I believe we all have the power to create a significant difference in the world. At times, we can get so focused on our lives, we forget that there are others who are oftentimes handling unimaginable hardships. When I'm feeling ungrateful or upset by some trivial issue, I turn my focus toward how I can help others. It doesn't mean we trivialize our own issues but instead maintaining balance and gratitude for all we've been blessed with.

We can be champions in helping others. Below are only a few of the ways we can help others, I hope you'll join me or support another cause that needs more champions:

• Wesley Hamilton found himself shot and paralyzed from the waist down on January 14, 2012 as a result of gun violence, and the journey to his new life began that day! After a year of dealing with depression, health challenges and suicidal thoughts, he made a radical decision to change his life for his daughter and himself. Wesley decided to enroll in a nutrition course at a local college in his hometown of Summit, MO and started to eat better and incorporated a weight training regimen. Within a year he shed 100 pounds! “I overcame one of the biggest challenges that I faced whether I was disabled or able-bodied, and that was weight loss. I got into the gym and I’ve never left. My mindset changed and I’m making better choices. So, I decided to create my own opportunities that will in turn help others.” Wesley Hamilton, Founder and Executive Director of Disabled But Not Really (DBNR). His tenacity and willingness to overcome his physical challenges motivated him to create his foundation in 2015, Disabled But Not Really (DBNR). This organization was created with the idea of helping those with physical challenges instill an unlimited mindset. The DBNR philosophy is to use fitness and nutrition to challenge people with disabilities to push past their mental limits and help them gain the courage they need in life. It's a lesson every human can learn and benefit from! I am honored to share Wesley's story and his organization with you!
• Genocide, slavery, and numerous murders are happening right now, even as I write this, in the western plains of Nigeria. Tens of thousands of Nigerians have been displaced and this has put a large number of Nigerians under untold hardship as lives and properties worth millions Naira are lost daily since 2011! To Learn More visit International Committee on Nigeria and consider signing the petition to demand their government to put an end to these senseless and cruel killings. 

• Technical Access Foundation (TAF), TAF empowers students and educators from underrepresented communities across Washington State by providing them with the public education environments and support they deserve. Through interdisciplinary project-based learning, STEM integration, college and career readiness, and educational technology for students — all rooted in equity — students excel without limits. With early-career coaching and leadership programs, educators of color can grow into leadership to become the role models and the representation students need. Consider making a gift today!