Pep Talk: "Prove Otherwise"

Controversy had struck A Stronger Cord. A front-page story in the December 26, 2014 edition of the Denver Post, while generating valued exposure and outreach, had created consternation within the ranks.

Some of the guys living at the Denver Rescue Mission felt reporter Jennifer Brown had not portrayed them as desired. For the record, I thought it was well written story telling.  From personal experience, it’s a common challenge for journalists and their subjects. In my sportscasting days, there were many times, after creating a profile piece on a newsmaker, they would later inquire, “Why did you say that?” or, “Why didn’t you include this?”

It’s the challenge of having someone else define us. It will certainly be open to interpretation.

That’s true whether we’re talking a growing platoon of ASC knuckleheads coming together to sweat, bond and grow while reducing the amount of isolated, unfit and stressed out dudes living in our community; a group of folks coming together to reduce the amount of sugary foods in schools; a group of folks trying to clean up streets. Whatever.

Brown, who has been reporting in the Post extensively about Colorado’s mental health challenges over the past few months, nailed the story well but ASC continues to evolve. For instance, since the journalist/fitness enthusiastic and photographer visited about a month ago, we’ve partnered with Union Baptist Church.

We needed a winter home because participation had grown and the Denver Rescue Mission’s Crossing facility doesn’t have a gym, and it’s often too cold outside. As mentioned last week, ASC needed a gym. Union Baptist was looking for men to fill its gym. Bingo. A match made in heaven.

We’re also starting community outreach. Knuckleheads knocking. In groups of three,  fanning out into the neighborhood around the church. Looking for isolated men, knocking on their doors with, “Hey buddy, come join us for a workout.” Finding the single mothers in the neighborhood. Knocking on their door with, “Trust us with your sons.”

Brown wrote the story about two weeks before it was published on the day after Christmas. ASC had evolved in the interim. Some of the guys wondered why the emphasis of the piece was more on their past than ASC’s future.

We’re all knuckleheads. A bunch of dudes, with checkered pasts, but united in trying to become more fitness-minded, dependable and productive men. We choose to believe that type of spirit will help us build a stronger cord - thus the name - to families, jobs and communities. We all win. If pulling up to a fast-food speaker, we’d bellow, “Supersize it!”

The point is this: others will always have their perceptions, opinions and interpretations of our thoughts, words and actions. That’s okay. That’s life. Let’s just make sure those perceptions, opinions and interpretations do not define us.

But let’s also remember our past should not define us either. If the past leads to certain perceptions, opinions and interpretations deemed unflattering, it’s incumbent that we prove otherwise.

Good luck this week!