(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - Good evening and welcome to "Generation Rising."

I'm Anaridis Rodriguez.

The Special Olympics of Rhode Island is more than just a series of games.

It's a celebration of every athlete's journey.

Here, the spotlight shines on individuals with intellectual disabilities who are breaking barriers and setting new standards of excellence.

The Special Olympics is creating a stage where everyone can rise to their best, and their dedication transcends sports, inspiring a generation to believe in themselves and each other.

Joining us tonight are Ed Pacheco, president and CEO of the Special Olympics of Rhode Island, and John Williams, athlete and speaker of the 2023 games.

Ed and John, welcome.

- Thank you for having us.

- Thank you.

- Thank you so much for being here.

Tell us about the latest rendition of summer of the Special Olympics was in early June and a lot of athletes participated.

- Yeah, so we were super excited, as you can imagine, and for the 2024 state Summer Games, once again being held at University of Rhode Island, hosting over 1,000 athletes from across the state of Rhode Island.

It was pretty spectacular, not gonna lie.

Not only did the weather cooperate throughout the entire weekend, but certainly we had, what I like to say is a display of the most inspiring athletes in the world competing in everything from track and field and soccer to power lifting to swim to bowling.

It was just a really just all around amazing weekend and certainly a memorable one for our athletes and their families.

- 1,000 athletes.

- Mm-hmm.

- One of them was John.

(laughs) And tell me about your experience.

- Well, it's been great, really, being part of a team and it gives me pride and joy and something to look forward to year after year.

- That's wonderful.

And you participated in track and field events, right?

You were telling us off camera.

Tell me a little bit about your experience this year.

- Well, I did shot put and turbo jav.

And shot put, I got first place, brought home the gold.

- [Anaridis] That's awesome!

- Yeah, and in turbo jav, bought home third.

- That's wonderful.

Congratulations.

- Thank you.

- You are also a captain of your team.

- [John] Yes.

- What is that like, helping your fellow athletes get through the competition?

- Well, I lead by example, make sure we go to team practices each year when the games get closer to Brian and URI, which is the big one.

- Yeah, because this is a year-long process, right, Ed?

Tell us about that.

- Yeah, so this is a journey that our athletes embark upon each and every year that, you know, they sign up for various sports and athletics to not only practice, but really hone their craft.

And every individual's ability is different, and that's where it begins certainly as far as their story, but that's not where it ends.

- Mm-hmm.

- You know, we give them the platform by which they have the opportunity to train and build up to that competition.

And really it's up to them, just like any one of us, to leave it out there on the field.

And, you know, when I'm talking to folks, I try to explain to them, if you're a parent, a brother or sister or grandparent or just a friend or a fan, that everyone wants to experience that thrill of competition.

- [Anaridis] Yeah.

- That thrill of competitiveness.

But that thrill of actually going back and pointing and saying, "I did that," and every competition that we run throughout the year, and again, as we just spoke about, Summer Games is certainly the culmination each and every year for our athletes.

But they are participating in all different sports, tournaments, jamborees 365 days a year.

We run a total of 23 different sports.

Just this summer alone, we're running golf, softball, three-on-three basketball.

And for the first time in partnership with our friends at Gnome Surfing and Jamestown Outdoor, we were able to provide a surfing program down at Mackerel Cove in Jamestown.

So we're always looking for innovative opportunities for our athletes to come together and train to realize their full potential.

And of course, seeing that play out over the course of the year and then on full display at the Summer Games-- - Yeah.

- It's every parent's and every family's dream to see their loved one go out there and give it everything they have.

And no matter where they finish, whether it be gold, silver, or bronze, to be able to say to themselves, "I'm proud of you.

I'm proud you were able to compete at your fullest extent and point back and say, 'I did that.'"

- The memories that these families must have experiencing that with their child must be priceless.

And I want to get to that, just the forging of relationships because off camera, you were just telling me all of these people who have been participating for years who are friends with John, and I want to talk about those friendships that are so important too beyond the competition.

But you are recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

Like you have a criteria.

There are preliminaries that take place.

There's an entire process and commitment to actually participating in the sport, right?

- Yeah.

So Special Olympics is a movement that's been in the making for over 50 years.

Founded in 1968 by Eunice Shriver Kennedy, we started on this journey really based on the love and affection that a sister had for her loved one, and started in a backyard of the Kennedy compound.

Fast forward to today, and we were just talking about a little while ago, so we had 374,000 people in Berlin, Germany for the World Games in 2024.

I mean, how incredible is that?

To take a step back and think about that, over a quarter million people descended upon Berlin, Germany to celebrate individuals with intellectual disabilities, our athletes as they compete for the gold and show the world what they're capable of when somebody believes in them.

Right here in Rhode Island, we're having those opportunities for our athletes, as I mentioned, on the local level, on the statewide level.

And we're putting them in a position to compete and train in anticipation that, hopes that eventually they'll be able to compete at the regional level, at the national level, and yes, in some cases at the world level.

This past year with Berlin, Germany, I should say the games in Berlin, Germany, we had one of our athletes, Brian Johnson out of East Greenwich, who completed in bocce and brought home the gold on behalf of his fellow athletes.

- That is so exciting.

- And his family and friends.

It was just, and to see, you know, number one, he gets out of the car when he certainly left the airport and was escorted back to our offices in Smithfield, was absolutely exhausted, but it didn't stop him from smiling from ear to ear and sharing his story about the journey he had over in Berlin.

And looking ahead, we're gonna be celebrating the World Winter Games in Torino, Italy, where three Special Olympic triathlon athletes will be competing as a part of Special Olympics USA in snowshoeing and Alpine skiing.

And we are so excited to celebrate alongside them and their families.

And as you mentioned, this is akin to Olympic sports.

Our athletes, again, they have to train, abide by the rules and regulations that go into each one of these competitions and games, and ultimately have to qualify for these opportunities.

And so when they're out there representing themselves, they're also representing their state, their country, and the world and showing everybody what true inclusion, acceptance and respect is all about.

- That is a remarkable achievement to be able to participate on an international stage.

Tell us the names of the athletes that are participating in the Winter Games so we can keep an eye out for that.

- Oh, so we have three amazing athletes.

- Okay.

- We are gonna announce them publicly here soon.

- Okay.

- So I give you a little hint, but we know who they are.

They know who they are.

They just received their acceptance letters.

But we'll be putting an announcement here shortly and I'm sure they're watching here tonight and chomping at the bit to be able to share the news.

But we'll be getting that information out here soon enough.

And I'll be sure to come back and visit and talk to you all about their journey once they're set to make that announcement.

- Deal.

Awesome.

This three-day event that happened over the summer, I was so impressed by the numbers, 1,000 athletes competing, which you say it's close to your pre-COVID numbers.

- [Ed] Yeah.

- 300 coaches involved and 1,500 volunteers.

That is a massive undertaking.

How do you achieve that with 14 people on your staff?

- (laughs) Well, it takes a little of magic, but certainly the passion and commitment to the mission of Special Olympics is really the driving force.

Most importantly, our athletes are the inspiration and driving force behind all of our volunteers that, as you mentioned, we have 14 full-time staff.

We rely on over 4,000 volunteers on an annual basis to help us put on the various sports and athletics that we do year-round and of course, leading up to the Summer Games where we have close to 1,500-plus volunteers to come out and run everything from clerking to checking in athletes to helping them with awards to actually promulgating the games themselves.

You name it, more than likely there's a volunteer attached to it in some way, shape, or form.

And they're just incredible men and women from all over, across the state.

Some of them are parents, some of their family members.

Some of them are just fans.

- Hmm.

- And they want to see these opportunities for our athletes to come to fruition.

And we couldn't be more grateful.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't say that those volunteers, not only do they help with athletics and games, but they're also helping us.

You know, we rely on philanthropy year-round to support the organization.

Those volunteers are some of the people that are also going out there and helping to fundraise like men and women of law enforcement in our Law Enforcement Torch Run community who are out there raising awareness, education about Special Olympics, but also helping to raise funds to ensure that every athlete from every city and town across the state of Rhode Island have the opportunity to participate at no cost.

- Mm.

That is wonderful.

I'm sure, John, you are one of their prized ambassadors.

I'm sure he is a jack of all trades and master of many.

What is it like being part of the Special Olympics community for you?

- Well, it's been a great experience being part of a team.

And as captain, try to lead by example.

You know, abide by the rules and make sure everyone does their best.

And here's my three saying.

Never hold back.

Give it everything you got.

- [Anaridis] I love that.

- Let nothing or no one hold you back.

- That is great advice.

How did you come to join the Special Olympics?

How did you learn about it and why did you decide to join?

- Well, it was a long time ago, and my community at Refocus, I heard about it 'cause I never competed in sports, not even in high school.

So I wanted to prove I can do it.

At first, I joined for the selfish reason.

It was a long time ago.

So I took a year off to think why I wanted to do this.

So I took a year off and got my head on straight and did it for the right reason, so.

- Do you feel like you're a different person now than you were when you first joined?

And can you talk to us about that transformation for you?

- Yes.

Well, you see, when I first wanted to join, I know it's gonna sound selfish.

I was in it for the fame and glory.

Yeah.

I know, it was for the wrong reason.

But someone wise once told me to think why I wanted to join in the first place 'cause-- - Because you were good at sports.

Even though you hadn't participated, you told me you enjoyed playing sports.

- Yeah.

Well, I mean, at first I didn't think I had what it takes.

I mean, what if I screw up?

What if I fail?

What if I'm not good?

'Cause I'm not a professional athlete, but it was just self-doubt in my head.

So I just shake it off.

- That's wonderful.

And then you got there and you meet all of these incredible people.

Many have become your friends, right?

- Yeah.

- What challenges do you think Special Olympics has helped you overcome?

- Oh, well, helped me to get out of my comfort zone.

I was always kind of shy and quiet, even as a kid.

Never talked to many people, not join any clubs or sports, not even school dances.

I was just kind of, my head down.

But the more I got comfortable, the more I got used to being myself 'cause you know how you go through, you gotta be someone you're not to fit in.

But I thought maybe being myself is not enough, but it is enough.

I realize that now.

- And now you are on TV.

I wouldn't even have imagined that you were a shy person as you sit here in our studios and talk to us about your experience.

That is wonderful.

Congratulations.

- Thank you.

- Well, John did an incredible thing in 2023 when we hosted the Summer Games at the University of Rhode Island.

And we put out the call for applications from athletes and athlete leaders to serve as an athlete spokesperson, which would be the keynote at Summer Games.

John surprised us and put an application in a video talking about how important it is for him to share with the world about his journey, and also making the case for other athletes to come out of their shell and comfort zone to want to do more.

And he delivered the keynote speech in 2023 and did an amazing job.

- Yeah, that's right.

- [Anaridis] What was that like?

What was the feedback and the reception from people after you stepped off stage after achieving such an accomplishment?

- Well, it was a scary experience.

I remember it well.

My heart was like pounding out of my chest, but I overcame it.

- And then who did you talk about in your speech?

Who there were two people you thanked in your speech?

- Yeah.

My program coordinator, Sandy Fonseca, my mentor, Sherry Clary, my coach, Abby Gallant or Abigail Gallant, and my mother, Andrea Montero.

- That is wonderful.

That is so touching.

You witnessed this and what was the reception like?

- Oh, so, I had goosebumps.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

And John, you know, is being very modest.

Every single person stood up at Summer Games and applauded what was just a beautiful delivery of his remarks.

And it was a very touching moment.

You could tell that not only from John, but also from his family how much it meant for them to have that moment up on that podium.

And you could just feel the energy in the room and what we had just witnessed and that not only a sense of accomplishment for John, but you know, when you're an individual who unfortunately has experienced self-doubt and maybe has been put down and ridiculed and experienced a level of bigotry that, you know, unfortunately some of our athletes have had to overcome in their lives, to see someone that you can identify with share their story and hear their words and have that reminder of what humanity is all about.

I mean, it was just a moment that you hoped that you could witness firsthand.

And we had the opportunity, each and every one of us, myself included, to see John give that message of hope and inspiration.

And as he mentioned a moment ago, those words where he says, "Never hold back," and it resonated with every single person in that audience.

- It must have been really empowering-- - Yeah.

- To be a part of that.

A lot of the athletes, as John has so beautifully explained, find pride and purpose in participating in the games.

You mentioned the families too.

What is their transformation like and their growth?

What do you witness on a day to day?

- Yeah, so, you know, as a parent myself, and I know you're a parent as well, and I'm sure many of the viewers at home have the fortune, good fortune to have kids or loved ones in their lives, and you know, I ask people to think back what it was like, when your son or your daughter was born and all the dreams and hopes and aspirations you have, their first step, their first word, the first time that they graduate from elementary school and middle school and high school graduation, going on to college and getting married and starting their own families, you know, think back to being a family with a loved one who is identified as having an intellectual or developmental disability and how those dreams and hopes and aspirations change in that moment and how difficult it must be.

And I guess my message to everybody watching is that that doesn't have to be the case.

I have great news.

If your son or daughter has been diagnosed with an intellectual disability, there is hope.

There is aspirations.

There are opportunities for your loved one to achieve amazing things.

And at Special Olympics, we don't identify someone because of their inability.

We identify them because of their abilities and willingness to put themselves out there, to overcome fear and obstacles that may have been put in front of them, and to see what acceptance and respect and inclusion is all about, because while the work that we do starts with athletes like John, the hope is to inspire communities big and small about how important it is to include everyone, to respect everyone, to accept everyone, to realize that their hopes and dreams are just as important as everyone else's.

At Special Olympics, that is our foundation.

Through sports and athletics, we're bringing communities together, we're bringing individuals together and realizing that it's not our differences that separate us.

It's our humanity that brings us together.

The love for one another, the hope and aspiration to celebrate someone, no matter what their disability may be, that they can go out there on the field, on the court, and score that shot and put everything out there out on the track to cross that finish line and maybe, just maybe never cross that finish line, but stop and help a friend get back on their feet because they tripped and realize it's not about any one of us, it's about all of us.

- That's the true lesson.

That is the true lesson.

Beautifully said.

How do you sustain that momentum?

It seems that passion sustains it, right?

And you are pretty much everywhere.

Your hub is in Smithfield, where you have local programs.

You also are in schools.

Tell our viewers a little bit about how they can access you.

- Yeah, so anyone who wants to be a part of the Special Olympics movement can reach out to us.

The easiest way is specialolympicsri.org.

Come out and shoot us an email, you know, place a phone call to the home office.

We'd love to hear from you.

But we have a mission here in Rhode Island, every city, every town, every athlete.

And the importance of that is really predicated on not only providing traditional community programming that we've been talking about with respect to Special Olympics, but also having school-based programming for athletes as well as their typically developing peers, what we refer to as unified partners.

So in elementary, middle school, and high schools, all throughout the state of Rhode Island, we're offering Unified Champion Schools where athletes and their partners have an opportunity to compete in everything from cross country to basketball and volleyball against other schools throughout the state, just like any other sport that'd be offered in their school.

- That is so cool.

- And it is amazing to see firsthand because we use sports and athletics as the foundation for the conversation, but then we turn over curriculum and training programs to those schools to focus on youth development and school leadership, but also whole school engagement where we're promoting a conversation around inclusion, again, using sports as the impetus behind it, but broadening that out to the larger school community to foster a culture that is accepting of every single student within the halls of that respective school community.

And we know it's incredibly powerful when that footing takes hold because we see it in places all throughout the state, Ponaganset, Central Falls, Coventry, Providence.

It really is an amazing thing to behold when you sit there at the beginning of every single school year as I've had the opportunity to do so in Ponaganset High School, where you have almost a thousand students reciting the pledge to inclusion as a part of the kicking off the school year and has been woven into their school culture.

- Yeah.

- That says everything that needs to be said when it comes to what type of community this program fosters.

- Yeah.

John, how do you feel when you are part of a community that is inclusive?

- Oh, well, you see, feel accepted and appreciated, and most importantly, doing what I can to help inspire other people the way my grandmother did, God rest her soul, so.

- You certainly have inspired me sitting here meeting you.

I've only met you for an hour and your words are very touching.

What would you say to people who may be watching who feel the same way you did when you were looking for an outlet and, you know, found the Special Olympics?

If they are fearful or holding back, what would you say to them to bring them out of their shell and maybe come meet you in Smithfield?

- Oh, okay.

Well, my words of inspiration are this.

Don't make the same mistake I did.

Do it for the right reason.

Think before you act.

You know how they say look before you leap?

Think before you act for the right reason, not for the wrong reason.

Anyone can say, "Hey, I'm proud of you," but most importantly, be proud of yourself.

I know it may seem great, like, "Hey, I'm proud of you," people applauding, but you gotta be proud of yourself, your own achievement.

If you put in the hard work and effort, you can do anything.

And don't let no one or anything hold you back.

Shake off the self-doubt.

If people say like, "Hey, you're not gonna do this, you're not gonna achieve anything," but that's their problems.

Just ignore and just do you.

Do what's best for you, not for other people.

- Wise words.

Wow.

Absolutely incredible to have met you both.

Thank you so much for your time.

We only have a few minutes left.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with our viewers about any upcoming programming you may have coming up or activities?

- Well, we have lots of programs coming up this coming fall, including, as I mentioned, volleyball, cross country, and then right behind that will be basketball.

We're always looking for volunteers.

So I would tell everybody watching at home that take a step back and realize that you can spend a couple hours a week and we like to say give a little, gain a lot.

And really, you know, put in the time to support athletes like John, providing exceptional opportunities for them to compete in whatever sport he or she chooses to compete in.

And believe me when I say this.

While the athletes are certainly having the opportunity to compete and be a part of that athletic sport, you are gonna get more out of this than the athletes.

They remind us every single day to live in the moment, to understand what it is to be a part of a community and really, as I mentioned earlier, remind us what humanity is all about.

And we could use that a little more in the world today.

- These days.

It certainly has been a beautiful moment sharing it with you here today.

You've been the highlight of my day, John.

Thank you so much.

- You're welcome.

- It was great to meet you too as well, Ed.

- Thank you so much.

- Thank you for being here.

We have run out of time.

I would like to thank tonight's guest, Ed and John.

You can watch this episode and all our past episodes anytime at watch.ripbs.org.

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