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As a young man, Olympic decathlete Rafer Johnson
never dreamed his involvement in sports would
open the door to exploring the world,
befriending others, working in movies and
television, and giving back through human
service organizations.
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The 1960 Olympic gold medalist
and current member of Ambassadors’ Board of
Directors experienced poverty and a serious foot
injury as a child. Yet he went on to achieve
greatness, gaining the recognition now
associated with sports heroes like Michael
Jordan, due largely to a personal philosophy to
be “The Best That I Can Be.” Not surprisingly
that is the title of his autobiography.
In the early 1960s, Johnson first
became familiar with the People to People vision
of promoting world friendship and understanding
through one-to-one contact between individual citizens.
Through his earlier experiences overseas he had realized, “When we meet a specific person, our
attitudes and our feelings in most cases will
change.” So as a young man he traveled
throughout the United States to set up People to
People chapters on college campuses.
“That first year we spoke at 400
colleges in twenty-four states. In some places
it was unusual to see a black man and two white
men traveling together,” Johnson writes in his
autobiography. “We were gaped at, and in some
cases ostracized.”
Johnson persevered and his hard work was
rewarded when he was put in charge of People to
People’s West Coast office. With that
background, it was a no-brainer in 1995 when
Johnson was invited to serve in an advisory
capacity for the Ambassadors’ Board of
Directors. “From the very beginning, I thought
it was great,” he said. “Seeing the impact that
[international travel] made on the lives of
others convinced me.”
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“Rafer has been with People to
People from the beginning and has seen its wonderful effects on
thousands of delegates. His work is worth recognizing because he
honorably fulfills Eisenhower’s vision of world citizenship every day
of his life.”
Peg Thomas, President, People to People Ambassador Programs |
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The record-setting athlete Sports Illustrated
named Sportsman of the Year modestly shared his
insights for People to People. “I think the key
really for all of us, whatever our ages,
whatever we are doing, is to be the best we can
be. If we try to do that, the rest will follow.
Be in the moment, take advantage of all the
opportunities, and be open to new ideas.”
Johnson knows that a true
understanding of the world cannot happen without
meeting different people and experiencing
different cultures.
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“I can’t think of anything
that would add more to our lives, give more depth to our lives, than
travel around the world.”
Rafer Johnson |
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“Just knowing and seeing and
experiencing how other people live is an
unbelievable life experience. You almost can’t
put a value on it,” Johnson explained. “It
allows us to basically realize that though some
places may be very far away, being a part of
those communities, living with others, really
does make us appreciate what we have. It opens
our eyes to people across the oceans who are in
many, many ways just like we are, and helps us
recognize the importance of participating in the
world community.” |
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Beyond increasing one’s awareness of the world, travel
can be the pathway to rewarding lifelong friendships.
“I have friends around the world,” Johnson said, “and
I met them years ago on the field of competition.
The man once known as the greatest athlete in the
world advises, “Just be the best you can be in sports,
in class, at home and when you go abroad. Show the
world that you care!” He has certainly taken this
statement to heart.
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Rafer Johnson Highlights
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Competing at UCLA under “two of
the finest coaches,” Ducky Drake in track and
John Wooden in Basketball, and “having all
those great teammates.”
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Building People to People
chapters on college campuses.
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Winning the gold medal in the
decathlon — a 10-event test of the
well-rounded athlete — at the 1960 Olympics in
Rome, Italy, and serving as the team captain.
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Founding the California Special
Olympics in 1969 with fellow volunteers and
remaining involved today in many capacities
including as a coach, as head of the Board of
Governors in California and as a member of the
International Board of Special Olympics.
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Supporting the presidential candidacy of
his friend Robert F. Kennedy, who was
assassinated during the campaign in 1968 but
continues to inspire Johnson’s involvement in
numerous youth organizations. “I saw the
opportunity to extend that legacy to be involved
with kids. I think that if we are proactive we
can find those kids who need some help.”
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Volunteering with the Peace Corps and many
other service organizations.
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Carrying the Olympic torch and lighting the
flame at the opening ceremonies of the 1984
Olympics in Los Angeles.
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“If you made a list of the ten
top role models for young men in America, I don’t know who the other
nine would be, but Rafer would be one of them.”
Peter Ueberroth, former Chairman, People to People Sports
Ambassador Programs |
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