Hi y'all, welcome back.

We're going to continue with this powerful conversation with Leon Ford

because his story, like so many we share on the show,

is the reality that so many black and Latinx people face.

If you haven't listened to part one, check it out now,

it's a must listen.

But what makes Leon's story so different and so powerful is that he has chosen a path of redemption, one where he makes peace with this reality and even uses his aggressors to help and look onward, not just

for his own well-being, but for the healing of his entire community.

In part one, we learned about Leon's family, how they prepped him for a moment just like this one, and he's not alone in this conversation.

I know many people that have had these talks, I've had them too. But unlike most people that end up as another statistic of police brutality, Leon survived. Like,

Leon survived after he was shot five times after a botched traffic stop.

Now confined to a wheelchair, I was curious, how did he gather the strength, the courage to face the people that hurt him,

to move in a path of forgiveness and helping others? I come from a very loving family growing up in abundance, an abundance of

love an abundance of love,

I mean any dream that I had I would support it,

any idea that I had, I was supported, even if I only played my piano for two weeks

right when I wanted to sell sneakers my parents

supported that.

So it was like growing up in love,

that's the core of who I am.

And so despite going through this adversity, I was able to hold on to that love.

I was able to hold on to that creativity.

...