Beatty talked about the 7 skills that we all need to LEARN (yes, resilience is a learned skill like tennis or cooking) to build resilience in our lives.
Her guest today was Anthony (Tony) Papa, an artist, author, advocate against the war on drugs, co-founder of the Mothers of the New York Disappeared, Manager of Media and Artist Relations at the Drug Policy Alliance who is also a GREAT example of resilience.
Tony served 12 years in prison when one of his bowling buddies set him up when he delivered an envelope of cocaine to the town of Mount Vernon. As it happened, the courier who gave him the envelope was an undercover police informant. When Papa delivered the 4.8 ounces of cocaine, he was promptly arrested and sentenced to serve 15 years in prison. During that time he become a renowned artist, (he had never painted in his life) writer and activist. In fact in December 2016 Tony was granted a pardon from Governor Andrew Cuomo, becoming the first individual in New York State to receive both a a clemency (Governor Pataki 1996) and a pardon.
Tony and his story is motivational and an inspiration for all of us!
To Life and Love and Resilience,
BEATTY