Inspirational Leader & Educator
Kwame Osei immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of four from Ghana, West Africa. They made a home in Rexdale, a less favourable neighbourhood in Toronto. Young and susceptible to his surroundings, Kwame was consumed by street culture and embraced a negative perspective on life. He lost friends to gun violence, almost failed his first year of high school, and was once stabbed and held at gunpoint. After a series of life-threatening experiences, Kwame knew he needed to make a change.
The change came in the form of sport. Kwame was accepted into St. Francis Xavier University, where he played football for the X-men and rediscovered his passion for life. Voted team captain for three seasons, Kwame learned how to be a leader. The young star earned two degrees at the University, becoming the first member of his family to graduate with post-secondary education. After graduation, he went on to briefly play with the Toronto Argonauts.
Kwame brought his leadership and zest for life to Fort McMurray, Alberta where he began his career as a teacher and successful football coach. He helped to organize a football development program that produced various post-secondary student-athletes. His dedication to his students and community earned him a Top 50 Under 50 Award in Fort McMurray.
Currently, Kwame is a coach for Queen’s University Men’s and Women’s football teams. Never straying from his goal to help others, Kwame continues to be an active member of his community. He teaches and helps inmates at the penitentiary in Kingston to achieve their academic goals. Kwame also continues to inspire our future leaders of tomorrow, and has written two children’s books titled “If Not Me, Then Who?” and “Turtle in the Shell.”
Additionally, he is the co-owner of the athletic apparel company, Triumph Elite and co-founder of the non-profit, Northern Elite Football. Kwame is also a part of a mentorship trio called Perspective on Mentoring, which aims to bridge the gap between adults and youth. In 2018, he took to the screen as a cast member on The Amazing Race Canada: Hero’s Edition. Kwame has been featured in various TV commercials and has perfected the mastery of event hosting. Recently, Kwame has taken to more public speaking engagements, where he “plants seeds” to help others grow and succeed.
His goal? To inspire change and growth in every individual he meets.
Kwame has written two wonderful children’s books that help our leaders of tomorrow brave adversity, build confidence and be their best selves. Check out Turtle in a Shell and If Not Me, Then Who?
TOPICS
Adapt and Conquer
Kwame uses the art of storytelling from his life to inspire his audience to adapt and conquer every obstacle that comes their way. Kwame urges his audience to understand that after stress comes success and from struggle comes strength. Kwame has learned this through the course of his life, as he overcame the negative environment he lived in. He overcame the stereotypes placed on him, countless situations in which he could have easily lost his life or been incarcerated. Kwame urges his audiences to not only find their passion but to also place themselves in the right environment to truly grow to their full potential. Find out how Kwame turned his obstacles into triumphs and turned lead into gold.
Growth Mindset
Kwame will help his audience understand that the differences between successful people and unsuccessful people are simply the way they perceive the events of life. In this presentation, Kwame will break down the importance of having a growth mindset and how your life can be completely altered positively if you choose to see it positively. Kwame passionately believes that perception is everything in life. Book Kwame now and find out how his perception helped him at critical times in his life.
Diversity and Inclusion
In this presentation, Kwame will dive into personal stories involving diversity and inclusion. Kwame recalls firsthand experiences he had in his life involving the lack of diversity and inclusion, telling raw and authentic stories of the effects this had on his mental, social and emotional health. Kwame thoroughly explains what an inclusive workspace looks like, and he teaches his audience how to create a diverse environment to produce cultural competence and cultural understanding. Book Kwame now and find out how you can create a culture that permeates inclusion and diversity.
The Power of CHOICE
In this presentation, Kwame outlines how the decisions in his life no matter how substantial or minuscule they may have seemed to be at the time ultimately played a role in determining his destiny. Kwame shares stories from his life to drive home this message. The decisions we make accumulate over time whether it means simply choosing to be positive in the face of adversity or embracing diversity and inclusion, the bottom line is we all have a choice.
