Be Better & Do More

"Amazing things happen when nobody cares who gets the credit." -DeRico Symonds

That quote blew me away! What an intentional and specific way to make change within your community. Rico (as I call him) and I discuss his path, the work he's doing and the legacy he's building. Rico will tell you about growing up and things not being smooth sailing. There are so many pressures we face as young Black people and when you add societal pressure, cultural pressure and familial expectations it’s easy to make decisions based on survival and not your goals. There was a important moment and person, a teacher who was able to see Rico and his promising future. It’s hard to be different from what people say and think you should be. Rico stayed focused, but never forgot all the things, people and experiences that brought him to this moment.

The life he’s carved out for himself now is one I’m proud of for him! I’ve seen the come up-I won’t call it a glow up. Rico has always been destined to do great things. He takes you through where he is now in his journey, and what the next steps are for him. He’s is a true activist doing the hard work and not when it’s visible. The hard and meaningful work happens in our daily lives. How we show up and stand up in our workplaces when there is something to lose. He continues to elevate professionally, but most important personally. Game Changers 902 is a collective of 3 individuals including Rico. It’s a non-profit organization in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) that is creating an equitable approach in the game of life for racialized people.

I more than enjoyed this conversation, and giving him his flowers while he’s here. You can listen to this episode across all podcast platforms.