He and Darius prove that idealism and creativity can result in tangible progress. Part revolution, part revelation, this film proves to people of all ages how life, even when imperfect, is always worth the ride.

In this multi-award-winning documentary, fifteen-year-old Darius Weems and eleven of his best friends set off across America with the ultimate goal of getting his wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The result is a rarely seen testament to the explosive idealism of today’s youth, as well as a vivid portrayal of adventure, of brotherhood, and of the character and strength it takes to shed light on an uncertain future.

Not only does Darius Weems bravely face his own inevitable fate with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), but through his unflinching humor and his extraordinary laugh, he sparks a revolution in the lives of everyone who crosses–and then shares–his courageous path.

]]> http://verbatimlectures.com/smalley/feed/ 0 http://verbatimlectures.com/gnospelius/ http://verbatimlectures.com/gnospelius/#comments Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:04:58 +0000 admin http://verbatimlectures.com/wordpress/?p=94 Jay Gnospelius is not his old self. That self was a mortal man, made of muscle and bone, bound by the physical constraints of what we call reality.  No longer, though.  Jay has literally been reinvented, piece by piece.  He  is “The 7 Million Dollar Man.”  When a commuter train took two of Jay’s limbs, in 2006, he realized that he was no longer human, but hyper-human… After he awoke from the accident with new bionic limbs, and his sense of humor and imagination still intact, Jay made ‘Limbonade’.  Now, harnessing all of the technology and positive energy that the universe can provide, and applying the lessons that he teaches others -  focus, creativity, innovation – Jay is proving that anything is possible.

Program Description

Making ‘Limbonade’: Turning Adversity into Triumph

In his empowering multimedia lecture, Jay translates becoming bionic, making Limbonade and realizing your true Inner-Superhero into universal, actionable tools for use in work and life.  As a career Ad agency executive (MasterCard: “Priceless”), Jay thought he knew about loss, rejection and the breakdown of the creative process.  All of these things were tied to the elusive concept of Inspiration.  He was cynical about what it meant to be “inspired” and to inspire others.  But, Jay learned the hard way that inspiration comes from the inside, out.

Jay takes audiences on his real-life epic journey of Destruction, Realization, Transformation,  Exuberance and Focus. From career Ad Man to Amputee to Superhero, Jay shares the trials, the realizations and the actions that got him off the tracks, on his feet, and up on an active volcano in the blink of life’s eye.

Sharing simple yet pivotal steps in overcoming any type of adversity, crisis, or loss, Jay can walk organizations through a variety of topics which are custom-tailored to suit the nature of the audience, and the audience’s goals; i.e. his message to college audiences will differ appreciably from his detailed consultative talks to business audiences.  In each case, Jay will demonstrate how his techniques not only revitalize the spirit of an organization, but can have a positive impact on the organization’s bottom line.

Jay focuses on helping organizations to understand the need for creating positive energy, and promoting a sustained sense of drive across an entire organization, while encouraging the balance of body, mind and spirit.  Jay candidly shares the arc of his story, from his near-fatal train accident through his bionic optimization, and draws vivid parallels between his own situation and that of any organization that isn’t functioning at the absolute optimal level.  Jay illustrates the benefits of breaking out of chronic habitual patterns, stasis and negativity, and points organizations toward a more focused, productive and more present incarnation.