If you had met me over a year ago, I guarantee that you would not recognize me. Since the day I was born, I was raised to believe that my race made me superior to others, and, without really thinking, I discriminated against anyone who didn’t fit that profile. And while it seemed like I was destined to stay in that mindset forever, I signed up for a karate class, and everything changed. I transformed from a bigot into a bigot who knows karate, and I’m still that man today.

Growing up, I’ll admit that I had a lot of misplaced rage and hatred, and much of it went into racial discrimination. When I walked into that martial arts studio for the first time, though, something inside me felt different. The bigot I was inside was suddenly nowhere to be found, and a bigot who had learned how to roundhouse kick had taken his place.

Once upon a time, I saw myself as someone who was better than blacks and Asians because of his race. Today, though, I see myself as a highly disciplined, highly skilled man who is better than blacks and Asians.