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| Above from 2007, the first person ever on my list of inspirational heroes, Britni Gleason Rampton and below from 2021, the most recent addition, Charlene Cordon Maloney, pictured here with her daughter Chandra (who herself was a nominee in 2020). Charlene and Britni share an interesting similarity. They are both from Texas! |
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This past Thursday, December 30, 2021, I was out for an afternoon run. As I was running I was mulling over how I should spend New Years Eve, the following night.
New Years Eve for me has typically been a pretty lackluster affair over the years, going all the way back to high school. It's so bad, that one year I actually started writing a short story based on the theme of the disappointing New Years Eve. It's not that it's ever been so awful--just never very exciting. There have been a few exceptions. New Years Eve 1999, which we spent in Saipan, was pretty great. Like 2021, it landed on a Friday night and after a Friday evening church service, a bunch of us went up to Mt. Topachau, the highest point on the island and rang in the New Year (and the new century, AND the new millennium) waiting to see if the island would be plunged into darkness with the arrival of Y2K and then watching all the fireworks on the island as well as those of neighboring Tinian all at once. That was quite memorable, and we did something similar on New Years Eve 2008. The next year, was also fun. We spent it with our friends Aaron and Joyce Knowlton, Kathy Stair, and Tin Tin Win hanging out at Hard Rock Cafe Saipan. And one year--I can't remember which, but it also was in Saipan--started out pretty bad with Babs and I fighting over what to do for the evening and then turned out lovely when we ended up at a poolside party at one of the local hotels. That New Years Eve, I actually did write a story about!
But beyond those exceptions, most of our New Years have been spent parked in front of the TV watching other people celebrate. This year, I thought to myself as I trotted along, I want to do something different. Since 2014 I'd made a tradition of releasing my annual list of heroes and inspirations on my blog on New Years Eve. I'd long dreamed of getting my heroes together in one room. I pictured these people from different arenas of my life coming together, dressed in smart tuxes and fancy dresses, sipping drinks and sampling hors de oeuvres. There would be special numbers by Mat Kearney, Crystal Bowersox, and Shameika Stepney. Tara Westover, Barak Obama, and Rafe Esquith would make short speeches. It would be awesome. But of course that was just a fantasy.
But maybe if I couldn't get my heroes in the same room, perhaps I could get them in the same Zoom! And so my plan for New Years Eve 2021 was born. As soon as I got back from my run I started firing off invitations to all 150 people that I'd selected as my heroes over the past fifteen years. It took awhile--in fact, I didn't finish inviting everyone (except for the famous people--if I'd had more time, I might have even sent them long shot invites, after all what did I have to lose) until mid-afternoon on New Years Eve.
I have to admit, almost as soon as I started sending invites, I was gripped by sudden insecurity. Maybe this was a dumb idea. Maybe people would feel awkward to come--I've found that most of the people who inspire me tend be pretty humble--and maybe they'd feel uncomfortable being lauded in front of a bunch of strangers. Maybe nobody would come. But I'd already started inviting people so there was nothing for it, but to keep on sending the invites. I wasn't sure what the evening would look like. I pictured a few people dropping in from time to time in the final hours of 2021. I figured there'd be plenty of time to just catch up. And frankly, a big part of my motivation for hosting this event was selfish. Sure I wanted to express my appreciation for people who had inspired me--but mainly I wanted to hang out with a lot of people I hadn't seen in awhile. The evening was as much for me as it was for them.
Well, it turned out a lot better than I could have ever hoped for. 44 people, almost a third of the people I'd nominated ended up turning up, which I think I was pretty good. The evening began at 7:00 PM with a tribute to my former colleague, Larry Stewart, who, because he passed away in 2018, was represented by his son Julian. From there it went pretty much nonstop with people coming in until about 11:45 PM that night. Barbara and I finally got off the call a little after 1 AM after spending precious time after everyone else had left, catching up with our dear friend and former colleague from Saipan, Jessica Lee. Throughout the evening many stuck around for a couple of hours just listening to the stories and tributes to some really inspiring folks. Whether they were able to attend or not, I found myself more grateful than ever for the wonderful human beings God has placed in my life over the years.
The truth is on many days I battle cynicism about people (including myself). People can be so awful. We hurt each other, out of our own pain, our selfishness, our pride. I'll hear people make comments like "I hate humans" and. "People are toxic" And. . .I get it. I feel that way too sometimes. But just as we all demonstrate our fallen nature, there are many that reflect the spirit of God's love as well too. It really boils down, I think, to what we choose to focus on and who we choose to surround ourselves with. No one is perfect. That's a fact. But everyone matters. Everyone is making a difference. And I see a lot of people that are making a positive difference. It makes me feel good to recognize those people in my life. One of the 2021 heroes told me when I informed her I'd nominated her that "I've never received a tribute before"--which was shocking to me, because a person this remarkable should have a wall full of tributes by now! That's why I do this. People need to know that they are seen, that they matter, and that they are appreciated. We are quick to do that after they're gone, but I think there's such value in letting them know while they can still hear it (There's always a twinge of sadness for the people on my list like Mr. Stewart, Rex Kosack, Chandra Maloney, Matthew Niemeyer, my grandma, and my father-in-law among others who never got to hear from me how much they inspired me). And I have found that even though recognizing my heroes makes them feel good, it makes me feel even better.
I hope the heroes I've recognized and everyone who reads about them will be encouraged to think about the heroes in their life and find a way to let them know what an inspiration they've been. Doing so makes us all feel a bit more hopeful as we face a brand new year.
For fifteen years, I've been recognizing the heroes in my life. If you want to meet some truly amazing people, take some time to browse through the links below to read how these wonderful folks inspired me. I think you'll be inspired too.
This was my first list, tagged on to the end of a months long blog series on the people who have had the greatest influence in my life (You can check out the inaugural post in that series at My Personal Influences: 65 People Who Made A Difference in My Life ). It's worth noting that some of my biggest heroes--people like my mom, my grandpa, my friend J Carlos, my uncles--were never on an "official" heroes list because I had already honored them in my Influences series. Likewise some people on the Influences series like Chris Cotta, Chandra Maloney, my grandma, my sister, the Kosack's and Dr. LaBianca ended up reappearing on later Inspirations lists.
Britni Gleason Rampton
Aya Sato
Adam Palacios (under the pseudonym "Harry" )
Keisha Paez (First Nomination)
Aya Kito
Eric Mahinay
"Yolland"
Russ & Kanae Quinn
Mai Rhea Odiyar
Vernon Luthas
Ken Pierson
Virleshay Gayatin
Most of the people who inspire me are people I know personally. But over the years, on occasion I'll find famous names that inspire me as well. In my second Inspirations list, two people who I don't know personally but who are renowned within their sphere of influence, made my list--Rafe Esquith a highly regarded educator and Tina Sablan, a local politician and activist in the Northern Marianas Islands.
Jessica Lee
Eliki Ravia
AJ Kelly
Beverly Cabanatan
Jimmy & Isa Arriola
Judith Edwards
Cui Xian Xian (under the pseudonym "CK Girl")
Rafe Esquith
Tina Sablan
In 2009, I ran the San Francisco Marathon and I dedicated each of the 26 miles of the race to a different person. Everyone on my Third Annual Inspirations list had a mile dedicated to them.
Carol Paez
Joy Lacorte (under the pseudonym "J", First Nomination)
Rolly Verzon
Virleshay Gayatin & Amy Foote (Virle's Second Nomination)
Gene Brock
Natalia Paez (under the pseudonym "Little Sister")
John Carlos
Barbara Leen Maycock (First Nomination)
Elijah Maycock (First Nomination)
Carol Leen
Angiemil Perez
Sharla Schroeder & Cyndi Rearrick
Indigo White (under the pseudonym "Deep Blue")
Crystal Bowersox
This was the first year that I chose someone whose inspiring actions had taken place a long time ago. Since then that practice has been rare but I have a feeling may become more common. The person in this case was Faith Grant who's simple action some 17 years earlier changed the course of my life.
Bunnie James-Mason
Priscilla Konama (under the pseudonym "The Rose")
Keisha Paez (Second Nomination)
Carrie Oetman
Faith Grant
Since my first Heroes and Inspirations list, I quietly decided that each year I would include at least one former student on my list. I have a rule that I do not honor students who are currently in my class because I don't want any students that I'm teaching to feel that I have singled out one of their classmates above the rest of them. Until 2012, I always gave those students a pseudonym. Beginning in 2012 with Benin "BJ" Lee I ended that practice.
Pastor Joel Johnson
Wayna Gray
Meghan Vogel
Mat Kearney
Aaron Knowlton
Poupa Marashi
Benin Lee II
Pat Fountain
This past summer I watched a documentary series on the life and exploits of Garrett McNamara and I have to say I came away even more inspired than I was back in 2013. The series is called 100 Foot Wave and it is very, very good and quite thought provoking.
Garrett McNamara
Dr. Todd Whitaker
Tasheet Wallang
Marc Lavalas
Heather Rice
This was the first year that I nominated someone posthumously: My dear father-in-law William Leen and my grandma, Enid Thomson. Unfortunately they were not the last. Beth Michaels, Lawrence Stewart, Chandra Maloney Rudisaile, Matthew Niemeyer, and Rex Kosack share that distinction. Vernon Luthas, Dick Hoyt, and Grace Carlos have also passed away since I nominated but I'm grateful that they were still alive when I recognized them.
This is also the first year that I shifted my Inspirations post to New Years Eve, where it has remained since. I'm not sure why I waited so long that year, but the end-of -year posting enabled me to include Dad and Grandma who had both died in November. Prior to that the list usually came out in the summer months (thought the first one in 2007 was posted in November).
Paul Wood
Tamaria Kulemeka (First Nomination)
Ruth-Ann Thompson
Dick & Rick Hoyt
Keith Rodman
Andrews Acheampong
William Leen & Enid Thomson
Joy Lacorte (Second Nomination)
Ezra Maycock (First Nomination)
Valerie Green kicked off what I call the "Green Years." Four consecutive years in which a different member of her family was nominated to my list. In addition to Valerie, her mother and two of her children would make the list. What a great family!
Shawn Robinson & Sonya Hart
Anastasia Bailey (First Nomination)
Andrea Offei
Dawn Maycock Brothers
Jessica Peterson
Valerie Green
Dr. Donald Burden
This year featured three nominations that were shared with more than one person. The six members of the Prouty family, a trio of former students, and a married couple. I hope no one feels that their nomination was "lumped together" but when more than one person inspires me for the same reason in a given year, it makes sense to recognize them together. It's always been important to me that this never become an exercise in flattery and ego stroking. I feel like a co-nomination from the heart is more meaningful than trying to come up with different ways of saying the same thing so each person can have their "own" nomination. The largest group of co-nominees would come in 2020 when I nominated my entire former 8th grade class.
The Prouty Family: Alex, Marga, Genna, Asher, Eva, Joey
Brianna Raymond, Aaron Wimberly, & El-Ryck Kendrick (El-Ryck's First Nomination)
Michael Wimberly
Beth Michaels
Shirley Benton
Albert & Anastasia Bailey (Anastasia's Second Nomination)
Pamela Foard Wollard
Barack Obama
Dr. James Appel
Jasmyn Green
El-Ryck Kendrick (Second Nomination)
Pastor Bob McGhee
Jordan Green
Tiana Rhodes-Washington
Dalane Crawford II
Lawrence Stewart
Larry Brooks
Lisa Lavalas
Thomas Slocum III
Belvia Jackson
Sam Ulett
Christian Stepney
Roy Rutter
Tara Westover
Grace Carlos
Elijah Maycock (Second Nomination)
Fred Rogers
Janviere Lavender & Tamaria Kulemeka (Second Nomination for Tamaria)
Amy Acton & Mike DeWine
Jeremy Wong
Dayshawn Stanford
Afia Ossei-Wusu
DeLaina Cox
Matthew Niemeyer
Rex & Clarie Kosack
John Abbott
Barbara Leen Maycock
Charlene Maloney
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