Hope and dignity – these are some of the core components in our development, something Bill Strickland figured out as he found himself growing even though he was raised in a poor crime-ridden neighborhood of Pittsburg.
One of the greatest examples of the environment’s power can be seen in how it shapes the lives of millions of kids growing in poor communities. To gain even a bit of success in life, not only do these kids need to stay away from the bad influences in their neighborhoods but also overcome the social judgments of well-off people as them being “hopeless” and “not smart enough” when seeking opportunities.
As a young child, Bill was growing up the same way, bunking lectures and failing tests, but it all changed when one teacher laid his trust in Bill and provided him the right environment to thrive. Once set on the right path, Bill soon grew to become a trustee at the University of Pittsburg. Having experienced the power of the right environment himself, Bill decided to share his blessings with many other kids just like him.
The result was the Bidwell Training Center, a state-of-the-art place right in the center of Bill’s old neighborhood, but unlike any other building there. You see, Bill came from a place where it was common for buildings to have iron doors and surveillance systems, but Bill made radically different design decisions:
Hope: The center is complete with sunlight, art, fountains, and flowers, inspiring awe in its once “hopeless” students.
Dignity: By not putting security cameras and metal detectors, unlike most buildings in its high crime locality, the center lays trust in its students. This trust nurtures dignity in the otherwise untrusted kids.
And the result? Bill started a revolution!
Within no time, he got support to start more courses in the center, from culinary arts to pharmaceutical training. In fact, the poor kids who earlier struggled for food were now served gourmet meals in the cafeteria.
Today, this noble cause stands with multiple centers open, uplifting thousands of people in the worst imaginable neighborhoods. And here’s the key – if Bill was able to bring hope and dignity to the poorest neighborhoods by creating world-class training centers and turn future “hopeless” criminals into industry experts, you have no reason to limit your imagination.
Push the boundaries of your life goals to find your unique way to touch lives for good. It all starts with a change in the environment. Just add some hope and dignity.
You can watch Bill’s moving TEDx talk here: