into four. I kept coming back because of the progress I saw. My students would bust a rhyme, clap their hands to match the syllable of a word, and cheer when they recognized words outside of the classroom. Their joy and enthusiasm for words left a deep impression on me.
It dawned on me that words bring ideas, thoughts, and emotions to life. Internal feelings can be externally felt if the right words are used. My time with these students showed me that big - fancy -sophisticated - intricate words aren’t necessary to convey a powerful message. What’s important is using words that moves you emotionally. My north star is helping others embrace their words to find their voice.
Pocket Story#4: Activate Learning
“So for today's training, we are going to learn about human eyeballs by cutting up a cow’s eye. So you will need to grab the following things: a surgical scissor, a scalpel, and medical gloves. I suggest that you grab paper towels if you would like to keep your station nice and clean. I can’t believe I forgot. You will also need to grab an eyeball. They are located in a plastic container in the fridge.”
My supervisor handed me a tray. I grabbed most of my materials with ease. The cow eyeball was the last thing I needed and I wasn’t looking forward to getting it. I had to psyche myself up because I have a weak stomach. My courage got stronger the closer I got to the fridge. I opened the fridge and just as my supervisor said, I saw the plastic container. However, I wasn’t informed that the plastic container would sit at my eye level and 60 cow eyeballs were staring straight at me as if I was the one who shoved them into this container. I threw up in my mouth because I wasn’t prepared to make eye contact. Shoot, it took me nearly 25 years to be comfortable with making eye contact with humans. This was on a different level. With one eye open, I grabbed a cow eyeball. I applied to work at a science museum, not medical school. What did I get myself into?
“Welcome to the Exploratorium. We’re a hands-on science museum where we believe that the best way to learn about the world is through inquiry and experimentation. We encourage people to touch and play with everything in our museum. So that is what you are going to do today. Get your hands dirty by doing one of our most popular demonstration. Likewise, the Exploratorium is a museum about art, science, and human perception. So you will have 20 minutes at the end of this training to journal about your learning process and what you took away. With that being said, do you see the white cord sticking out of the eyeball, that is the optical nerve. See what happens when you squeeze it?”
The optic nerve? I wore glasses since the 4th grade and remembered my optometrist telling me that the retina connects to the optic nerve. This is the optic nerve?! Suddenly my interest and curiosity was sparked. What are other parts of the eyeball?
It was refreshing to be in a learning space that emphasized inquiry, observation, and experimentation instead of memorizing facts and figures. I was encouraged to lean into my curiosity and use all of my senses to explore and see the world through multiple perspectives. I loved this experience because it was a more inclusive way to learn. Learning by doing.
I believe that education is a critical tool for personal development and social change, but only if it relevant to the learner. I'm driven by the belief that everyone should have access to a person-centered learning space so they can be self-determined, expressive, resilient, and empathetic to themselves and others.
Pocket Story#5: What Ties Us Together
Crash is one of my favorite movies. Over a couple of days the lives of several people intertwined with one another. I love this movie because I sometimes wonder what other people are doing in the world. I find it interesting that while I’m eating dinner, someone in the world is surfing on a wave near a tropical island or skydiving out of an airplane. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, people couldn’t travel, lost their jobs, and were socially isolated. For once in my life, I knew what most people were going through. Not gonna lie, it was very eerie for me.
I lost my job due to the pandemic, but I was blessed to find work at a mental health organization. Who would've thought that a mental health organization had open positions during a pandemic. My luck though. During my first team meeting, people openly shared what mental health issues they were experiencing. People supported each other by leaning into their lived experiences and sharing wisdom that they had. I was fascinated. I was raised to not share personal hardship for the fear of looking weak. But in this space, people connected with one another through a shared experience. This was my first introduction to peer-based space and I was hooked.
Throughout my life, I have been fascinated with how people made meaningful connections with themselves and others. I noticed that people shared universal traits and characteristics. For example, laughter, play, and music can be seen in communities all over the globe. But then it dawned on me. My team reciprocated their mental health experiences through stories. Stories provide insight, emotional support, and a space to feel heard. Storytelling allowed the story teller to be vulnerable with the audience. The audience could be empathetic and sympathetic for the storyteller.
Stories are the invisible thread that connects people to themselves, others, and the world around them. I’m passionate about building deep relationships through storytelling.
Please check out the “my work” section if you are interested in how these experiences influence the work that I do.
It would be a pleasure of mine to connect with you if you are ready to explore The Story of Your Voice.