Your DNA Doesn't Determine Your Destiny, Your Decisions Do!

Every time I walk into a school, I'm reminded of exactly why I do this work.

On the second stop of the Next Level Student Tour, I had the privilege of standing in front of some of the most resilient young people I've ever encountered. These kids are navigating realities that most adults couldn't fathom homelessness, gang activity, trauma that follows them through the school doors every single morning. And yet, when I looked out into that auditorium, I didn't see defeat. I saw potential waiting to be unlocked.

I told them something I believe with everything in me: your DNA doesn't determine your destiny — your decisions do.

I've seen it play out on both sides. I know a guy who grew up with every advantage — two-parent household, educated parents, financial stability. He still couldn't break free from addiction. And I know a woman who grew up with a father in prison and a mother strung out on crack. She pushed through every obstacle, earned her degrees, and became a physician. Same world. Two completely different decisions.

That's the message I needed these kids to hear.

I pulled out a dollar bill, crumpled it up, stomped on it, watched it stick to the bottom of my shoe. Then I asked the room: how much is it worth now? Still a dollar. No matter what it's been through, no matter where it's been, it holds its value. And so do you.

Just because life has crumpled you, just because people have taken advantage of you, just because your environment has been hard that doesn't erase your worth. Before you were born, something was placed over your life. That doesn't go away.

After I spoke, one young man came up to me. Quiet at first. He said, "I've been dealing with some stuff myself. A couple months ago, I was dealing with suicide. But I persevered and started coming back." He looked me in the eye and said thank you. I'll carry that moment with me for a long time.

That's what this tour is about. These kids want to feel seen. They want to feel valued. They want to feel loved. And honestly? That's not too much to ask.

I have to give a major shout-out to the staff, teachers, and administrators at Lithonia High. They are pouring into these students every single day, answering the phone with "It's a new day at Lithonia High School" and meaning it. They believe, just like I do, that a student's condition will not be their conclusion.

I travel the globe. I work with major companies and organizations. But there is something special about doing this work right here, in the city I call home, with the kids who need it most.

Next stop... let's keep going. Because these kids are worth it.

Want to see the impact for yourself? Watch the full video from Lithonia High School and witness these moments firsthand. [Click here to watch now]