Behind the Lens: Raul's Remarkable Journey to Emmy-winning Filmmaking

Looking for a story of resilience, passion, and success? Join me as I sit down with Raul, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and ex-Army medic and nurse, who turned his troubled childhood into a rich tapestry of experiences for his storytelling. We delve into Raul's past, his upbringing in an immigrant family, his time at a state-sanctioned correctional facility, and how these experiences fueled his journey towards becoming a successful filmmaker. His determination, innate toughness and the unwavering support from his parents led him to work with Netflix and Lowrider.

Raul and I explore deeper into his artistic passion and the importance of exploration in life. He opens up about a life-changing encounter in an ER where a doctor’s words sparked an epiphany, causing him to rethink his career path. We also discuss the power of storytelling and its ability to help people see themselves in the experiences of others. Raul then reflects on the cultural barriers he had to break and the significance of providing a range of experiences for his future children.

In our conversation, we discuss the importance of following your passion and the power it has on your life and the lives of others. We touch upon the significance of recognizing what makes you happy and how it can elevate your position in life. We then move on to Raul's current projects, including his campaigns to raise awareness about distracted driving and his philanthropic efforts in providing bug nets and insect repellent to those affected by malaria. This conversation with Raul is a testament to the power of resilience, passion, and the human capacity to transform adversity into a beacon of hope and inspiration. Tune in to hear his remarkable journey.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

In a world where success often steals the limelight, the stories that truly inspire, that truly matter, are left behind in the shadows. I'm your host, Wesley Hamilton. Welcome to the Out of the Shadows podcast.

Speaker 2: 0:25

What's up? What's up everybody. This is Wesley Hamilton.

Speaker 1: 0:28

Welcome to another episode of Out of the Shadows, where we uncover incredible stories about individuals who have overcome challenges and now living their dreams. I'm excited to be here with you today. I'm excited to announce our new guest, a good friend of mine. Raul Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, former Army medic, er nurse, has overcome a lot of challenges, came from a different type of upbringing. Now this guy is working with companies like Netflix and Lowrider and working with somebody like me. I'm just really excited, raul, thanks for being on the show.

Speaker 2: 1:33

Thank you for having me, man. I have a tremendous amount of respect for you. I'm thankful to call you a friend and I'm thankful for this opportunity as well, man. So thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:42

Yeah, so of course, you're an individual that is always behind the scenes with the work that you do. Even with the work that you was doing before right Rather it was in an Army or in an ER we'll talk about that but it seems like a lot of your work makes a large impact, but it's always behind the scenes. Wow, yeah.

Speaker 2: 2:03

Yeah, I know, absolutely right there.

Speaker 1: 2:05

I want to bring that to light. I want to bring your story just out of the shadows and let people know who you are, what you represent and what you've created just by pursuing your passion, even though you have followed different paths so it died right in. Since you have had quite a journey, from a troubled childhood to being a successful filmmaker, can you share with us a little bit about your upbringing, what you're comfortable with and then when was the turning point in your life that made you pursue your passion into storytelling?

Speaker 2: 2:44

A little bit about the beginning of it all, I guess my childhood. I come from an immigrant family. My parents came here from India in the early 90s and from the beginning it was kind of a struggle for them. I don't think they quite knew what they were stepping into. They didn't know how much was stacked against them. So because of that I grew up without a lot of supervision. My dad had a lot of stress on his plate and I'm at the point in my life now where there's a lot of things that I've forgiven, that I can look back and understand. This is why this happened. But, as I say, without much supervision and a lot of animosity at home. It kind of led me to not too much money either. We didn't have a whole lot of that. It kind of led me to hang out with one. I felt ostracized.

Speaker 2: 3:36

When you go to school or when you go to these places full of a lot of other kids, you see kids who have things you don't have and you see kids who appear to have more than you have or might be happier than you are. So it was kind of always hard for me to feel like I belong in those groups or to those people. My friends ended up becoming skateboarders, people that were kind of involved in some nefarious things at an early age. And another component of that, too, is because I'm Indian. There weren't a lot of Indian kids that I grew up with, so my friends were like black kids, mexican kids, like all the neighborhood kids, and I started getting into a lot of trouble pretty early on. I got expelled in middle school. I got expelled twice from two different schools and sent to an alternative school and it was just and not that I was a bad kid, I was just hyper man, I had so much energy, I just wanted to. At that time it was cause problems, but now that I'm older I see a different side of it.

Speaker 2: 4:35

So, sent to two different alternative schools, I ended up going to this state sanction correctional thing for maybe a year and a half, so probably from the time that I was 12, 13, the time that I was 16, 17,. I was around a rough, rough group of kids, so it kind of made me kind of cold, you know what I mean. Like I walked with my chin up. I wasn't really scared of much because that's, you know, when you're in these programs or on these kids and these systems sort of things. That's kind of the mentality you develop when you're like yo, I got to be tough, I got to be strong, I can't be weakness, because the second you show weakness you know you're at the bottom of the pit, like it's not going to be too good for you. So after finishing, you know, there was a point where I don't really know where to go.

Speaker 2: 5:26

15 years old, I'm in this state correctional detention camp thing and it's just chaos, constant chaos. Kids are crazy. A lot of them come from a lot rougher backgrounds than I do, so I'm not even going to say I wasn't involved in gangs. I didn't. I was a. I was a grouper on skateboarders and stuff. It's just like I'm not going to be the situation that I was in around kids that were in tougher situations than I was. So I a lot of exposure to that.

Speaker 2: 5:51

But after being in that situation for about two years I got spit back out into regular public high school and that's that's kind of when I realized, like man, like you know that my friends, the things that that I'm around, like that, there's no, there's no good, good result that comes from a lot of these things. Like you know, you get spit back out into regular public high school and these kids are going off to college. And my parents have been so supportive the whole time not to say that mine weren't, but it was just different, you know. And when I graduated high school I just was like man, I have to, I have to figure something out. I can't, I can't just keep hanging out and doing stupid stuff, you know.

Speaker 2: 6:33

And so I decided to join the army and I saw I scored pretty pretty high on the ASP because you know I'm smart and they gave me the choice to be a medic and it seemed kind of cool to me, you know. It seemed exciting, it seemed fun, it seemed, you know, just like that sort of thing. And I remember going through medic training the first time that I realized, like man, it's my job to take care of another human being, like it's my job to, you know, show love and compassion and kindness and be there for someone when they're facing a tragedy. All that bitter, cold sort of stuff that I had from my like tumultuous childhood it kind of just dissipated right then and there and I learned that, you know, I was capable of loving someone and taking care of someone and doing good and it really that was probably the moment in my life where it was just like a switch that just just clicked. I was like man, I can take care of someone. I can, I can help someone, and it feels great.

Speaker 1: 7:31

But that's a lot you know and I appreciate you being very transparent and sharing that, because you know people don't understand the journey. I read a lot and there's a book by Napoleon Hill and it's a lot of books by him, so I don't want to get the wrong title, but I just remember him emphasizing, you know, that a lot of successful individuals, at least around when he was writing, had, you know, trouble with childhoods or you know, war or some type of just you know, high school dropouts and things like that. You know and level of adversity that creates that resilience for you. And so what? I think you know you went through a journey and you know most of us deal with the childhood trauma and the, you know the hate for our family and or not really so hate, but like this, this, this.

Speaker 1: 8:23

Yeah, yeah yeah, it's something right because your parents, angst, angst me.

Speaker 2: 8:27

You're just upset, you're like man, you don't understand right.

Speaker 1: 8:31

Like you know, it's kind of like as a baby you've always clean. So when you got to go and push off and you're not understanding what that grind is, and me as a father, I understand it more now. But I think that that's you know, that's, that's understandable. But the journey that you went on after that you know going through something. So it's funny that you share that, because I went to job course 16.

Speaker 2: 8:53

Okay, yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:55

I was like I was in went to Utah. You know I have been getting kicked out of school and it is that you know you have this level of trying to be disciplined and do something different. But of course I messed up there, had to come back home and when I came back home I went back to school and it was like one, at least for me. You know the public schools that we go to, at least in the inner city. They don't really bring you value. So I'm grateful you graduated and things like that. But for me I had to leave because I'm like no, this ain't for me and that's just because it really just yeah, it's like you know you have more potential than what you're surrounded by, and that's what I hear from you. It's like no, you know, like I don't consider myself being like a person that was challenged when it came to education.

Speaker 2: 9:49

Yeah, no, never.

Speaker 1: 9:49

Like it's easy, man. Yeah, so it's kind of like, but you wanted more out of life, you wanted to feel a purpose, right Like, and so you know you make you make a great.

Speaker 2: 9:59

You know you make a great. You know you make a great, great point because I'll tell you, because of all those things that I went through as a kid, I always felt like, man, there's something wrong, Like I don't know what it is, but I'm just off a little bit. And then I remember the first day that I because I became a nurse after, after going through medic training, and the first day that I stepped into the emergency room and I was the people that I was working with right Like their nurses, just like me. They're, they're successful, they have families. I was the youngest one, they're older than me, and as soon as I stepped into the emergency room and I started talking to my coworkers, I realized, man, that these fools all around me they're just as fucking crazy as I am. They have it's like. It's like. It's like once you, once you understand yourself, dude, once you understand like this is, this is a level of stress or this is a level of stimulation that I need in my life to to be happy, to enjoy things, it really changes the way I think you can approach your entire life.

Speaker 2: 10:58

Because when I remember, when I stepped into the emergency room, I just felt. So I felt like man, I really do belong somewhere, like I really this is where I belong, like in these kind of sort of high stress environments. Like I really feel close to these people, that they understand, and throughout my entire childhood, like I never, I always felt like man. Why the fuck am I so crazy? Like what the hell is wrong with me? And it's just you know. So I think you make a great point there by saying that you're, you're kind of yearning for more when, when you're younger and you, you're high energy and you know, and so I'm glad, I'm thankful for myself and I'm thankful for you as well, that we've kind of reached these points where we we can see, okay, we do need more and we do need kind of high stress, high stimulating environments in order to be happy. It's just it's a double-edged sword, you know, and it's important to know that about yourself.

Speaker 1: 11:43

No, it's definitely important. I think you know people as they figure out, you know who they are. They can pursue their passions and you know some people are givers and some people are. You know they have some people have other traits, but I think everybody that off came in contact with who has followed their passions, are serving, they're doing the service in some way and it's that that feeling that you receive by doing more than what you're paid for, more than doing the random acts of kindness, you know, like the, because you know the joy you receive organically just by doing good in a world is fulfilling, right, like it's, like I want to do good and I want to be better for myself, because it's not even how people see it. It's how I feel internally, like I wake up every day because the feeling of doing good makes me want to keep doing it right, 100% yep.

Speaker 1: 12:45

But it goes like you said it's a double-edged sword, because if you wake up negative every day, right like you will be driven to be negative like you will be fueled by that negativity. You know if it makes you feel good. Because if you, if you don't know what positivity and goodness feel, that negativity makes your heart sing.

Speaker 2: 13:07

Absolutely, and that's. That's the thing where I, what I've kind of come to realize is, as a kid there was a lot of negative things I was involved with because it gives you a rush, it makes you feel excited Eric's side, you know it's but you can do that. You can have those same sort of feelings that push you forward and you can do positive things and you can still experience a rush. You can still. You can do crazy things that are positive that then push you in a in a good direction, rather than, you know, hold you back or put you down and see how you make a great point.

Speaker 1: 13:41

No man, I appreciate you, you know sharing that and so we lead into you know. The next question is more, a lot of people struggle with, you know, finding their passion. Some people are just stuck, you know, based on their circumstances, right, absolutely Like outside of your circumstances and getting into, like the serving field and really helping individuals. You know, of course now you know that's not necessarily what you're doing, right, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so like, even with you seeing those paths and really finding service, like what, what made you get out of those conditions right To actually now go with what you really feel your cup of with, and that's like creating stories and doing the work. So kind of share that. Like what was that shift of like leaving the ER? Because when I met you you were still doing?

Speaker 1: 14:38

nursing right yeah absolutely, but you were doing it on the hustle on the side right. So how did what sparked that? You know? Was it a story that someone shared? Was it a moment? You know, because what I'm catching is that there's moments in your journey that plants a seed and make you feel belong, like you belong in those spaces.

Speaker 2: 14:59

So Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah, that's a great question there's, you know, there's two things. I was actually going to apply to medical school. That was my, my goal because I didn't, I didn't believe at a certain point in time in the past. I didn't believe, I didn't believe that art had a place To me. It was all, it was all bullshit. It was like who cares about being creative? The world like it's, like mass science, like all those things are what's important?

Speaker 2: 15:30

And I was working in the ER one day and one of the doctors I worked with he pulled me to the side and he's like dude, you have an Emmy. He's like you can, you don't, you don't have to do what I do every day. He's like I and I just kind of blew my mind that a doctor would tell me that, like you don't have to do what I do every day where I thought that that was the end for me, like that was the goal. And so I'm not going to lie. I did some, did some research, you know, and then I looked at the numbers and and I found the place for art, I found a place for creativity and it really made sense to me and I really started to understand that storytelling, good storytelling, creativity, art like those things all do have a place, and and a very, very important place, you know, and when I saw the numbers attached to that, I was like, okay, all right, like I, I might have to make an exit here, but there's also the. The second piece of that is, you know, as exciting as the emergency room was, and as as much of there was huge amounts of gratification, you know, because you're really doing what you can to help someone and doing as much as you can to help someone, and you're seeing people in vulnerable situations and you're helping them feel comfortable.

Speaker 2: 16:46

I mean, there's there's so many amazing things about working in the emergency room, and the thing for me, though, was, at the end of the day, it was still being trapped in a cement building with no windows for 12 hours straight, and, as time went on, that kind of started to get to me. It's like I started to to feel like man. I'm in this building for 12 hours straight, I have no sunlight, I have no like, and, and so I had to kind of do some some uh digging within myself and think about okay, well, you know, why did I get into this in the first place? Why did I join the army? What about it? And I came to the realization that it's about exploration. Like I really love exploring, right, I really like seeing, trying to understand what life is and why it happens and what other people do.

Speaker 2: 17:39

And and the army gave me that, the emergency room gave me that, and I realized that filmmaking gives me that more than anything. I we, you know there I get to experience so many different things, like flying helicopters. I get to go into these uh fabrication factories where they're welding big structures and like it's just this constant, this constant exploration of, of life, and that's what really keeps me going is just being able to explore all the time. The money I'm not going to let. The money is great, but but if it, if it weren't for that exploration piece of it, I still, even if the money were great, I don't think I could do it.

Speaker 1: 18:16

Oh, that you know. I think that that's first of all. I think everybody should, you know, want to have an adventurous soul, absolutely. I think after a few years of me just exploring different places around the world, I started to call myself a student of life, because I think it's so important to wake up every day, and the thing is that you do plant seeds with inside of you, like if you go, if you're getting up every day and doing the same thing and it's not feeding you, right, like it's not watering you, like it's not doing anything, then, like you said, you will be drained. Um, and sometimes being confined around walls isn't necessarily the best thing for a lot of people, right?

Speaker 2: 19:06

Like there's no way that we're I mean, at the end of the day, to some degree like we're still animals, you know, like we're still like as human and as, as, as as much as we like schedules and as much as we like you know, technology and all this and that dude, the sunlight, good food, the like, all that stuff, like we need it. Man, you know you got to break free right. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 19:27

You know, and, of course, like for me, I think I broke free once. I was went through two years of bedrest and having to be confined by walls every day. Like it was the same situation, just different in certain ways. Um, but it. Yeah, man, just thinking about you know kind of how that that allowed you to spearhead into something else and then again, like having the joy to be adventurous and then sharing those stories. So it's not just the companies and individuals that you're working with, that sharing stories. Now. You get to share those stories with your family and friends. You get to allow them to know experiences, right, like I think about when I get on a plane and go overseas. Yeah, that might have been an experience for me, but when I go and share that story, right.

Speaker 1: 20:18

Like now everybody else sees them in that place because they see themselves in me. Right Like, that's the real credibility for the people you're connected to. Like somebody has to plant a seed in a family or around your circle, right Like? And so, man, no, I love-.

Speaker 2: 20:34

So that's a you know.

Speaker 2: 20:36

You make such a good point because for me, as a you know, throughout my childhood the situation that my parents were in, you know, if kind of out of fear and just trying to make money, I guess it was hard Like we didn't. I didn't take any vacations as a kid. I mean, I never went on one vacation, bro, ever. And so I completely like I know you have a daughter, but for me when I have kids, it's of such an important piece to have seen and done as much as I possibly can so that when I do have kids I have I can, you know, I can say, hey, you can. Oh, here, you can do this. There's so much out there just waiting for you. Because it's one of the things that and I'm not throwing shade on my parents whatsoever they did what they had to do and I completely understand and for the situation they were in, you know, but those are some things that I didn't have as a child and I wanna be able to give those to my children when I have kids.

Speaker 1: 21:36

And it's the generations right. Like understanding different generations and the times. You know, that's what I always pay attention to when it comes to my parents, like now I get to encourage my mom to use her passport Right.

Speaker 1: 21:51

Like first I had to get her to get one right, like. And now you know she's like, oh no, I wanna take a trip here and I wanna do this, and but we never would. I never heard those conversations as a kid, you know, and if I think I've seen something on, you know, social media one day and it was like, oh, as a kid, we went to Mississippi every year. We were doing that and that's the real thing. Like, what we thought was a trip was like taking a road trip to the same place, probably every year. I think Texas was for us so, but it was either have family there, a family reunion, but it wasn't like you got to go out and explore. It wasn't like, oh, we're gonna go to a national park this year, right.

Speaker 2: 22:34

I think there's a lot of fear man. I don't know why.

Speaker 1: 22:37

I don't quite understand that, oh, we know why.

Speaker 2: 22:42

Yeah, okay, okay, okay, yeah, we do know why. You're right, You're right about that. You're right about that.

Speaker 1: 22:49

Oh, so just I had a, I had a. I do a different podcast on the third Sunday of every month is called Sunday safe spaces, and so we, literally this past Sunday, talked about access outdoors. And we emphasize the barriers that different cultures face when it comes to exploration and unknown places. So just kind of just sharing that, because that's-.

Speaker 2: 23:16

No, I yeah, and that's why I'm on my travel. The reason why there's a lot of things that I didn't do or didn't participate in is yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 23:25

Absolutely yeah. You know you're not gonna go where. You don't see enough people that look like you, you're not gonna go where-.

Speaker 2: 23:32

You're not gonna go where you don't feel like you belong.

Speaker 1: 23:34

Where you belong and at least back then you know we're talking about our parents and stuff. It wasn't social media where you seen, it was magazines with pictures and the pictures didn't say welcome. It just said, hey, look at Montana, right, but you're like Montana.

Speaker 2: 23:48

Who said you want to go to Montana. And now, bro, now that you've been I've been out to some of these families, like you know I'd go to Montana or shit I'm like exactly right.

Speaker 1: 23:57

So that's the thing is like, you know, you're able to explore the things that you understand in the places and so being able to story, tell and things. So, no, all right, I love that man, I love this conversation. Thank you so much and before we talk, you know, I know you mentioned about the Emmy and so yeah, man, share that a little bit, because I think that's a connection that you and me have.

Speaker 2: 24:20

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:21

But we didn't know right Like or at least I didn't know from a different until I met you and we started talking about it. But yeah, man, share that, because I think that's a pretty dope connection. So how did it start? And then you know overall, man, how you feel about that man. You know a lot of people.

Speaker 2: 24:35

You know you gotta get me, bro. It's interesting, man, it's so the way that it started. I've always loved cars. I mean, I still to this day I love cars. Car was my first work and I, yeah, and I used to film a bunch of clips of cars like riders, all kinds of stuff, and I did a couple of clips of one of my buddy, his paint shop, aaron, one of a kind. And before before any of this stuff happened, before Netflix came, before any of that stuff, I was just out there in the streets filming low riders because I thought they were cool as fuck and, sure enough, like a lot of those videos got quite a amount of views and, somehow, someway, the executive producer, queer Eye, rachel, do you remember? Remember, Rachel?

Speaker 1: 25:21

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 25:23

She stumbled. She stumbled across one of these videos and I got a Facebook message that said hey, I'm the executive producer of Queer Eye. We're gonna be in Kansas City and we love your work. Do you want us to film for you? Or we want you to film part of an episode for us? And I was like she's about to ask me for my credit card number. Like this isn't real, this is a scam, like what the hell. And so, but sure enough, I gave her my email, she sent me the paperwork and then they came and we met and I worked on. It's the sixth episode on the fourth season. It's called Tale of Two Cultures. It's about Deanna Munoz and her husband's in it too, because he does a whole lowrider thing and shout out to that team of arts foundation.

Speaker 1: 26:07

Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 2: 26:09

You know, it's incredible what they're doing and the amount of stuff they've done. It's beautiful, is really what it is. They're empowering a lot of younger kids and showing them what they're capable of, because, I mean, I remember from my childhood some of the things these kids are doing I would have never had the courage to do because I didn't think that I was capable of them, you know, and she's doing that for them. She's putting these kids in these positions and encouraging them, empowering them, and I think that's so amazing.

Speaker 1: 26:38

But let's go, hey, you know what, but shout out to you for that. We just got to give you your flowers for that, because somehow your passion and the things that you were pursuing and already had love for aligns you with working with the individual. True.

Speaker 2: 26:54

And that's, you know, that's where sometimes people are like, yo, you got an Emmy, yo, you got an Emmy. And part of me feels like you know, like I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, like, but and then I'm like, well, is that? Is that some imposter syndrome? Like I don't know, but I'm thankful for it and it's helped open. I've told Rachel so many times I've been like, hey, thank you so much. Like this, the fact that this show went on to get an Emmy and I got to, you know, receive a part of that Like it's opened so many doors for me. I've met so many great people and I'm just, I'm so thankful for it, cause I couldn't it's not something that I ever thought I was going to get, it's not something I asked for. It's like it's like the man upstairs was just just watching, you know, like helping. He's making plays for me and I'm thankful for that, you know.

Speaker 1: 27:40

No, I mean literally, that's same as it happened with me. Didn't think it was a real thing. I thought I was being scammed. I was like, no, I can't be on a TV show. You know, I'm like, do you know my backstory? And I'm like, oh, y'all trying to do some remodel, like I'm in a wheelchair, like does this work? Like it was a lot of questions for me and just, you know, they did. They came with open arms and you know, and they made sure that the people that you worked with on your episode really like even the filmmakers and people on the back end, they just had a harder compassion for what you were doing. So, like for you it's a big. So, like you got to probably see the artists that came in and did the mural.

Speaker 1: 28:22

Mural, yup, yup, yeah, you know and like so to get those individuals that really just already aligned with what you do and I've seen you do some other work with them recently. Isn't it like with her husband and with the low?

Speaker 2: 28:36

rider.

Speaker 1: 28:36

Like, wasn't that?

Speaker 2: 28:37

kind of like. Yeah, so I did. It's interesting I'm good friends with the art director of Low Rider Magazine and Everybody, everybody don't say that, right, Like you know, everybody say that.

Speaker 1: 28:52

You know, it's just.

Speaker 2: 28:54

Yeah, man, it's a beautiful thing and once again, it's just one of those things where it's all out of love, like it's truly like there's no, it's not like hey, can you get me in this position or hey, can you give me in that position. It's just like we have love for the same things and it's just, it's amazing. But I I was like hey, I'm gonna, I'm gonna do this piece like that I just want to do, just cuz I want to do it. I was like you think low rider could benefit from me? He's like hell, yeah, like, throw it my way. And you know, I got to, got to do a piece for for low rider magazine and it was, it's just, it was great, you know.

Speaker 1: 29:29

No, I'm in. The piece was beautiful and you know, at least for me, you know it's you saw it.

Speaker 2: 29:34

You saw it.

Speaker 1: 29:39

I'm always gonna peep out your work, brother. You're working is amazing Like you do have an eye to tell the story, and that's what I liked. It wasn't just about the car, it was about the passion behind it. It was about the unique you know way that you know the end of. I can't think of his name.

Speaker 2: 29:59

Aaron Aaron.

Speaker 1: 30:00

Yeah, like the way that he just did his work, the craftsmanship Right like it. So that's what you, you shared and I was able to see, you know, outside of their events and things that they host, being able to see his craftsmanship and see why they align so well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you did that right like and so you know. So that storytelling is definitely like, just important. So, say, we got somebody right now, because there are a lot of people that are, you know, not only trying to pursue their passion and follow Whatever dreams that they have manifested, but because they're stuck. You know, like, you knew that the numbers were right, but you also feel more joy in the exploration piece of pursuing Filmmaking. Somebody could literally be in the best position in a career, but their purpose and passion is something that they do on the side.

Speaker 2: 30:59

Right, like a hundred percent and maybe they're waiting on the big break.

Speaker 1: 31:04

But you had a big break and still had to find something else to give you. That you know. Somebody else had to tell you like you had a hymn. You were still. Yeah, yeah, absolutely man, I like what would you tell somebody that is literally like right there on the edge, but they're doubting how much they can do, you know, because of maybe they're thinking about finances, their thing about all those things so like how does somebody push themselves to unleash that and pursue their passion?

Speaker 2: 31:33

anyone that's done something that that's fairly incredible. I feel like they don't see how incredible it really is In their own eyes. So if you, if you're a person that's on the verge of taking the leap, you know, be honest with yourself and look at the things you've already done and recognize how great they are and how how far you you have pushed yourself and what you have done, because you might you might be Discrediting yourself. So I would say that you know, take a look at the things you've done in the past and realize that those things you didn't do them for no reason, and if they are great things and that you did have fun doing them and that they you know they are extraordinary, than then you should you'll continue to do extraordinary things. That that's a conversation that I'd have with myself.

Speaker 2: 32:22

Really is like man, like I didn't really like all this, even the Emmy and Netflix and all this stuff. Like I was just I didn't understand that, how, how extraordinary some of that stuff was. It didn't really compute my head. Like I was just kind of like, well, yeah, I did this, did this thing, and so I guarantee you there's people out there who are about to take the leap that have done some extraordinary things, that that are looking at it the same way. So I would say, like you know, give yourself your flowers and take the leap. That's, that's it. Give yourself.

Speaker 1: 32:50

Your flowers and take the leap. No, man, it's good. So here's the here's the thing that I've learned a long time ago when it comes to that, and, of course, I've started to follow my, my purpose. Well, I started following it. Okay, let me go back a little bit. The way I was that, in order to figure out what your, your purpose in life is, is to embrace the things that you're passionate for. And so, once you start to follow your passion, you, you get, you breathe. Your purpose, right, like, and so For most people right, like, most people have a passion for things, but they don't find a purpose in it because they haven't pursued that so much.

Speaker 1: 33:41

And I'm just giving you this example is that my whole life, I just I just lived right like, I felt like I just existed and I wasn't, I didn't have a passion for it, I didn't have a passion for anything. I did a lot, you know, I did a lot, but none of that, like, fueled my soul, and it wasn't until I got injured and Because I had to deal with some, some adversity, I had to get healthier and I had never, like engaged in a healthy lifestyle. And, as you know, like, now that you're doing it. You find passion in that and as I was focused on getting healthier, to just get off a bed rest, it became something I was passionate about because I started to learn and educate about the true meanings of nutrition and activity. Right, like I want to, but just activity of moving your body. Well, that, that became a true passion that I wanted to do daily. I found joy in it. There was nothing that you know, you didn't have to give me a dollar to go after it, because it just fueled me.

Speaker 1: 34:53

Yep, and then I decided to take the things that I was passionate about and create something out of that. Right. So, disabled, but not really. Yes, I was able to still do the things I'm passionate about, serve people from the things that I'm passionate about and fulfill my purpose. And now the work that I do never feels like work, absolutely, because things that I'm passionate about Don't say not mean and I'm not frustrated, overwhelmed and things like that.

Speaker 1: 35:28

Yeah, yeah, but it doesn't make it any different for me to wake up every day and be like you know what. It's nothing for me to teach a healthy lifestyle. It's nothing for me to go and help somebody out at the gym for an hour. Why? Because I'm going to that gym for an hour, so we gotta go at the same time. We just gotta go at the same time. But because I'm so passionate about this I can help somebody and I can serve them without feeling anything for it. So it's kind of like for me. I wanna use this quote that I found from like Oprah. If anyone don't know Oprah, right.

Speaker 2: 36:07

If you don't know Oprah like you don't need to be watching. Yeah, yeah, that's so crazy.

Speaker 1: 36:11

But Oprah, the quote is passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.

Speaker 2: 36:21

Man you know what?

Speaker 1: 36:22

I mean, like the next, that's what I just want people to see. It's like when you unleash your passion, you do fall into your purpose, cause if you're excited by those things that fuel you, like you're gonna serve from those things. So, like you were passionate about the exploration tips, so you decided to create this business and company out of filmmaking and now do it all the time and you're serving someone, but in return you're being served.

Speaker 2: 36:50

You make such a great point From the business side of it, one I think. Even I had a misconception, maybe two years ago, that, okay, as a business owner, you know, think about money, go, your job is to make money and your job is to make money, don't get me wrong. But real business, like it's when everybody in the equation wins right, Like that's a good deal. A real deal is when this person gets what they want. You get what you want and everybody's happy Like and that's the thing that I think a lot of people miss in terms of pursuing their passions Like you have to figure out a way to do it in a way that everyone gets what they want and so it's possible. It's a real thing. I mean, both of us do it every day, so yeah.

Speaker 1: 37:37

It's basically like, as I throw your cup, you're feeling mine back, because if I'm finding joy in doing these things and it's elevating you and making you like, yeah, like when you come and interview me for something, like you love the storytelling part, you love learning, but for me, I'm enjoying the fact that I get to tell the story, that it's gonna be narrated in the best way possible, right, because I got somebody on the other end that loves to do it. We all in somewhere where, for example, as a kid you know, you did family pictures, right?

Speaker 2: 38:11

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 38:12

There's somebody that has the job and there's somebody that is pursuing the passion right Like, and so you've had people snap, say cheese, get the little stuffed animal. Boom, boom, boom. That's you right, but go home, they probably. You know, I'm not gonna say everybody was that way, but there wasn't as much excitement out of the same repetition.

Speaker 2: 38:34

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 38:36

Like the person just did the same repetition every day, right, like in the excitement of your. You know pursuing your passion is that it changes. You know you start to evolve, you elevate it's growth in it, like the way that you help somebody today, you're gonna elevate and learn from that so you can do better tomorrow. Right, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 38:54

And then I also I wanna say that you know well, you and I both are fortunate to be this way, where we kind of live in this double-edged sword, where sometimes it's really stressful, sometimes it's really good Both of us and plenty of people out there, for whatever reason.

Speaker 2: 39:11

It's just how we're wired right and it doesn't cause you hear this all the time like you have people like David Goggins and they're saying you know you need to run up a mile hail or you need to do this and do that, and I think that it's unfortunate that people don't take the time to say hey, everyone has their thing. Just cause 10,000 hours of stressful situations doesn't make you happy doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you. For some people, that repetition of taking those pictures every day that does it for them and it makes them happy and there's nothing wrong with that. Like that's I can't. Part of the reason I can't stand a lot of these motivational people is cause they make it seem like you have to climb Mount Everest, so you're not a good person and it's like no man. Like there's people who do simple jobs and they make them so happy and that it's beautiful, it's a great thing, and it's just important to recognize what makes you happy.

Speaker 1: 40:09

So I like that you just emphasized on that. And for me, a lot of times I try to talk about the entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship side, you know, because, again, it's all about what you love to do. If you love the job an example is definitely just Sharon If you love the job, it will come out in many ways. Right Like you elevate in that position. Right Like there's people that stay in a certain position because they've settled, but the love and a passion for whatever you do will help you elevate. Right Like that's the rewards that you receive rather comes from, like you know, a better contract or anything like that is literally because you're doing what you love every day and a university is rewarding you because you're following your purpose and passion.

Speaker 1: 40:59

So I always try to tell people that are even in a workforce right now, like, just do, if you love it, it's gonna, it shows, it shows. It shows all the care and this empathy. You know all of that compassion, right, but when you don't love it, your energy pours out on someone else and that energy can shift someone right, like it can shift. It's like if you didn't love being a nurse, but you did, but you didn't love being a nurse, you're like I'm just here for 12 hours. No, I am. That would not be a good situation, but there are, I mean at least for I'm paralyzed. I'm being around some people.

Speaker 2: 41:41

There's people, there's nurses like that, bro, I'm not gonna say there isn't, but it just makes it not good for the coworkers, it makes it not good for the patient, it just ruins the whole thing, you know.

Speaker 1: 41:50

Well, so that's the point. When you follow your passion, the environment around you speaks to you too. Right Like, everyone knows. Everyone starts, it becomes that authentic type of love for each other. Right Like, and so it's an ecosystem. Right, and so it's either positive energy creating an ecosystem or it's negative.

Speaker 1: 42:14

So, no, some men you know, a couple other you know I think I got one last question for you, but I have some man today was like one of those days is like why we talk about passion to throw out some quotes, and so I found, like this other one that was from Nelson Mandela and it basically says there is no passion to be found playing small Instead of me, for there is no passion to be found playing small instead of when for a life that is less than the one you're capable of living.

Speaker 2: 42:53

Absolutely agree, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 42:55

And so I think having these conversations is important for me, because that quote yes, it is powerful. There are a lot of people that play small because they don't think that they can live a different life. And so out of the shadows is so important for those like you and me that have came and risen above adversity from a crazy you know, a significant level.

Speaker 2: 43:23

We get to plant that seed into individuals that are coming from those communities that we come from, because now it's like no, my story is just like yours and you know just, it was just a journey for me, you know yeah, absolutely, man, and as you make it once again, kind of like the point you made with traveling, it's just an incredible feeling to be able to do something great and give those opportunities to people that I know felt like, kind of felt like me growing up. Just bring them up. Bring them up, if you know, and push them on. Like you know, I hope some of these kids do more than I do and I hope that I can, it can help them do that. You know, it's really a great, great thing, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 44:03

Hey, man, we have to be the change we wish to see in the world and I'm always saying that through my program. I'm like I started this program, I do the work I do, and the only thing that excites me is watching someone surpass me, because it's just opening up the door, like what I'm where I'm in right now. I'm okay because I'm constantly involved in other people and I'm learning through the process, but it excites me every day to watch someone else find something they're passionate about and they like.

Speaker 2: 44:33

Yeah, you just see them go.

Speaker 1: 44:38

And it's insane right. So I guess my last question to kind of, you know, bring all this together is any exciting projects you know in your pipeline that you would like to share, or how do you plan on in the next year, you know, continuing, you know, following your passion, you know, and then Inspiring others just by doing what you love to do.

Speaker 2: 45:00

Man. There's two projects that I'm currently working on that I'm extremely excited about. One of them, we are working with Life Flight to do a series of campaign videos for distracted driving and that sort of thing, and when we do these shoots we get to fly in the helicopters, the helicopters landing. It's just, it's exciting and they're gonna. So it's a series of five different short advertisements that you know like I'm sure you've seen like you know, don't drink and drive, and that sort of thing come up on your Facebook or Instagram. We're doing pretty much that's that sort of thing, and they're going to push these out to 600,000 people. So it's a super fun project. It's good for the community and I'm very, very excited about wrapping that up and finishing that and I'm hoping that, like you know, I'm scrolling through Instagram one of these days and I get one of the ads that we're creating.

Speaker 2: 45:50

The second project we're working with this guy who owns an insect propellant company. It sounds so crazy, but he was in the special operations side of the military for like 20 years and so he's been to like Uganda, he's been to Guatemala and all these places that malaria like wreaks havoc on. I mean, they completely destroy some of the societies and I didn't know this, but insects, like, kill more people than any other animal on the face of the earth, and so they do this thing where they go to all around the world, all these countries, and they give them bug nets and they give them insect propellant and and the study. It's crazy because they're looking like to see 10 years later. Okay, school attendance has gone up. These kids are some of these kids are graduating and they're going on to do great things and we're helping him with some of those things and it's just a cool. I mean, I'm excited to travel, I'm excited to make an impact. It's just a project that I'm very, very, very excited about. So those are. Those are my two, yeah.

Speaker 1: 46:48

No man, I like that. I like that Shout out to those projects and shout out to just telling us stories. I mean, I think it's important. We can't, you know, have enough ads to talk about. Don't drink and drive yeah, because it's just a lot of things that come with that. I mean, spinal cord injury is one of those communities that you know have embraced a lot of people that have been victims to drinking and driving or, you know, or survivors to the situation, however you look at it.

Speaker 1: 47:19

But yeah so just raising that awareness is dope. And again, maybe you're thinking yourself, just the passion that you even the excitement for just telling those stories. Those are two different. You know opportunities to learn and educate and then educate a new audience.

Speaker 2: 47:36

So exactly yeah.

Speaker 1: 47:37

Outside of that, like you know, any personal things, like you know, you said you like to explore, decide to take any trips for yourself.

Speaker 2: 47:45

So man, you know, right now, right now it's all work, man, it's all, it's all work. I think, hopefully, in about a year or so I'll take some time to myself, but right now, man, it's all work. I mean, I'm thankful. I'm thankful for it because it's, it's, it's there. I'm not, I'm not, you know, going out and trying to find it.

Speaker 1: 48:07

It's all in front of me, but you know, you know it's all good, man, we're gonna find, we're gonna manifest opportunity for you that takes you out of the country somewhere where at least you got two days to breathe, pick back and have a pina colada or something. That's what we're gonna manifest for you. And so, yeah, man, we're gonna go ahead and wrap this up. I did get a couple people I want to say Ro Shana, my brother, that's my brother.

Speaker 1: 48:37

Okay, yeah, he's watching. He had to let you know, you know, he wrote for you, you know. So that's what's up. Yeah, man, again, bro, thank you for just getting on here and chatting with me, taking time to share your story. Everybody, you know we'll make sure that we share, like the way to, to reach role and things, but for the last few you know minutes that were on here, please, just you know, share your Instagram, share your business, right, like this is on all my platforms. So, rather than LinkedIn or YouTube, like let people know your work and we'll be able to share that even more as well.

Speaker 2: 49:15

So, okay, so I got. My Instagram is eat ravioli has nothing to do with my business, but it's just been like that for a while, so I'm not going to change it. My company is brickwork media. We are an advertising agency that's based on ROI. So, for example, like with this insect repellent company where we're helping change the world by making sure that he sells the amount of insect repellent that he needs to sell to fulfill, you know all the costs that we incur from traveling the world and doing all these things and we're really good at what we do. We're probably the best around here. And if you have a business that does, if you have a business and you want to make more money but you also do something good for the world, where you're guys, and we will make sure that you care of you and we'll make sure you make more money and help more people out.

Speaker 2: 50:09

Oh that I told you, everyone can win, bro, everyone can win. That that's, that's our business.

Speaker 1: 50:14

That is. You know that. That's how you're going. Yeah, I know where to find a man with. Definitely share it. But you know your business, want to make some money and you trying to change the world all of that together that gives me excited man with. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me and I'm sure everybody would love this. Like, share, follow all of that and we'll catch you on the next episode.

Speaker 2: 50:37

Take care.

Speaker 1: 50:41

As we conclude another inspiring episode, I want to remind you that success isn't just about the spotlight. It's also about the shadows. It's about the struggles we conquer, the unseen battles we fight and the silent victories we claim. Hamilton and you've been listening to out of the shadows podcast, where we illuminate the stories of often left untold. Join me again next week as we venture back into the shadows and bring another amazing individual into the light until the end. Remember, no story is too small to inspire. Keep fighting, keep winning and stay out the shadows.