What really matters?
The label on your shirt? The athlete on your shoes?
What side of town is your family from? What makes an inspiring public speaker? Passion? Eloquence? Integrity?
Johan Khalilian, a Chicago-born actor and youth motivational speaker, has encompassed all of these traits.
From his relatable antics to his motivational principles, Khalilian captured the attention of the audience within seconds.
One of Khalilian’s biggest messages was that the only person who can change your life is you.
However, as a child, Khalilian often felt discouraged by the adults around him.
In eighth grade, his principal told him and his classmates the reality for kids who grow up in the “ghetto.”
But instead of telling these kids how things were supposed to be, he thought, “what we needed was someone who could pick up a paintbrush and help us see something different.”
Although not many Laguna students could relate to growing up in poverty, they connected to the idea of wanting something different in their lives — something bigger.
Years later, Khalilian felt similar discouragement to when he was in eighth grade. In high school, his academic counselor told him that he would never be able to handle the work load at University of Chicago to which he had been given an athletic scholarship to, because he ‘just wasn’t smart enough.’
“When I walked out of that room, I didn’t walk out a 17-year-old who believed in myself. I walked out as a 17-year-old who said ‘what am I going to do?’”
During his talk, Khalilian recalled another life-changing moment. He was 11 and walked in on his uncle who was passed out drunk at 8:00 a.m.
He then started to question himself: “Is this going to be me? Is this my life? Is this my future? Is this what I’m going to experience?”
“And as an 11-year-old kid, who didn’t quite know what life was all about, I said you know what, all I know is that I don’t want to be like him.”
From that point forward, he devoted himself to leading a drug and alcohol-free life.
There were many hidden messages behind the different stories that he told — coming together to create some key values by which to live. Through each story he told, one more value was added.
“I liked how he came from nothing and had a very rough childhood and how he grew from that and didn’t let anyone break him down,” said junior Joan Curran.
Khalilian closed his speech with the recitation of the poem, “The Crazy Ones.” He had everyone stand up and pledge to be a “crazy one” — one who is a little bit off but, ultimately, changes the world.