I am the oldest of three boys, born in Washington, DC on March 15, 1972. I was raised in the suburbs of Montgomery County Maryland where I attended some of the best public and private schools in the nation.

As a youth growing up my first job was in the Catholic Church, serving with my brother Jerome as alter boys for a large church. We quickly become the most efficient duo, so our number of scheduled masses increased more than we would have liked. The experience gave me the confidence to stand before any audience as it challenged my comfort zone. I gained maturity, I displayed responsibility and I learned that there is a time and place for certain behavior.

There are (4) role models that are responsible for the person I have become:

My Father… who would give the shirt off his back or his last dollar to someone in need. My Mother… who showed me that an inviting smile works wonders in bringing about peace. My late Grandmother… who exposed me to so many new cultures, communities and environments that empowered me to get beyond my perceptions of others. My mentor, Dr.

Joseph Carr…who volunteered his time to develop a program that supported young athletes. His example allowed me to see that you are never to busy to help others and the time to help is always now.

I can remember as far back as 5 years old, waking up on Sunday mornings to watch the specials on children in need from other countries. As a child, I new clear as day what my calling was, assisting the issues and needs of others, even if it meant neglecting my own. That was the only thing that made me happy... Still is to this day.

As a child, I assumed that making a difference required that you be a leader or someone of authority. As a little black child growing up in an all white suburb, I didn't feel that I would ever have the voice that I would need to bring about change. So I locked away my purpose for many years and became numb to everything going on around me, nothing mattered much. But, many people could still see something in me that I was different and would often tell me I was DIFFERENT but they couldn't articulate what it was about me...

I used to hate the word DIFFERENT being thrown at me; I wanted to appear just like everyone else. Today, I embrace DIFFERENT and I am proud to be...

As I got older, taller and my athletic gifts more apparent, basketball seemed to be a sport where I felt I could control the outcome. I could silence the school bully by hitting the game winning shot over him. I could help raise the self-esteem of those on my team by getting them involved and supporting their improvement. Basketball was a tool that brought together guys and girls from all races, shapes and size. My ability on the court again made me DIFFERENT, but this DIFFERENT was good, it was a different that brought respect, popularity and an identity.

As a teen, I secretly studied the success steps and mistakes of world leaders, religious leaders, political leaders and iconic sports leaders.

Could I become a great religious leader?

In my early childhood, I began trying to find my place in the world by looking for strong examples of leaders who looked like me and understood my unique circumstances. But, All I had to go on was history, because many of my examples had been assassinated, imprisoned or silenced. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great example of what a religious leader could accomplish, but so many of my friends practiced different faiths that I felt pursuing religious leadership would separate me from people with different beliefs.

Should I run for political office?

I have always had a gift for seeing right through dishonest people and found that too many political leaders were like these two headed monsters; one head smiled and reassured you during the campaign and the other head would bite you during their term in office. I often asked myself if these people were truly public servants or just con artist campaigning for power. So, I decided not to waste my leadership ability fighting monsters everyday?

Would I become a Sports Hero?

My last model of leadership was becoming a professional athlete. A person with thousands of fans, access to the media and enough money to make a difference even if I had limited assisted. I was already considered DIFFERENT on the basketball court. I felt in control, like I could dictate the outcome. I could make new friends with every game and bring enemies together for a game that would diffuse their destructive energy and intensions. This was where I would choose to seek leadership or so I thought…

My high school basketball career ended rather abruptly due to two reasons:

During a Christmas tournament at an away school, I was driving through the lane and went up for a dunk and was undercut while in the air by an apposing player. After flipping over in the air, I landed onto my right elbow and then my knees came crashing down onto my head. As I lay there, I remember thinking, "He did that on purpose", speaking of my opponent. As I got up with the help of teammates I was to hurt to go after anyone, I was happy to be walking. I did not know at that point that I had badly damaged my elbow (this was beginning of the end).

Playing through elbow pain I tried to continue, still very effective but not 100%, I remained in uniform. Until a January day that my coach said to my face that he would never put more than 3 black guys on the court at once, let alone all of his black guys at the same time. The statement was prompted by a game we were playing in which the team playing against us was all black and many of my white and Asian teammates were nervous. I suggested to our assistant coach that we should play the guys who were not afraid. When he made the suggestion to my head coach, the racial statement was issued in a very demeaning way. So I, knowing I couldn't win this battle did what I could do... I refused to re-enter the game. After that game I handed my jersey to the coach and thanked him for the opportunity to play on his team but that I no longer felt that it was the right team for me. University scholarships could not be offered or accepted until February... So much for a scholarship now!

How much does college cost?

Having wasted my parents and grandmother's money in 9th grade when I was sent to military school to get the best edcation they could afford for me; I was inspired to pay for my own college and university (like my grandmother had done in the 1940s). I registered at a local Junior College and began taking classes and even tried out for the basketball team. It did not take long to figure out that I was again the most athletic on the team but had a coach who played his favorites. Battling through constant elbow pain and swelling I continued throughout the season and my team was ranked as one of the best division 3 junior colleges in the country. I could tell that my coach had noticed something DIFFERENT about me than my teammates. I was very articulate, my grades were the highest on the team and I had parental support at every game. I was not a kid in need of a father figure, just a good coach. I don't think he could handle that to well, as his ego had him believe that he was saving young males from themselves and I wasn't granting that satisfaction. So he attempted to break me by yelling at me, blaming me for anything and everything and blowing up any mistake that I would make. The problem with this was I was his most respectable player, never talking back, always doing what was asked, responding with yes sir and no sir. I decided at the end of my first season that I would take a year off from basketball to have another elbow surgery and try to get my arm back to 100%. I also needed a break from my crazy coach.

I underwent underwent a total of two surgeries on my right elbow to re-gain my normal range of motion. My arm had been locked at a right angle for more than six months. Upon the completion of my rehabilitation, I decided to attend a different campus that was part of the same college (one of their more urban campuses). The coach was very polished and calm and my teammates all were just as talented me. I would attend school each day after 6-8 hours of work, take a 1 hour train ride to that side of town and walk or run the last mile to the campus. I would practice and attend night classes and then take the same walk back to the train station for my 1 hour trip back home (all for the game I love).

Our season started off great! We were ranked at the top of division 3 junior colleges within the United States. We blew away almost every team that we faced. College coaches were lining up for recruitment season in early February to see players on my team, I really believed that we all were going to get a scholarship. Then came another fatal Christmas Tournament... (My career has struggled around these Christmas events.) I arrived at the school about an hour before the bus departed with my team for our tournament. I remember being very excited that college coaches would be scouting our team. I thought that this was going to be my chance to get an athletic scholarship and have a university paying for my remaining college courses. I entered the locker room and joined in the ritual joking sessions while waiting on the bus. I noticed that our coach was very serious looking, but I went about clowning around with teammates. Upon the last teammate arriving, our coach walked into the locker room insisting that each of us pull the uniforms from our bags and toss them onto the floor. I was confused... He would soon clarify his demand by stating that our season was officially over... What!

It turned out that only me and 2 other players had passed their classes and the NCAA rules stated that my team was not eligible to continue the season. With 4 players we could have continued and trust me we would have been willing to try. As I sat there very angry and plenty frustrated; I realized that I had never asked my teammates if they needed any help, or how school going. I was only focused on my life and getting a scholarship to a big school. On this day I learned that we fail when those around us fail. Well, there went my last path toward leadership, or at least I thought.

Time to display Character...

American University was aware of my miss fortune and my brother Jerome's rising popularity as an All-American on the court and in the classroom. They decided to use me as bait to get Jerome to possibly attend their school by offering Jerome and I a joint scholarship that would allow us to finally play together again. We were excited, our parents were excited. But, Jerome and I had a serious choice to make; if Jerome decided to play with me, he would have to give up an individual scholarship to play at Georgetown University. We both had dreamed of playing for Georgetown and displaying our skills in front of NBA scouts.

Jerome left the decision up to me where he would play. As bad as I wanted a scholarship, I couldn't see myself holding my little brother back from this opportunity. We had alwayd been fierce competitors, but this was the moment that I learned, Leaders Sometimes Follow.

Jerome attended Georgetown University for his last two years of college and graduated with his degree and was drafted into the NBA by the Detroit Pistons in 1996. He turned to me on draft day an asked that we share his career and that I handle his business dealings and public image. It has been almost 12 years since that conversation and we have learned so much, met so many different people and as a family found that our purpose is to serve others within the communities we enter.

I have gained many acknowledgements, stood before thousands of kids and attempted to lead by example. I have learned that there are many places to assert leadership; in the community, in the home, on a sports team, almost anywhere and everywhere. I have also learned that our kids don't need lmore character idols and celebrities in their lives; they need more people of strong moral character helping them become better people.

This is just some of my story, thank you for the opportunity to share it...

Johnnie Williams III