Welcome to SpeakUP! International with Rita Burke and Elton Brown!
On SpeakUP! International, we've had the great fortune of speaking to community builders from as far and wide as Brazil, the USA, England, South Africa, Mexico, and as far west in Canada as British Columbia. Today we're back in Canada, talking to Robert Samuels who grew up in Toronto and attended university in New York State. Robert played professional basketball in Ireland and is a former member of the Canadian National Basketball Team. He also served as a police officer for 30 years.
And Robert Samuels has been married for 35 years. Help me welcome Mr. Robert Samuels!
Thank you for that awesome introduction, and I'm honored to be on your show. It is a delight to be here, and I'm looking forward to our conversation.
Me too! What prompted you to immigrate to Canada from Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1972?
Actually, I was not prompted. I was taken away. My my mother immigrated to Canada and I was, at the time when she left, I was probably about five or six years old. I remained behind with my grandparents. Along with my younger brother, and after a few years, she decided that it was time for her two boys to join her in Canada. So at 11 years old, for the first time in my life, I hopped on an airplane and ascended to 38, 000 feet.
It was December 12, 1972, and for the first time I landed at Pearson International, and there was some stuff coming out of the sky, I wasn't sure what it was, but it was white, and it disappeared and hit the ground. So that was my first experience of Canada. I wasn't prompted to leave Jamaica, but certainly I... Didn't have much of a choice. So I guess that could be a...
I don't want to... I could be a... I don't want to interrupt you. But I'm sure there are no regrets. You had... You had no choice. You were brought here. But I'm sure there are no regrets, Robert.
That's correct. That's correct. Although I was... Was brought here, as I look back on the experience now, the years now, I think my mother made a wonderful, brilliant decision in... Taking her two boys from the island and bringing them to Canada, because that opened up a whole new world for us, a whole different world for us.
I want to shift a little bit from that, about your coming here with your mom and your brother, and talk about gaining a scholarship to university in the States. Now, what does a Canadian have to do to earn a full scholarship in the States?
Let me tell you, when I first came to Canada, I had no knowledge of this thing called scholarship. When I arrived here, I was familiar with soccer and cricket. Those are the two sports that we played in the island as boys growing up. And when I arrived here, I discovered there's no cricket and soccer is only played in summer when it's warm up. So during my early years in school, you would have gym class.
And I distinctly remember one of, during one of my gym classes, the teacher instructed another student to teach me how to play basketball. And so I started to learn and realize very quickly within a few years. that I had a gift and a special ability at this sport. And within, I would say within seven, eight years of me arriving in Canada.
I had become a fairly proficient basketball player, and I say that not to maybe pat myself on the back, but to say that it was a gift and an ability I didn't know I had that really emerged as I was given the opportunity to play and to participate in the sport. And by the time I finished high school, I was being recruited by scouts from the U. S. Given up its offering opportunities to attend various universities in the States.
The U. S. And so I selected St. Bonaventure University in New York, private Catholic school. I visited the campus. I fell in love with the university because it's located in Allegheny Mountains. And just really a beautiful environment setting for a school. And I was offered a full scholarship, everything was covered, everything was paid for, all expenses paid.
My mother was delighted at the time because that meant huge savings on tuition fees and books and housing and all those things that go along with attending university. That was a tremendous opportunity for me, education wise, and opportunity to travel, see the world, meet new people. It was the beginning of what I would say was a great life for me.
So how did attending this university in New York State, how did it... Contribute to your personal and professional development.
Oh, wow. It's, in so many ways, but first of all, when I left home after high school, that was the first time I ever lived on my own. Here I was at 18, 19, leaving home for the first time, going to a, not just a new city, but going to a new country. By myself. And right away that just developed, started my development in terms of self confidence. In learning how to take care of myself, learning how to be responsible. I had to make decisions for myself, for my own.
I remember when I arrived at campus, I was given a mailbox. I had to go and pick up my own mail. Even something as simple as that was just such a new experience for me. I had to do my own laundry! That was a whole new experience to me. I had to clean my own living space. So many things were so new and so right away I started to develop as a person in terms of learning to live independently. Learning to make decisions. I had to get to class on my own.
I didn't have, I didn't have my mother there waking me up to go to school. I had to get up for school on my own. And really my love of responsibility just accelerated. I just really learned how to become an adult.
Was that a shock for you? To have to get up and clean, wash your own clothes, mom's not there to cook any food for you. Did you find that to be a shock?
I don't know if I would use the word shock. I certainly would say that it was a very new experience. It was a revelation. It's whoa, food doesn't just end up on a table. Somebody actually has to prepare it. Your meal doesn't just... Come to your table. You have to go and pick it up. And these are just things that I had taken for granted. And I think what happened was I started to appreciate the things in my life that I had taken for granted.
Things that other people were doing for me, and now I had to do it for myself. I wouldn't say it was a shock, but certainly it was... It was an awakening, it was eye opening and a very maturing experience for me to confront these things.
I like that. Elton talked about how it must have felt to be there in another country to study. How has a degree in psychology helped you along the way in terms of your career and generally your life?
I love that question because originally I started off studying business. So I was in the business studies, I was taking marketing courses, accounting. Advertising and so on, and I enjoyed those courses, but I had an opportunity to take an Introduction to Psychology course at the time. And when I took the Introduction to Psychology course, I was fascinated by this whole concept of human behavior. What makes people behave the way they do what makes them think the way they do.
How environments and culture and upbringing and experience shape people. So I was fascinated by that, and I felt, I just felt like it was a natural space for me. That fit my personality so much better than than studying business. So I switched my major to psychology. And so in terms of what I gathered was I learned tremendously about people. I really, I'm a person who enjoys people. I enjoy being around people. I enjoy meeting people.
And so I think psychology really prepared me to have a deeper understanding of not just. Other people, but myself, I learned a lot about myself, what makes, what has shaped me, what makes me behave the way I do and think the way I do and make decisions and choices the way I do. So that helped me to have a greater understanding of the people around me and the people I had to interact with and work with and so on.
So when I got out into the working world, I felt like I really was prepared to interact with. Anyone I came across and it just made me, I think, more efficient in terms of how I interact with people.
You were with the police department for 30 years. Congratulations!
Thank you.
You studied psychology. So how did this experience shape your perspective on community and service?
Once again, When I started working with police service, I was exposed to such a wide variety of situations. And people in different situations, people in difficult situations. And my psychology training really helped me to understand what led people to those situations that they're, I find them in. And how I interacted with those individuals was directly connected to the teaching that I had been given. In terms of how to interact with individuals based on their situation.
I didn't treat everyone the same. I treated people as individuals because I realized that we, as human beings, we're unique in terms of how we are as a result of how we were raised in the circumstances. By which we had to endure to arrive where we are. So I was able to treat people as individuals rather than just put everybody into a bowl because I have a I have an understanding of the shaping of human behavior based on my psychological background.
So it really helped me tremendously in doing the job working within the police service. Because on a day to day basis you're working with people, basically, you're trying to help people, you're trying to serve people, and so it's hard to help and serve if you don't have a good understanding of human beings.
So true. So the psychology experience, or education, enhanced to some degree your relationship with the people that you served, and helped you to look at them from healthy perspectives. Dare I say.
Absolutely, yes. Absolutely.
You played basketball for the Canadian team. Please talk to us about that experience. As a team member under Canadian team?
First of all, that was one of the highlights of my life. It was such an honor to represent Canada. Being an immigrant, I was I remember getting my citizenship, getting my passport. It was such an honor to, to be a citizen of this country. But that was went to another level when I had a chance to represent the country in international competitions. So while I was in high school, I was invited to a trial camp.
Throughout, during the summers the Canadian National Basketball Program would have trial camps for just seeking individuals who they wanted to have on the team. And so I was invited. I graciously accepted the invitation. With no expectations, really, I was just thrilled to be invited, and I was successful at the trial camp that I went to.
And shortly after that that trial camp, I found myself on an airplane heading to Brazil for two weeks to, for a competition representing Canada against various international other countries. And so we ended up in, in Rio de Janeiro for a week and Sao Paulo for a week. And that, I'm still a teenager at this point. I'm still in high school. And so this is really like a dream.
It's so exciting to be... A member of a national team, you're traveling internationally, you're meeting other people, other players from around the world. And this really began just a very exciting time for me. I ended up representing and playing for the Canadian national team for seven seasons.
And throughout the summers while I was in university, And even after, I attended various training camps, competitions that took me to places like Victoria, British Columbia, went to Europe to to England, to Amsterdam, South America Mexico, Cuba we went to the U. S. to Colorado Springs Ottawa was also a training center, So just a really amazing experience for a young man growing up just being a part of the Canadian National Basketball program.
As I said at the start, it was just one of the highlights of my my journey as an athlete.
You met many people from various backgrounds all over the world. How did that help you as a police officer to better interact with individuals on a daily basis?
When I think when you have a chance to travel and meet people from various cultures, various backgrounds, one thing you realize very quickly is that we have, we're much more similar than we're different. Human beings are basically the same wherever you go. We have basically the same needs for protection, security, family, friendships and so on. And when I, had to be, work as a police officer, I just, I had to go into different communities.
And my experience being exposed to different culture, different people, just gave me a higher level of comfort. As I interacted and was in a space where I had to serve and help different people, I just had a higher, I think I had a higher level of comfort than maybe some other people may have had because of my experience prior to going into the service.
As Robert, on SpeakUP! International, we've been interviewing community builders. We're trying our very best to inspire, to educate, and to inform. And there's no question that your story is such an amazing story that you'll help us to meet our goals for SpeakUP! International. Now, when we started SpeakUP! International, It was a Toastmasters project, would you believe it? And now it has morphed into an international program. How has membership in Toastmasters helped you to navigate the world?
Great question. Toastmasters, in my biased opinion is a critical space for individuals who want to progress and fully realize their potential and the reason I say that is that public speaking is a skill that really is critical for us as human beings who want to fulfill our potential. I believe that many of us do not fulfill our potential because we're afraid of the public space. We're afraid of expressing ourselves, articulating ourselves in the public space.
And in order to maximize one's potential, I really leave it to skill public communication is a skill that we must master. And the only way I can think of doing that is through Toastmasters. And so when I came to Toastmasters, I was in a situation where I was very uncomfortable in in, in the public speaking for spaces. I had to go during the course of my job. I was in situations quite a bit where I had to speak in public and didn't have a choice. I had to.
Part of my job, but I remember feeling very uncomfortable, sweating and, not being able to sleep at night before I had to make a court appearance or do any type of public speaking appearances. And so the best way to deal with that is to find yourself a space where you can go and practice. And you come or increase your level of comfort. And so for me, Toastmaster did that for me. And I think it's just a an amazing opportunity for us to build our self confidence as public speakers.
After building my self confidence, I was able to I was promoted at my job. And I believe my promotion really was a direct result of my ability to sit in front of a panel. And to present myself confidently, and so I think Toastmasters has been a tremendous benefit for me in terms of how I live now, how I tell my story, how I express myself, how I interact with individuals, and so I just, I'm just a big fan of Toastmasters. I think everybody needs to have Toastmasters in their life.
And I'm even now trying to encourage my children to make sure that Toastmasters is a part of their journey. That's how strong I feel about Toastmasters!
You've been married for 35 years! So as a parent and grandparent, how do you manage your personal and professional commitments while pursuing your interests, like book clubs and traveling?
Great question. I think there's a number of questions in the question, but the one I heard is how do I manage? And I think as I age, I get older managing becomes easier because what I find now is that I'm well aware of the things that are important. Perhaps when I was younger, I was involved in a variety of things that maybe weren't so important. And so it's, I think it's easy now to manage because I prioritize those things that are important. So spending time with family. Very important.
Spending time with your children, spending time with friends, even social activities. I say no to some social activities because it doesn't fit priority. It doesn't fit what I think is important. Whereas maybe when I was younger, I would go to everything and participate in everything. To answer your question, managing is easy now because really I just focus on what I believe is...
They are priorities and the priorities are much clearer now as I've gotten older and so managing is not so So so difficult now as it was before I think i'm much more efficient now In terms of how I manage my time and my resources and my energy.
So Robert, it sounds to me, based on what you're telling us and how you're telling your story, that you're a very devoted, dedicated, determined person. Talk to us about the best piece of advice you've ever been given. Please.
First of all, Rita, thank you for all those compliments, dedication, determined, discipline, all those great character traits. I must say that, being immersed in an athletic environment and in a police service really built into me a lot of discipline, a lot of success principles, built into me great work ethics. And so that is how I've been shaped. I've been shaped in certain environments that require dedication, discipline, perseverance and so on. So I don't take full credit for that.
I've just been fortunate to have been immersed in environments that have propelled me forward. In that way, in that regard. Now I lost my train of thought a little bit. Just refreshing my memory on your question again.
The best piece of advice you've ever been given.
Best piece of advice I've ever been given. I think the best piece of advice I've ever been given comes from my mother. I remember as a young man growing up and, when you're growing up, your parents say certain things, and much of what they say you don't pay a lot of attention to. But you are hearing it. And then later on when you leave home, you start to hear these things again from different people, or you start to hear their voices in the back of your mind.
And one of the things that I never forgot was my mother used to really emphasize, do not be afraid, do not let fear control you. And so the best piece of advice I've ever gotten was. Do not let fear control you. Proceed in spite of your fear. I really do believe that many of us do not fulfill our potential because of fear. We're afraid to try. We're afraid to fail. We're afraid of what other people might think. We're afraid of criticism. Fear fear. And fear can be paralyzing.
It can really be paralyzing. And so when I look at my mom, I saw someone who was very courageous in terms of leaving the familiar of her country that she knew, coming to a strange land, not only coming on her own, but also bringing her children. And I realized that took a lot of courage. And so she really instilled in us. The idea of never letting fear control you, control your destiny. And so that's the best piece of advice I've ever been given.
You've been married for 35 years, you've had a 30 year career with the police force, you don't look that old! I just have to say that to our listeners. You don't look that old!
Thank you!
What is important to you? You talked about how it's easier now. Does that mean that you have less on your plate? Or you just decide maybe three things that are just most important to you right now.
That's a great question and I'll summarize it and I'll break it down. This concept of living a life of purpose. Everyone wants to fulfill their purpose. And what's most important to me is fulfilling my purpose. And to me, my purpose really is to make a difference. Don't just, not just to make a life, but really make a difference.
And my purpose right now is whatever I participate in, anything that I participate in, Whether it be in the lives of my family members, my friends, my community has to make a difference and has to make a difference in my life and also in the life of the individuals I'm interacting with. And so relationships would be a priority for me. Any spaces or opportunity that gives me an opportunity to build relationships.
And to enhance relationships is a priority for me because I think the people, opportunities to interact with people, opportunities to be in the lives of other people is a priority. And so that is one of the most important things to me. Health is important to me.
You've heard the expression now, help as well you made a comment earlier that I don't look my age and I don't know what age you think I am, but I am really making it a priority to be healthy, to be a healthy individual physically, emotionally. Mentally, spiritually. So anything that any activities that take me into a physically, emotionally, spiritually healthy space is a priority for me.
And so I would say those 3 things, relationships and health, and you can put various things on that on the umbrella of health really are huge priorities for me. And then you can summarize that by saying. Ultimately living a life of purpose, because I do believe I'm created on purpose. I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. I was knitted in my mother's womb and I do believe I was created on purpose for a purpose.
And so ultimately, before my days are over, I would like to rest in the fact that I fulfilled my purpose. And so anything that is projecting me in that direction of purpose fulfillment is a priority for me. I don't know if that all makes sense. I know it's a broad presentation, but that is where I place. That's what my priorities look like.
No, that definitely made sense In terms of what you just said, you've met so many people in, in 30 years you where you went to study. Do you ever keep, do you keep in touch with all some of these people? I know there were hundreds, but do you keep in touch with some of these people?
Obviously, it'll be impossible to keep in touch with everyone but indeed, there are some individuals that I have kept in touch with, and two of them come to mind. One friend, I call him a friend that I met in university. He assisted me as a tutor. I had a tutor when I was university. I had some computer courses that I found very challenging and this individual was a tutor really helped me tremendously. And as a result of his help, I was able to graduate.
I'm not sure I would have been able to graduate if this friend had not been there, but we kept in touch. He's now a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. And we talk on a regular basis. I've had him attend public settings for, on my behalf. So that's a great friendship that I've nurtured since since my university days. I also keep in touch with a friend from high school, and actually several friends from high school.
But I keep in touch with and this is these are individuals that are significant in terms of their people. I met along my journey that I thought were very significant in terms of how my life turned out. And so I made an effort to keep in touch with individuals because there are so significant. To me along my journey, and so anyone in general, anyone who I have met on my journey that I thought was really a significant individual in my life, I've made a special effort to keep in touch with.
So I have, most of my friends really that I have now, we go back 20 plus years. Because I value, as I mentioned earlier, I value friendships, I value human connections so much because they're the spice of life
it sounds to me, Robert Samuels. As if you are living a purpose driven life. And that you are trying your utmost to make a difference in other people's lives. And that is the reason for us deciding to have you in SpeakUP! International. Because we're speaking to community builders and there's no question that you are one of those people. I would ask you now to think of some descriptive words. You would use to describe the best version of Robert Samuels.
Pick some words you would use to describe the best version of who you are.
Thank you. Thank you, Rita, for those compliments of community builders. I don't see myself that way, but I think now that I'm thinking about what you said I appreciate the compliment. And I think. I think that's an obligation that we all have to build and to to contribute to the community. When I think of words that would describe the best version of myself, the first word that comes to my mind is curious. I'm a very curious person. I stay curious. All my life.
What that leads me to is always open to learning, always open to new ideas, because I don't think you ever stop learning. And I do believe that one must always be curious about the world around them. So I would say curious, willing to learn, open to grow. And this is why I really enjoy people so much, because I find that I interact with people, as I engage with people, I learn so much and I also like to challenge myself. I like to challenge other individuals.
Another word I think I would use is purposeful. I think those types of words would be how I would describe myself. Perhaps others may. He's not a descriptive word, but those are the ones that come to my mind from you, based on your question.
So how do you keep in shape? I know you were an active basketball player, and that kind of, I'm assuming, that's part of your moneymaker, and then you were in the police force, and I... I'm assuming that you have to be in shape to be part of the police force. So how do you keep in shape now that you no longer working for the police department?
Great question. Thank you. And This again is something that is not difficult for me because I was raised for most of my, my, my life in an environment where being healthy being fit was something very important. And basically, I have made that a lifestyle. For me, being healthy, being fit is not on my to do list. Really, it's a lifestyle. It's part of how I naturally live.
And so in terms of the how, this might surprise you, but lately one of the priority shifts I've made in terms of health and wellness is getting rest very important to get rest, to get seven to eight hours sleep a night. Many of us do not get enough rest. So that's a priority. Now, the next thing for me is is eating food. I have a good relationship with food. I don't overeat, and I don't overeat unhealthy foods, like sugar, for example.
I'm not saying I don't want to eat any sugar, but there was a time in my life where I think I was, I would be one who would overeat and indulge in sugar too much. Rest, food, and then the third part is exercise. I tried to get exercise for four to five days per week. I have a membership in the gym, and when I go there, I will do some cardio exercises on a stationary bicycle. I will do weight training, and I have friends who get together and play basketball several times a week.
I often join them, once or twice a week at least. And these are just, my ways of staying healthy, keeping in shape, but really, I think it's a lifestyle, and so it's not something that's hard for me, it's just a part of how I live now.
I've heard the statement that health care is self care, so you're taking care of your health with self care. Sounds good to me. Now, Robert, is there anything you'd like to share with our audience that we have not ask you?
Well, there is one thing you mentioned something earlier, you mentioned about sharing my story and how my story is going to help others who are listening and maybe inspire others. I recently was on a podcast where the theme of the podcast was the untold story.
And what I came away with from that podcast was that Each and every one of us has a story, and quite often when you listen to podcasts, the individuals that are brought on to speak, maybe famous people or famous entertainers or athletes, people who have done things that make headlines. But I think perhaps what we forget is that everyone has a story, no matter how simple that story might be. And so I think the thing I'd like to say to the audience is.
Don't be afraid to share your story because someone needs to hear your story. Your story may not get a million hits on YouTube, but perhaps it will get one or two hits. Maybe someone will hear your story, and your story will alter. Their lives. And I think sometimes we don't tell our story because we don't think there's value in it, or we're not famous enough, or we don't have, an audience that is international. But I think it's really important to share your story.
And that's what excited me about. Coming on your podcast today is I realize how valuable our stories are because our story has not been telling it. It's not for us. It's really for those who are listening because something you say will resonate with someone and something you say may inspire someone to make a slight change. And sometimes that's all we need. All we need is just to make a little bit of a change, a little bit of an adjustment, and that will make a world of a difference.
I agree with you 100%. Storytelling is a way of imparting gifts to individuals in such a way that they can relate and accept them. Your story today has been remarkable! 35 years of marriage, that in itself is almost unheard of. Who does 35 years of marriage? Oh, I take that back Rita and her husband. You had a wonderful career with the police department, 30 years. You've been many places around the world. You are a Toastmaster! You read books!
You do a lot of traveling, and I am sure that individuals who hear this broadcast will definitely be inspired and enlightened. And for that, I want to thank you, Robert Samuels, for this conversation, and I'm hoping that we'll have another conversation in the near future.
Thank you again for having me on your show. It was wonderful!
Thank you, Robert!
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