Phil Jamison

AWARDING COURAGE

The 2017 ESPY Awards aired last night on ABC. The premier award show for sports had many great moments including funny moments from the host, Peyton Manning, great acceptance speeches and incredible video pieces about perseverance and overcoming obstacles. But, the moment that moved me the most was the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. This year the recipient was Unis Kennedy Shriver, sister of President John F. Kennedy and founder of Special Olympics. I’ve heard about Special Olympics all my life but never have heard the back story of how it all began. A great video, introduced by former First Lady Michelle Obama, tells the story of how Unis started Special Olympics in her own back yard and how it grew into a worldwide organization inspiring millions with intellectual disabilities. Unis fought for equality and inclusion for everyone in a time when women weren’t supposed to be powerful and outspoken. The award was accepted by her son who gave a passionate speech for inclusion, equality and unity while standing next to some of the Special Olympians featured in the video. Please take the 18 minutes to watch the video then volunteer our your local Special Olympics this year.

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