Quick look: Bobbito Garcia, a staple of New York street culture, spoke to juvenile hall students about the benefits of being a self-motivator and working hard at something every single day.
For many students at OCDE’s Rio Contiguo and Otto A. Fischer schools, making decisions about their future and finding their purpose can be daunting. But according to Bobbito Garcia — a legendary New York fixture whose influence spans hip hop, DJing, basketball and sneaker culture — “Life’s journey should always be about evolving.”
On Friday, July 24, Garcia spoke via Zoom webinar with students from ACCESS Area 4 sites located within the Youth Guidance Center and Orange County Juvenile Hall. Program Coordinator Dr. Nathan Goodly led the conversation, asking Garcia about his life experiences and mindset in hopes of inspiring students in attendance.
“Hearing directly from accomplished figures like Bobbito Garcia gives our students an opportunity to see what is possible when they pursue their interests with passion, perseverance and authenticity,” Goodly said. “His story shows students that their experiences and talents have value and that there are many paths to finding purpose and creating opportunities for themselves.”
Long before his influence extended across multiple communities, Garcia wrestled with the same question many students face: What do you want to be when you grow up?
For him, the answer was simple: He wanted to play college basketball.
“The entirety of my existence was for one goal: to play college basketball,” Garcia said. “But it was being denied me.”
Garcia was cut from the basketball team at Wesleyan University three years in a row. Still, he refused to give up, continuing to practice while believing his persistence would pay off.
Eventually, it did.
Garcia was later recruited to play professionally in Puerto Rico, giving him the opportunity to compete in the homeland of his parents.
“The lightbulb went in my head like, ‘Wow, I can work every day, every morning, every night with one goal in mind: to play pro. And I might have hurdles and quandaries, and I might have people doubt me, but something good is going to come out of this,’” Garcia said.
Making every day count
That experience developed a mindset that has guided Garcia throughout his life: stay self-motivated, trust your instincts and remain open to wherever your passions may lead.
“I’m highly self-motivated, and I look to myself for inspiration, because you’re not always going to get it from others,” he said.
Following his professional basketball stint, his passion for hip hop led him to co-host “The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show,” a nationally-recognized radio program that became known for featuring future stars such as Jay-Z, Wu-Tang Clan and Eminem before they achieved mainstream success.
His love of sneakers inspired him to write what is widely credited as the first published article recognizing sneaker culture. Later, basketball brought him back to the sport as a documentary filmmaker and league organizer.
Although his career took unexpected turns, Garcia encouraged students to make a meaningful impact wherever life leads them.
“May your light shine no matter what you end up doing today and every day,” he said.
Garcia closed the conversation by motivating students to make every day count.
“Approach every single day like this day is never going to repeat. Make the most of it and attack the day,” he said.