From Refugee to Nonprofit Youth Advocate with Daniel Trust
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
Release Date: 07/11/2017
My Big Story with Christopher Swan Trailer
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
Join me, Christopher Swan, as I go on a big adventure, traveling the USA, interviewing uniquely inspiring people, and ultimately celebrating their stories and the things that make us different
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Why Our Big Stories Matter with Christopher Swan & Katie Swan
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
Christopher Swan is celebrating the things that make us different, and with his sister's help, they uncover why it matters
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Making the World More Accessible with Kevan Chandler
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
Kevan Chandler aims to inspire both the disabled and able-bodied communities to reimagine accessibility — and then the world becomes accessible
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It's Okay to Talk About Sex (and Pelvic Health) with Dr. Uchenna Ossai
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
Dr. Uchenna "UC" Ossai creates judgement free sex ed (for grown folk) to eliminate shame and fear, while solving people’s sexual and pelvic floor dysfunction
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Expanding Intentional Kindness with Wendi Gilbert
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
Wendi Gilbert is uniting America's kindness movement to incorporate intentional kindness and care into every aspect of American society
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Living with Body Positivity and Style with Bruce Sturgell
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
One man uses his frustration to start a lifestyle company for plus size men, and becomes a champion for the body positivity movement
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Inspiring Young People to Make a Difference, One Lawn at a Time with Rodney Smith, Jr.
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
One kind gesture started a nation-wide movement, inspiring youth to help their communities, while learning about their value in society
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Thriving Through Life with Suzanne Whang
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
A longtime entertainer and activist shares her stories and ideas of living life to the fullest, even after her breast cancer came back for a third time
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A Journey to Find Hygge, Denmark's Secret to Happiness with 12 Stars Media
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
A small team embarks on a journey to document the true meaning of hygge. And it changed each one of them.
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Connecting Local Communities with Ramin Rahimian
My Big Story with Christopher Swan
A man created a new way to connect local communities by launching an app to sell and buy books locally
info_outlineWith a quick decision, Daniel Trust left Bridgeport, CT to meet me meet in-person in the San Francisco Bay Area. I found a place for us in downtown Oakland to meet and made the hour-long drive to meet him there. I was excited to meet Daniel, but truthfully, I wasn’t sure what to expect when meeting in-person.
Daniel started a nonprofit to help youth with education — specifically youth that are either refugees to the United States, impacted by low income, or are part of the LGBTQ community. That’s not his entire story.
Daniel is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, losing his father, two sisters, and witnessing his mother’s death, leaving him orphaned at age 5. And he had many difficult years following that trauma.
So I was meeting a man that has suffered a horrific childhood, but found a way to forgive and thrive in America. I couldn’t really imagine how this was even possible. But then I met Daniel.
He’s warm, full of compassion, and ready to tackle anything.
In our interview, we talk about his experiences in Rwanda, coming to the U.S. as a teenager, how support from his teachers made all of the difference, and his current world with the Daniel Trust Foundation, and how and why he needs to give back.
I left that interview with a new understanding of hope, perseverance, and very happily and most importantly, with a new friend.
See more about this episode and Daniel at MyBigStory.show