March 1, 2025 • 34 mins
Dwight Owens shares a powerful message of hope and resilience, drawing from personal experiences of trauma and loss, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration in building a brighter future for Mississippi. The episode discusses overcoming adversity, the impact of education, the struggles faced by the disability community, and the transformative power of forgiveness.
• Importance of spreading hope in communities facing challenges
• Personal story of overcoming trauma and finding purpose
• The role of education in rising above poverty
• Addressing race relations through dialogue and understanding
• The need for collaboration and kindness in healing communities
• Experiences within the disability community and advocating for change
• The power of forgiveness and moving forward from pain
• Engaging with young people to inspire change and resilience
• Collective action as a means to uplift others and create lasting change
Read Dwight's book - Still Standing
Relevant Scripture - Corinthians 1:4
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dawn Beam (00:35):
Hello everyone and welcome to Hope Mississippi.
This is Dawn Beam, and this isa new podcast.
This is actually the secondpodcast that we're releasing,
and I cannot think of a betterperson to visit with this
afternoon than Dwight Owens.
Dwight, welcome.
Dwight Owens (00:56):
I'm so happy to be here.
Thank you for the invitation.
Dawn Beam (01:00):
Well, dwight and I are both board members on Hope
Rising Mississippi, which is anonprofit that we established
about three or four years agowith the intent of spreading
hope throughout Mississippi, and, dwight, you're a part of that.
What is your dream forMississippi and, in particular,
(01:20):
the nonprofit that we have?
Dwight Owens (01:25):
particular the nonprofit that we have.
My dream for Mississippi andfor Hope Rise of Mississippi is,
you know, just to create astate where every child feels
loved and knows that they arevalued and supported.
You know, I envision acommunity that is kind,
compassionate and inclusive.
It is my hope that you know wecan provide families with the
tools they need to deal withtrauma or adversity or to just
help with challenges, and we allknow that those are the things
(01:45):
that lead to addiction, thatlead to suicide, that lead to
hopelessness.
I just want a brighter futurefor all, because you and I know
that, no matter who you are,pain doesn't discriminate.
Pain doesn't care what you looklike.
Pain doesn't care who yourfamily is.
Pain doesn't care about yourpolitical affiliation.
Pain doesn't care about any ofthat.
It doesn't care how well youdress.
(02:06):
It doesn't care what church yougo to.
It doesn't care about yourdenomination.
So pain affects us all andthat's the one thing that we can
, how we can relate to eachother through that.
But there is good news, becausepain is real, but so is hope.
Dawn Beam (02:19):
Absolutely.
You know.
I'm reminded, dwight, that Iread your book Still Standing
and you just have an incrediblestory and we're going to get to
that.
But every day, you encouragepeople to overcome pain and to
excel despite disabilities.
Tell us just a little bit aboutthat, just a little bit about
(02:41):
that Same thing as pain.
Dwight Owens (02:42):
Disability doesn't discriminate either.
It doesn't care about anythinglike that.
This is the only group whereanybody can join in just a
second.
So living in this wheelchair,you know, I just try to live by
example.
So I'm still standing becausethey say I have a disability.
But those that know me knowthat there's no disinmobility.
They don't just call me a guyin a wheelchair, they call me a
(03:03):
beast.
Being a beast means you knowwho you are.
It means you know that you canovercome anything, and that's
how I live my life.
Dawn Beam (03:11):
You are such an inspiration, dwight.
Thinking back over your book,can we talk a little bit about
your childhood and what it waslike you grew up in Laurel, is
that right, or where did yougrow up, collins, collins?
Dwight Owens (03:22):
Okay, I grew up in very humbling beginnings.
I can relate to a lot of people.
Everything wasn't handed to megrowing up.
I didn't have a lot of thingsthat other kids had, but we made
.
Do you know?
I tell everybody we grew uppoor.
We were poor but didn't know itas kids.
You don't know that you're poor.
Looking back, we weren't justpoor.
We were poor because wecouldn't afford the OOR.
That's just what it was.
(03:44):
But that's my childhood andeverything changed drastically,
you know, after my father waskilled.
I look back and I'm justgrateful for that, because I
became stronger, wiser andbetter because of my child.
Dawn Beam (03:58):
Absolutely Well.
You had a good mama, that's forsure, and I think about
Mississippi and the challengesthat we had.
Race relations is a hugechallenge and I don't want it to
be difficult for you, but wouldyou mind just telling us a
little bit about thecircumstances of your dad,
Because we want to overcomethose, and if anybody has a
right not to like white folks,it's you.
(04:20):
And yet you are the most loving, inclusive person I know, and
so just tell us a little bitabout that.
Dwight Owens (04:28):
Sure, 1994, when I was in the sixth grade, I
remember getting a phone callfrom my grandmother.
My grandmother called to tellmy siblings and I that my dad
had just been hit by a car.
Not think that it was anythingserious.
We got on the school bus, asusual in old Hot Coffee
Mississippi.
And we got on the school busbecause usual in old Hot Coffee
Mississippi.
And we got on the school busbecause my grandmother told us
that he had been hit by a car.
(04:49):
But he's okay.
So somebody spread the wrongrumor.
We got on the school bus asusual when we approached the
center of Hot Coffee and as weapproached McDonald's store at
the time the only store in HotCoffee we saw a crowd of people
on the outside of the store.
My mom was in that crowd.
My mom came out of the crowd totry to stop the school bus and
she successfully did so, and Iremember that just as if it was
(05:15):
yesterday.
And as my mom stopped theschool bus, we got off the
school bus and we realizedsomething that my dad hadn't
been hit by a car.
Someone put a gun to his head,pulled a trigger and threw him
out on the highway.
As a sixth grader.
I had to see that.
As a sixth grader, I justwitnessed my dad after he was
murdered.
As a sixth grader, I had towitness my mom have a nervous
breakdown.
As a sixth grader, I had towitness my sister have a nervous
breakdown.
(05:35):
And all of that taught mesomething and I knew that if I
could overcome that, I couldovercome anything else life
threw at me, because in my life,I understand that, no matter
what your challenges are, we allhave a choice.
There's a choice.
I could go through life feelingbitter, being angry at the
world, being hateful or whateverthe case may be, but what value
does that bring to my life?
That's a choice I could havemade.
(05:57):
I could use my life withaddiction to drugs and alcohol.
I could use that as a copingmechanism.
That's a choice that I couldhave made.
But I could also make thechoice to be the man that my dad
wanted me to be a voice ofpositivity, a beacon of hope,
and that's what I chose to do.
So my dad was, unfortunatelywas a victim of a hate crime,
(06:17):
but looking back on that, youknow.
As for race relations, I believethat we need to improve in that
area and much of that is due toa lack of understanding and
people not taking theopportunity to get to know
people unlike them.
But if we can just take thetime, we can see the beauty in
each other.
We can see God's work, a workof art created in His image.
We find that there is beauty inour images and our differences.
(06:40):
I just feel so bad for peoplethat have that type of hate in
their hearts.
I feel so bad because they'rerobbing themselves of so much
joy.
I heard a pastor say once atChrist Church in Laurel that
people that have that type ofhate in their heart they're not
going to be happy in heaven orhell.
Dawn Beam (06:59):
I got news for them.
We're going to all be up thereblack, white, baptist, methodist
, catholic, all of us becausewe're all children of the King.
I think when we talk aboutcollaborations and hope, my
prayer is that we get so busyworking together across racial
lines, we forget what color weare.
(07:19):
I think back to Katrina and man.
It didn't matter, the ox was inthe ditch.
It didn't matter what color youwere.
We were all doing what it tookto take care of one another, and
that's God's plan.
Dwight Owens (07:32):
Most definitely.
Dawn Beam (07:34):
You are such an inspiration and I hope that this
dialogue.
You know sometimes we don'twe're hesitant to talk about
race relations, but we need toacknowledge we've come a long
way but we're not where we needto be, and so I appreciate your
openness to talking about thatand I would encourage folks have
somebody that's different fromyou over for dinner.
(07:56):
We do that periodically andit's just so cool to have
someone else of a different race.
That's where those barrierscome down is when we see that we
can sit down and eat andfellowship together.
It's just a wonderful blessing.
I thank God for you and yourfriendship.
It's been a huge blessing.
Dwight Owens (08:16):
I thank God for you.
Open dialogue is so importantbecause it creates understanding
, and that's huge in thatsubject.
There.
Dawn Beam (08:25):
Now we're talking about that and the trauma that
you endured and that youovercame that.
But let's talk a little bitabout you.
Went on and you played sports.
Dwight Owens (08:36):
Oh, of course, In my family you have to play
sports.
Dawn Beam (08:39):
And so you played football, and you ended up
graduating from high school.
Dwight Owens (08:44):
Yes.
Dawn Beam (08:45):
And then you went on to college, you went to USM.
Dwight Owens (08:48):
I went to USM, to the top.
Dawn Beam (08:50):
To the top and you trained to be a teacher.
Dwight Owens (08:53):
Yes.
Dawn Beam (08:54):
Okay, so tell us a little bit about that, because
all of that involves helpingyoung people, and oftentimes
that's helping young peopleovercome their own challenges.
Dwight Owens (09:03):
People and oftentimes that's helping young
people overcome their ownchallenges.
Yes, you know, I had mychallenges after my dad died and
I remember my grandmother usedto tell me when I thought, when
I was trying to go the wrong way, because she would tell us all
the time that, despite what hashappened, it was her son.
She said, despite what hashappened, you have to just move
forward, be free and forgive andlove everybody.
(09:26):
Don't rob yourself of that.
People can see the beautywithin you by the way that you
live your life.
Your life is your personalmessage to the world and it's
how you live it that's going tomake the difference.
But my dad would always tell ushe wanted us to be better than
he was.
He would tell us that all ofthe time because we were poor
and he was guilty, that hecouldn't provide the type of
(09:47):
life that he wanted.
He was a putwood hauler.
He hauled wood, but in order todo that back then you had to
get somebody to let you do it ontheir land, and sometimes that
created struggles.
So he would always tell us thatand I wanted to make him so
proud.
Oh, I was so determined moredetermined than ever after that
happened and I just wanted to dosomething special.
So I went to Collins High Schooland I graduated near the top of
(10:10):
my class because I wanted it.
No one's going to tell me I wasgoing to fail.
I also excel in athletics, butwhen an injury stopped me from
being a football player, Iwanted to be on the next level.
I was able to fall back on myacademics so I went to the
University of SouthernMississippi where I majored in
education.
(10:30):
After the University ofSouthern Mississippi I started
teaching at Laurel High School.
I taught there for a year.
Then my dream job opened upbeing a football coach and a
teacher at my alma mater inCollins.
So excited to learn from someof the same coaches and teachers
.
That encouraged me.
But yes, education, educationwas my heart at the time.
Dawn Beam (10:47):
One thing I want to point out is it's now Dr Dwight
Owens, is that right?
Dwight Owens (10:54):
That's right.
I recently graduated with mydoctorate in educational
leadership.
I keep it rolling, I keep itrolling.
Dawn Beam (11:00):
Well, you know that's important for all of us to
remember is that you never stoplearning, and education is the
key to rising above poverty, andit's just so important that we
help folks to understand that.
One thing that separates youfrom a lot of young
(11:20):
Mississippians is that they'recaught in generational poverty,
but they don't have the familythat you had, and you were
blessed to have a great mother,a grandmother that were solid
behind you, and so we need, asMississippians, to remember that
you deal with kids every day.
What have you seen out there,with young folks caught up in
(11:43):
generational poverty?
Dwight Owens (11:45):
Well, first of all , when you talk about the family
aspect of that, all my familyhas always been so amazing.
So my heart goes out to thosethat don't have that, because it
makes a huge difference, a hugedifference.
You know, I have a wonderfulsupport system.
You know, despite thewheelchair, I'm so blessed.
You know, drive everywhere Ineed to go, have a wonderful
(12:05):
wife.
We've been married, oh, 17years now, whoop, whoop, yes.
And I was confident, despitebeing in this wheelchair,
paralyzed from the waist down.
I'm telling you, I'm tellingyou, when I saw the woman I
wanted to date, I just rolled upto her, I put this wheelchair
(12:26):
on park and she became my wife,had a daughter who was born on
12-12-12.
And, I think, a daughter's mostbeautiful gift the world has to
offer.
But I think, in regards topoverty, it causes so much
hopelessness, especially withour young people, because they
can't see where they want to bein the future.
They're only looking at the now.
They can't envision that aheadof them.
And that's one of the thingsthat I was able to do when I was
young.
I was able to see where I wantto be and I fought to get there.
(12:46):
I see a lot of that today I getmore calls now for whether it's
elementary schools, middleschools, high schools, I get
more calls where a child iscontemplating suicide than I've
ever had before, ever had before.
And these are the type ofthings that I'm passionate about
and I do voluntarily because Ilove children, I love youth and
(13:07):
I love to create a differentperspective in that way.
But it's sad and a lot of thosecalls when you get to talk to a
student, when you get todiscover what led to that you
can see, and you get to visittheir home, you can see that
poverty there, absolutely whatled to that you could see and
you get to visit their home, youcould see that poverty there.
Dawn Beam (13:22):
Absolutely Hope Rising Mississippi was kind of
birthed out of a book by Dr ChanHellman called Hope Science,
and the idea is that tomorrowcan be better than today and you
can make it so, but you have tohave that vision, that goal and
that willingness.
That's just so important andthe schools is a huge
(13:45):
opportunity to help build thatand you do that every day.
Dwight Owens (13:48):
Yes, I do and I'm grateful.
You know I love our youth, as Isaid before.
So many are looking for answers, looking for the hope that we
speak of.
It's an opportunity to change achild's perspective and
possibly, you know, save a life.
I'm in so many high schoolseach year, so many elementary
schools, middle schools alike.
I'm grateful for thepartnership between the
(14:11):
Mississippi Department ofRehabilitation Services and the
Mississippi Highway Patrol forcreating a prom campaign Please
Return on Monday and that'sgetting ready to start.
So we'll be in schools almostdaily, coming up.
But I'm just grateful.
I'm just grateful because whenI see a young person and I see
that they don't have that hope,it gives me an opportunity to
(14:34):
help them move forward withdifferent perspective, a
positive perspective, and thatmeans everything to me.
Dawn Beam (14:40):
Dwight, you just have an incredible story.
Would you mind sharing aboutthe accident that landed you in
a wheelchair?
Dwight Owens (14:49):
Sure, on August 5th 2005,.
We talked about me being ateacher at Collins High School
On August 5th 2005,.
It's a day that I'll neverforget.
On that day, on my way toschool, I remember getting a
phone call and I remember my momcalled me and we were talking
(15:09):
about some things.
I'm just trying to play thatday over in my head.
And after I got off the phonecall with my mom, I remember
traveling down the road toschool because my principal
wanted us to decorate our doorsthat day because I was a teacher
.
So I was like school's going tostart that Monday, august 8th.
So this is August 2005.
I needed to get my doordecorated and as a teacher, we
(15:30):
did those things.
So that's one of the thingsthat I was getting ready to do.
But I never made it there Onthat day, august 5th 2005,.
As I prepared to go get myclassroom ready for the students
to come in that Monday, I wasrailroaded by a drunk driver,
clocked at 120 miles an hour.
They found my torso on thefloor of the car, my legs
wrapped around the steeringwheel.
Only thing holding me togetherwas a seatbelt.
(15:52):
You know, all because of achoice that somebody made that
they didn't have to make.
They made it.
And in that car my body wasbasically bent and lifeless.
As I said, the only thingholding me together was a
seatbelt.
I coded instantly.
We knew what that means.
It means my heart stopped.
It means I was literally deadin that car.
That's an interesting story initself because after I coded, I
(16:15):
remember having all theseflashbacks that were so real.
I remember being a child againand being on a big wheel and all
of this stuff, and theneverything stopped.
And when everything stopped, Iremember seeing this bright
light and all of this peacesurrounding me and out of
nowhere, my dad appeared beforeme, along with other family
members that passed before him.
(16:37):
And my dad says, son,everything's going to be okay.
And after he said that, hewalked away toward an opening in
this lit place and hedisappeared, not knowing what to
do.
I decided to follow him.
Right before I got there wherehe was going, I woke in the
hospital and I overheard adoctor say we got him back.
So that gives me all the joythat I need to continue to move
(16:57):
forward, because I knew at thatpoint that my life had purpose.
Dawn Beam (17:01):
We're talking.
Drunk driver made a poor choice, changed your life in an
instant.
You should just despise thatperson that did that, but tell
us a little bit about yourforgiveness process.
Dwight Owens (17:18):
I wanted to be free.
I was in the hospital a yearfighting for my life.
It was difficult.
I hadn't seen the light of day,just fighting for my life,
surviving life support, all ofthat stuff, you know.
I sustained several injuries Ibroke all of my ribs, my liver
was found lodged into my chest,I tore both shoulders, sustained
liver damage, kidney damage,brain trauma.
Couldn't breathe on my own, hadto be placed on life support,
(17:41):
back was broken, spinal cordsevered, leading to paralysis in
this wheelchair.
But I found out something that aperson with no forgiveness in
their hearts punishes themselvesfar worse than anyone else
could.
And in order to be all that Godwants us to be, we have to let
things go.
You know too many people thatwe find every day are walking
around suffering in silence, andit was vital for me to forgive
(18:04):
the guy that not only killed mydad, but forgive the guy that
put me in this chair.
So for those listening, I justwant to let you know that
sometimes God can take yourdeepest pain and turn it into
your greatest calling.
For me, forgiveness is a mustin order for you to move on and
be free, and I'm free.
Dawn Beam (18:23):
You know, and Christ forgave us that same way, didn't
he?
So if he can forgive us for allthat we have done, why not
forgive others?
That's just a huge message toyoung people, even today.
Okay, dwight, god has giftedyou with an incredible talent to
go into these schools and talkto our young people, so tell us
(18:45):
a little bit about that.
You talked about that atspringtime and that you do the
See you on Monday.
Just tell us a little bit aboutyour experience with that, how
you got involved in it and howGod has used that to be a
blessing.
Dwight Owens (18:59):
After I got out of the hospital I told you I was
in the hospital a year fightingfor my life.
So I came home and my life wasjust turned upside down.
I didn't know what the roadahead would be.
You know, I went from being ateacher to now in the hospital,
Doctors telling me that I wasgoing to be a vegetable, All of
that stuff.
Just didn't know at my mom'shouse at the time, in a hospital
(19:21):
bed, and I knew that I wantedmore.
I knew that I wanted more.
So I talked to my pastor at mychurch to ask if I could
volunteer to speak to youth anddifferent stuff like that.
And he was all for it, Ofcourse, of course.
So at that point of time,coming from being a math teacher
, I said you know what I canspeak pretty well.
I didn't know that.
And then after that myprincipal called me and asked me
(19:44):
to speak to the students thereand speak to the staff, because
they were worried about me.
They wanted to know how I wasdoing.
So I went to professionaldevelopment, I talked to the
staff and then I went to talk tothe students and after that I
started getting calls fromschools everywhere.
Apparently, the superintendenttold other people that you need
to get this guy.
(20:08):
At that point I created acampaign called Before you Drink
, Think Dwight.
So after Before you Drink,Think Dwight.
Later on I found out about moreresources in our state.
I found out about theMississippi Department of
Rehabilitation Services and Ifound out about all of these
other agencies that assistpeople with disabilities.
After meeting them, theycreated that campaign and, as a
client of theirs, they invitedme on to that particular prom
campaign.
That's how it started there.
Dawn Beam (20:27):
And the kids just eat it up.
I've seen you in action andit's just amazing how your story
just resonates with them.
I know that parents soappreciate the message that you
bring at the school.
You know I'm reminded ofanother great thing that you do
and that is minister to otherfolks in the disability area.
(20:52):
I'm reminded of that Bibleverse God comforts us so that we
can yet be comforters.
Can you tell us a little bitabout how that works, the
challenges out there?
There's very little support forsome folks and you really have
to think outside the box.
But a lot of folks have no ideaof the struggle of the
(21:13):
disability community.
Could you tell us some aboutthat?
Dwight Owens (21:16):
When it comes to people with disabilities, most
people feel like they're trappedin a world that others don't
understand.
So imagine having something andyou go to a restaurant you
can't get in.
You go to public facilities youcan't get in, and things like
that, and people feel like theydon't belong.
A lot of people in public don'treally speak to people with
disabilities because they'reafraid that they're going to
(21:37):
offend them instead of justbeing themselves.
When you go to a doctor'soffice and you have somebody
with you, the doctor talks tothe person beside you about your
condition instead of talking toyou.
So they feel like they're notseen in public and they feel
alone.
And loneliness leads todepression, it leads to suicide,
(21:58):
it leads to drug and alcoholaddiction.
It leads to all of those things.
So there are so many peoplewith disabilities that's in
their own homes and don't comeoutside and don't engage with
the public because people don'tpay them any attention.
And so that's why I'm superpassionate about helping people
navigate and find hope and findpurpose, because purpose leads
(22:18):
to that hope that we speak of,because purpose leads to that
hope that we speak of.
Dawn Beam (22:21):
Well, the truth is, we're all broken people.
Some are in wheelchairs, Sometheir brokenness is in other
ways, but we're all broken.
One thing, though, that I'vehad to learn is that when I hug
somebody that's a quadriplegicor whatever I'm not going to
hurt them.
We have a dear friend, Dan Hall, and I used to think, oh my
(22:42):
goodness, I can't, I'm afraid totouch Dan.
And now I just hug him and kisshim and it's all good.
And when you, you realize thatjust because you're in a chair
doesn't mean that you don't havefeelings and you can't
communicate.
Dwight Owens (22:58):
Yes, yes, people with disabilities are no
different from anybody else.
We have goals, we have dreams,we want love, we want all of
that stuff.
So just be yourself, the sameway that you would be with
anybody else.
Just be yourself.
I realize I'm physicallyparalyzed, I can't walk, no one
has the time to deliver it everyday, but, as I said before, you
can be paralyzed without beingin a wheelchair.
(23:18):
There's people walking aroundright now, suffering in silence,
paralyzed by fear, paralyzed bydrugs and alcohol, paralyzed by
a loss of faith and so manyother things.
Dawn Beam (23:29):
And if given a choice , I'd rather stay right here in
this wheelchair, and because youare aware of those issues, you
and a number of your friends allwork together to intervene, to
help one another and to connectwith resources.
Tell us a little bit about that.
I know you work for therehabilitation services, so
there's some things that theycan do, but we were just talking
(23:52):
about a friend that lost hiscaregiver, so it's everything
from a food issue to medicineand mental health and on.
So talk a little bit about that, because we want people to find
ways they can engage and make adifference.
Dwight Owens (24:06):
Oh yes, I am a consultant with the Mississippi
Department of RehabilitationServices and they became my
bridge to independence in somany ways, and there's so many
other resources out there thatcan help people with
disabilities.
I'm also an alcohol andprevention specialist with the
ARCA Mississippi, so I do a lotin trying to prevent addiction
in the disability communitybecause it's so prevalent.
(24:28):
People with disabilities aremore vulnerable to addiction but
less likely to get effectivetreatment compared to those
without disabilities, becausewhen you have autism or IDD and
you want to go to a treatmentfacility, guess what?
They don't take you because,especially if your IQ is too low
.
So therefore you have to sit athome and suffer in silence.
So we're trying to work tochange policy and create things
(24:51):
and give tools so that peoplewith disabilities have that hope
.
There's so many things outthere that can be used.
So just one of those peoplethat if you need something or if
you're looking for any type ofresource, I'll find it for you
and we'll do it.
I'll make sure.
So when I meet somebody that'slooking for something in
(25:12):
particular, I'm able to helpthem navigate and find those
things, and a lot of times I dothat voluntarily.
For example, a hospital missionthat I have for people with new
injuries, I met a girl namedAmanda several years back.
This really gave me themotivation that I needed to
continue doing what I'm doingtoday.
I met Amanda and Amanda wasonly 22 years of age.
(25:36):
Her husband was 23.
She was married at the time.
She had a new spinal cordinjury just broken and I went
into Amanda's room and ourhusband was in the room and he
was telling Amanda that when hefirst met her that he could
never envision his life havingto take care of somebody for the
rest of his life.
(25:56):
And I remember that just likeit was yesterday.
It plays back and forth in mymind in my head of that.
Just like it was yesterday itplays back and forth in my mind
in my head.
When he told Amanda that Icould see where the conversation
was going.
He eventually asked Amanda fora divorce and I could just look
at the brokenness in Amanda andI remember talking to her after
he left the room and I said,amanda, sometimes you have to
leave what you want to find whatyou deserve.
(26:19):
And we made plans to do somethings after I left the hospital
that day, but I couldn't gether back on the phone, I would
call her mom.
Her mom didn't know what shewas.
After she was discharged fromthe hospital, her mom didn't
know anything, and one day, allof a sudden, her mom called me
just randomly and said Dwight, Iappreciate what you try to do
for Amanda, but Amanda was justfound dead in a ditch drug
(26:41):
overdose.
And that really put me on thepath that I am right now to make
sure that people withdisabilities in that community
have the hope that they need,because I understand that
without it, what it leads to aperson not wanting to be here
anymore.
And so I think about Amanda andshe inspires me to continue
(27:01):
doing what I'm doing right nowjust working tirelessly to make
sure people in the disabilitycommunity get what they need to
move forward those in thedisability community that are
(27:26):
oftentimes overlooked, whetherit be through politics or
whatever.
Dawn Beam (27:28):
Oftentimes we don't have all of the resources that
those in the disabilitycommunity need, and so it's just
so important for people to bewide open their eyes, to be open
to that need, and who knowssomebody?
Listening may be that veryblessing that is needed.
They may know somebody with adisability and it may touch
their heart to reach out to them.
Dwight Owens (27:49):
It really touches my heart because there's so many
people.
If you go out into community,you really just look around,
you'll see that there are peoplewith disabilities isolated in
the community, they're isolatedat church, they're isolated in
the schools, and one of thethings that really broke my
heart, especially in theelementary schools, is when you
(28:12):
are seeing kids play on theplayground and you see that
person with a disability on thesidelines watching.
Oh that does something to me.
It does something to me.
Those are the factors and themotivational factors.
I need to just continue on thisjourney.
Dawn Beam (28:26):
And you know, it's just random acts of kindness
that we can show.
I'm reminded one of my kids wasin high school and he had a
friend that was in a wheelchairand my son picked that fella up
out of his wheelchair and justput him in the bleachers so that
he could be like everybody else.
We just need to be open to thatand God will provide
(28:48):
opportunities to help along theway, which brings me to another
question.
Look back over your life andjust think about those God
moments where people helped youalong the way because none of us
got to where we are on our own.
Dwight Owens (29:05):
No doubt there are way too many people to count.
You know my family.
There were doctors who becamemy friends.
One of my favorite people inthe world is Dr Duncan Donald
from Forest General Hospital.
Not only was he my traumadoctor when I was there at
Forest General Hospital, but hebecame a lifelong friend of mine
.
I never knew that when you geta call, you would automatically
(29:28):
think it's the nurse calls.
But when a doctor calls andwants to check on you, when a
doctor sends you a wedding gift,when a doctor does all of those
things, it just means somethingto you.
Mdrs, as I said before, becamemy bridge to independence.
The Arc of Mississippi helpedme learn how to advocate for
people with disabilities so manyto name.
So I just want to pay itforward and, you know, make
(29:50):
every day count for something.
But I have something for peoplethat are listening.
We talked about forgiveness,but many times there are people
that are, you know, theirforgiveness problem is not with
other people, it's withthemselves.
We're our own worst enemiesmany times.
So I want to do something forthose that are listening.
(30:10):
For those that are listening.
It's time to rid ourselves ofthings that are holding us back,
because you can't be the personthat God created you to be if
you're still stuck on thingsthat happened in your childhood,
if you're still stuck with someof those things.
So right here, right now, we'regoing to change that.
(30:31):
So, if you're listening, I wantyou to think about that one
thing that made you feel likeyour life was turned upside down
.
Has somebody harmed you,wronged you, that thought you
were never going to amount toanything?
Maybe someone close to you thatdoubted you.
Maybe you were a victim ofabuse.
Whatever the case may be, maybeyou were surrounded by
addiction.
Maybe you grew up lost, withouta parent in your life.
(30:52):
Maybe you had a father in yourlife, but that father showed no
signs of affection.
So you grew up with a hole inyour heart, afraid to give
affection, afraid to receiveaffection.
Maybe you're going through adivorce.
Whatever your challenge may be,you deserve to live a life that
you're excited about.
So move on.
Move forward and be the personthat you were destined to be.
It's worth it.
Dawn Beam (31:14):
That's what hope's all about the idea that tomorrow
can be better than today andyou can make it so.
And too often times we let thepast hold us back from the great
things that God has plannedthat trauma of those negative
experiences.
But God does not want us to bethat way.
(31:34):
He's got a plan and you got tolet go in order to embrace the
wonderful things ahead.
Let's talk about the importanceof collaboration.
You do a lot of collaboratingin your work, whether it be with
the superintendents andeducators and connecting there,
or whether it be with thedisability community.
(31:55):
But just talk about when wework with one another and the
different talents we all bringto the table.
Dwight Owens (32:01):
Oh, yes, you know collaboration is so important.
It's important for achievingmeaningful change.
You just have to, no matterwhat sector you're in, you have
to be able to work together, andby working together with others
, we can pool our resources, wecan share knowledge, and that
helps extend our impact.
When we come together with ashared vision, we can create an
impactful support system for allthose that we serve.
(32:25):
So collaboration is extremelyimportant.
Dawn Beam (32:27):
Burden shared is lighter, and that is something
that we have to learn to do isto share our thoughts and dreams
.
Nothing is impossible with God,but two when we work together.
I'm reminded I used to play inthe band, and it's one thing for
me to play on my own, but whenI played with that entire band,
(32:50):
the music was just phenomenal.
That just reminds us we can doso much more when we all work
together than we ever couldindividually.
You saw that with your footballexperience, the idea of a
football team working together.
Dwight Owens (33:07):
Oh yes, most definitely, Most definitely.
Dawn Beam (33:10):
So if you had one wish for Mississippi, what would
it be?
Dwight Owens (33:18):
had one wish for Mississippi.
What would it be If I had onewish?
I would wish for a culture ofkindness and empathy, where
people actively seek to upliftone another.
That's what I would wish Forthose out there.
I remember watching ESPN and Iremember there was a basketball
coach I can't think of her name,but she talked about something
that made so much sense to meand she said that life doesn't
get any easier.
(33:39):
You just get stronger.
The harder the life, thestronger and wiser you'll become
.
The stronger and wiser you'llbecome, the easier the life will
be.
So stop worrying about whatcould go wrong and get excited
about what can go right.
I believe that God has a planfor all of us and we all have
challenges to face.
He also gives us the strengthand resources to overcome those
challenges.
There are no guarantees in lifeand it can change on a dime.
(34:00):
All I know is that you have toface things head on, put them in
the best possible light andhelp others every chance you get
.
Life doesn't have to be perfectto be wonderful.
Dawn Beam (34:11):
Absolutely, Dwight.
I love you, brother, and I soappreciate you coming and
sharing your story.
My hope and prayer is that theright folks hear this and that
their lives will be changedbecause of the hope that you
shared today.
So thank y'all so much forjoining us today with Hope
(34:31):
Mississippi.
We look forward to anotherpodcast coming up soon.
Thanks so much.
Hello everyone and welcome to Hope Mississippi.
This is Dawn Beam, and this isa new podcast.
This is actually the secondpodcast that we're releasing,
and I cannot think of a betterperson to visit with this
afternoon than Dwight Owens.
Dwight, welcome.
Dwight Owens (00:56):
I'm so happy to be here.
Thank you for the invitation.
Dawn Beam (01:00):
Well, dwight and I are both board members on Hope
Rising Mississippi, which is anonprofit that we established
about three or four years agowith the intent of spreading
hope throughout Mississippi, and, dwight, you're a part of that.
What is your dream forMississippi and, in particular,
(01:20):
the nonprofit that we have?
Dwight Owens (01:25):
particular the nonprofit that we have.
My dream for Mississippi andfor Hope Rise of Mississippi is,
you know, just to create astate where every child feels
loved and knows that they arevalued and supported.
You know, I envision acommunity that is kind,
compassionate and inclusive.
It is my hope that you know wecan provide families with the
tools they need to deal withtrauma or adversity or to just
help with challenges, and we allknow that those are the things
(01:45):
that lead to addiction, thatlead to suicide, that lead to
hopelessness.
I just want a brighter futurefor all, because you and I know
that, no matter who you are,pain doesn't discriminate.
Pain doesn't care what you looklike.
Pain doesn't care who yourfamily is.
Pain doesn't care about yourpolitical affiliation.
Pain doesn't care about any ofthat.
It doesn't care how well youdress.
(02:06):
It doesn't care what church yougo to.
It doesn't care about yourdenomination.
So pain affects us all andthat's the one thing that we can
, how we can relate to eachother through that.
But there is good news, becausepain is real, but so is hope.
Dawn Beam (02:19):
Absolutely.
You know.
I'm reminded, dwight, that Iread your book Still Standing
and you just have an incrediblestory and we're going to get to
that.
But every day, you encouragepeople to overcome pain and to
excel despite disabilities.
Tell us just a little bit aboutthat, just a little bit about
(02:41):
that Same thing as pain.
Dwight Owens (02:42):
Disability doesn't discriminate either.
It doesn't care about anythinglike that.
This is the only group whereanybody can join in just a
second.
So living in this wheelchair,you know, I just try to live by
example.
So I'm still standing becausethey say I have a disability.
But those that know me knowthat there's no disinmobility.
They don't just call me a guyin a wheelchair, they call me a
(03:03):
beast.
Being a beast means you knowwho you are.
It means you know that you canovercome anything, and that's
how I live my life.
Dawn Beam (03:11):
You are such an inspiration, dwight.
Thinking back over your book,can we talk a little bit about
your childhood and what it waslike you grew up in Laurel, is
that right, or where did yougrow up, collins, collins?
Dwight Owens (03:22):
Okay, I grew up in very humbling beginnings.
I can relate to a lot of people.
Everything wasn't handed to megrowing up.
I didn't have a lot of thingsthat other kids had, but we made
.
Do you know?
I tell everybody we grew uppoor.
We were poor but didn't know itas kids.
You don't know that you're poor.
Looking back, we weren't justpoor.
We were poor because wecouldn't afford the OOR.
That's just what it was.
(03:44):
But that's my childhood andeverything changed drastically,
you know, after my father waskilled.
I look back and I'm justgrateful for that, because I
became stronger, wiser andbetter because of my child.
Dawn Beam (03:58):
Absolutely Well.
You had a good mama, that's forsure, and I think about
Mississippi and the challengesthat we had.
Race relations is a hugechallenge and I don't want it to
be difficult for you, but wouldyou mind just telling us a
little bit about thecircumstances of your dad,
Because we want to overcomethose, and if anybody has a
right not to like white folks,it's you.
(04:20):
And yet you are the most loving, inclusive person I know, and
so just tell us a little bitabout that.
Dwight Owens (04:28):
Sure, 1994, when I was in the sixth grade, I
remember getting a phone callfrom my grandmother.
My grandmother called to tellmy siblings and I that my dad
had just been hit by a car.
Not think that it was anythingserious.
We got on the school bus, asusual in old Hot Coffee
Mississippi.
And we got on the school busbecause usual in old Hot Coffee
Mississippi.
And we got on the school busbecause my grandmother told us
that he had been hit by a car.
(04:49):
But he's okay.
So somebody spread the wrongrumor.
We got on the school bus asusual when we approached the
center of Hot Coffee and as weapproached McDonald's store at
the time the only store in HotCoffee we saw a crowd of people
on the outside of the store.
My mom was in that crowd.
My mom came out of the crowd totry to stop the school bus and
she successfully did so, and Iremember that just as if it was
(05:15):
yesterday.
And as my mom stopped theschool bus, we got off the
school bus and we realizedsomething that my dad hadn't
been hit by a car.
Someone put a gun to his head,pulled a trigger and threw him
out on the highway.
As a sixth grader.
I had to see that.
As a sixth grader, I justwitnessed my dad after he was
murdered.
As a sixth grader, I had towitness my mom have a nervous
breakdown.
As a sixth grader, I had towitness my sister have a nervous
breakdown.
(05:35):
And all of that taught mesomething and I knew that if I
could overcome that, I couldovercome anything else life
threw at me, because in my life,I understand that, no matter
what your challenges are, we allhave a choice.
There's a choice.
I could go through life feelingbitter, being angry at the
world, being hateful or whateverthe case may be, but what value
does that bring to my life?
That's a choice I could havemade.
(05:57):
I could use my life withaddiction to drugs and alcohol.
I could use that as a copingmechanism.
That's a choice that I couldhave made.
But I could also make thechoice to be the man that my dad
wanted me to be a voice ofpositivity, a beacon of hope,
and that's what I chose to do.
So my dad was, unfortunatelywas a victim of a hate crime,
(06:17):
but looking back on that, youknow.
As for race relations, I believethat we need to improve in that
area and much of that is due toa lack of understanding and
people not taking theopportunity to get to know
people unlike them.
But if we can just take thetime, we can see the beauty in
each other.
We can see God's work, a workof art created in His image.
We find that there is beauty inour images and our differences.
(06:40):
I just feel so bad for peoplethat have that type of hate in
their hearts.
I feel so bad because they'rerobbing themselves of so much
joy.
I heard a pastor say once atChrist Church in Laurel that
people that have that type ofhate in their heart they're not
going to be happy in heaven orhell.
Dawn Beam (06:59):
I got news for them.
We're going to all be up thereblack, white, baptist, methodist
, catholic, all of us becausewe're all children of the King.
I think when we talk aboutcollaborations and hope, my
prayer is that we get so busyworking together across racial
lines, we forget what color weare.
(07:19):
I think back to Katrina and man.
It didn't matter, the ox was inthe ditch.
It didn't matter what color youwere.
We were all doing what it tookto take care of one another, and
that's God's plan.
Dwight Owens (07:32):
Most definitely.
Dawn Beam (07:34):
You are such an inspiration and I hope that this
dialogue.
You know sometimes we don'twe're hesitant to talk about
race relations, but we need toacknowledge we've come a long
way but we're not where we needto be, and so I appreciate your
openness to talking about thatand I would encourage folks have
somebody that's different fromyou over for dinner.
(07:56):
We do that periodically andit's just so cool to have
someone else of a different race.
That's where those barrierscome down is when we see that we
can sit down and eat andfellowship together.
It's just a wonderful blessing.
I thank God for you and yourfriendship.
It's been a huge blessing.
Dwight Owens (08:16):
I thank God for you.
Open dialogue is so importantbecause it creates understanding
, and that's huge in thatsubject.
There.
Dawn Beam (08:25):
Now we're talking about that and the trauma that
you endured and that youovercame that.
But let's talk a little bitabout you.
Went on and you played sports.
Dwight Owens (08:36):
Oh, of course, In my family you have to play
sports.
Dawn Beam (08:39):
And so you played football, and you ended up
graduating from high school.
Dwight Owens (08:44):
Yes.
Dawn Beam (08:45):
And then you went on to college, you went to USM.
Dwight Owens (08:48):
I went to USM, to the top.
Dawn Beam (08:50):
To the top and you trained to be a teacher.
Dwight Owens (08:53):
Yes.
Dawn Beam (08:54):
Okay, so tell us a little bit about that, because
all of that involves helpingyoung people, and oftentimes
that's helping young peopleovercome their own challenges.
Dwight Owens (09:03):
People and oftentimes that's helping young
people overcome their ownchallenges.
Yes, you know, I had mychallenges after my dad died and
I remember my grandmother usedto tell me when I thought, when
I was trying to go the wrong way, because she would tell us all
the time that, despite what hashappened, it was her son.
She said, despite what hashappened, you have to just move
forward, be free and forgive andlove everybody.
(09:26):
Don't rob yourself of that.
People can see the beautywithin you by the way that you
live your life.
Your life is your personalmessage to the world and it's
how you live it that's going tomake the difference.
But my dad would always tell ushe wanted us to be better than
he was.
He would tell us that all ofthe time because we were poor
and he was guilty, that hecouldn't provide the type of
(09:47):
life that he wanted.
He was a putwood hauler.
He hauled wood, but in order todo that back then you had to
get somebody to let you do it ontheir land, and sometimes that
created struggles.
So he would always tell us thatand I wanted to make him so
proud.
Oh, I was so determined moredetermined than ever after that
happened and I just wanted to dosomething special.
So I went to Collins High Schooland I graduated near the top of
(10:10):
my class because I wanted it.
No one's going to tell me I wasgoing to fail.
I also excel in athletics, butwhen an injury stopped me from
being a football player, Iwanted to be on the next level.
I was able to fall back on myacademics so I went to the
University of SouthernMississippi where I majored in
education.
(10:30):
After the University ofSouthern Mississippi I started
teaching at Laurel High School.
I taught there for a year.
Then my dream job opened upbeing a football coach and a
teacher at my alma mater inCollins.
So excited to learn from someof the same coaches and teachers
.
That encouraged me.
But yes, education, educationwas my heart at the time.
Dawn Beam (10:47):
One thing I want to point out is it's now Dr Dwight
Owens, is that right?
Dwight Owens (10:54):
That's right.
I recently graduated with mydoctorate in educational
leadership.
I keep it rolling, I keep itrolling.
Dawn Beam (11:00):
Well, you know that's important for all of us to
remember is that you never stoplearning, and education is the
key to rising above poverty, andit's just so important that we
help folks to understand that.
One thing that separates youfrom a lot of young
(11:20):
Mississippians is that they'recaught in generational poverty,
but they don't have the familythat you had, and you were
blessed to have a great mother,a grandmother that were solid
behind you, and so we need, asMississippians, to remember that
you deal with kids every day.
What have you seen out there,with young folks caught up in
(11:43):
generational poverty?
Dwight Owens (11:45):
Well, first of all , when you talk about the family
aspect of that, all my familyhas always been so amazing.
So my heart goes out to thosethat don't have that, because it
makes a huge difference, a hugedifference.
You know, I have a wonderfulsupport system.
You know, despite thewheelchair, I'm so blessed.
You know, drive everywhere Ineed to go, have a wonderful
(12:05):
wife.
We've been married, oh, 17years now, whoop, whoop, yes.
And I was confident, despitebeing in this wheelchair,
paralyzed from the waist down.
I'm telling you, I'm tellingyou, when I saw the woman I
wanted to date, I just rolled upto her, I put this wheelchair
(12:26):
on park and she became my wife,had a daughter who was born on
12-12-12.
And, I think, a daughter's mostbeautiful gift the world has to
offer.
But I think, in regards topoverty, it causes so much
hopelessness, especially withour young people, because they
can't see where they want to bein the future.
They're only looking at the now.
They can't envision that aheadof them.
And that's one of the thingsthat I was able to do when I was
young.
I was able to see where I wantto be and I fought to get there.
(12:46):
I see a lot of that today I getmore calls now for whether it's
elementary schools, middleschools, high schools, I get
more calls where a child iscontemplating suicide than I've
ever had before, ever had before.
And these are the type ofthings that I'm passionate about
and I do voluntarily because Ilove children, I love youth and
(13:07):
I love to create a differentperspective in that way.
But it's sad and a lot of thosecalls when you get to talk to a
student, when you get todiscover what led to that you
can see, and you get to visittheir home, you can see that
poverty there, absolutely whatled to that you could see and
you get to visit their home, youcould see that poverty there.
Dawn Beam (13:22):
Absolutely Hope Rising Mississippi was kind of
birthed out of a book by Dr ChanHellman called Hope Science,
and the idea is that tomorrowcan be better than today and you
can make it so, but you have tohave that vision, that goal and
that willingness.
That's just so important andthe schools is a huge
(13:45):
opportunity to help build thatand you do that every day.
Dwight Owens (13:48):
Yes, I do and I'm grateful.
You know I love our youth, as Isaid before.
So many are looking for answers, looking for the hope that we
speak of.
It's an opportunity to change achild's perspective and
possibly, you know, save a life.
I'm in so many high schoolseach year, so many elementary
schools, middle schools alike.
I'm grateful for thepartnership between the
(14:11):
Mississippi Department ofRehabilitation Services and the
Mississippi Highway Patrol forcreating a prom campaign Please
Return on Monday and that'sgetting ready to start.
So we'll be in schools almostdaily, coming up.
But I'm just grateful.
I'm just grateful because whenI see a young person and I see
that they don't have that hope,it gives me an opportunity to
(14:34):
help them move forward withdifferent perspective, a
positive perspective, and thatmeans everything to me.
Dawn Beam (14:40):
Dwight, you just have an incredible story.
Would you mind sharing aboutthe accident that landed you in
a wheelchair?
Dwight Owens (14:49):
Sure, on August 5th 2005,.
We talked about me being ateacher at Collins High School
On August 5th 2005,.
It's a day that I'll neverforget.
On that day, on my way toschool, I remember getting a
phone call and I remember my momcalled me and we were talking
(15:09):
about some things.
I'm just trying to play thatday over in my head.
And after I got off the phonecall with my mom, I remember
traveling down the road toschool because my principal
wanted us to decorate our doorsthat day because I was a teacher
.
So I was like school's going tostart that Monday, august 8th.
So this is August 2005.
I needed to get my doordecorated and as a teacher, we
(15:30):
did those things.
So that's one of the thingsthat I was getting ready to do.
But I never made it there Onthat day, august 5th 2005,.
As I prepared to go get myclassroom ready for the students
to come in that Monday, I wasrailroaded by a drunk driver,
clocked at 120 miles an hour.
They found my torso on thefloor of the car, my legs
wrapped around the steeringwheel.
Only thing holding me togetherwas a seatbelt.
(15:52):
You know, all because of achoice that somebody made that
they didn't have to make.
They made it.
And in that car my body wasbasically bent and lifeless.
As I said, the only thingholding me together was a
seatbelt.
I coded instantly.
We knew what that means.
It means my heart stopped.
It means I was literally deadin that car.
That's an interesting story initself because after I coded, I
(16:15):
remember having all theseflashbacks that were so real.
I remember being a child againand being on a big wheel and all
of this stuff, and theneverything stopped.
And when everything stopped, Iremember seeing this bright
light and all of this peacesurrounding me and out of
nowhere, my dad appeared beforeme, along with other family
members that passed before him.
(16:37):
And my dad says, son,everything's going to be okay.
And after he said that, hewalked away toward an opening in
this lit place and hedisappeared, not knowing what to
do.
I decided to follow him.
Right before I got there wherehe was going, I woke in the
hospital and I overheard adoctor say we got him back.
So that gives me all the joythat I need to continue to move
(16:57):
forward, because I knew at thatpoint that my life had purpose.
Dawn Beam (17:01):
We're talking.
Drunk driver made a poor choice, changed your life in an
instant.
You should just despise thatperson that did that, but tell
us a little bit about yourforgiveness process.
Dwight Owens (17:18):
I wanted to be free.
I was in the hospital a yearfighting for my life.
It was difficult.
I hadn't seen the light of day,just fighting for my life,
surviving life support, all ofthat stuff, you know.
I sustained several injuries Ibroke all of my ribs, my liver
was found lodged into my chest,I tore both shoulders, sustained
liver damage, kidney damage,brain trauma.
Couldn't breathe on my own, hadto be placed on life support,
(17:41):
back was broken, spinal cordsevered, leading to paralysis in
this wheelchair.
But I found out something that aperson with no forgiveness in
their hearts punishes themselvesfar worse than anyone else
could.
And in order to be all that Godwants us to be, we have to let
things go.
You know too many people thatwe find every day are walking
around suffering in silence, andit was vital for me to forgive
(18:04):
the guy that not only killed mydad, but forgive the guy that
put me in this chair.
So for those listening, I justwant to let you know that
sometimes God can take yourdeepest pain and turn it into
your greatest calling.
For me, forgiveness is a mustin order for you to move on and
be free, and I'm free.
Dawn Beam (18:23):
You know, and Christ forgave us that same way, didn't
he?
So if he can forgive us for allthat we have done, why not
forgive others?
That's just a huge message toyoung people, even today.
Okay, dwight, god has giftedyou with an incredible talent to
go into these schools and talkto our young people, so tell us
(18:45):
a little bit about that.
You talked about that atspringtime and that you do the
See you on Monday.
Just tell us a little bit aboutyour experience with that, how
you got involved in it and howGod has used that to be a
blessing.
Dwight Owens (18:59):
After I got out of the hospital I told you I was
in the hospital a year fightingfor my life.
So I came home and my life wasjust turned upside down.
I didn't know what the roadahead would be.
You know, I went from being ateacher to now in the hospital,
Doctors telling me that I wasgoing to be a vegetable, All of
that stuff.
Just didn't know at my mom'shouse at the time, in a hospital
(19:21):
bed, and I knew that I wantedmore.
I knew that I wanted more.
So I talked to my pastor at mychurch to ask if I could
volunteer to speak to youth anddifferent stuff like that.
And he was all for it, Ofcourse, of course.
So at that point of time,coming from being a math teacher
, I said you know what I canspeak pretty well.
I didn't know that.
And then after that myprincipal called me and asked me
(19:44):
to speak to the students thereand speak to the staff, because
they were worried about me.
They wanted to know how I wasdoing.
So I went to professionaldevelopment, I talked to the
staff and then I went to talk tothe students and after that I
started getting calls fromschools everywhere.
Apparently, the superintendenttold other people that you need
to get this guy.
(20:08):
At that point I created acampaign called Before you Drink
, Think Dwight.
So after Before you Drink,Think Dwight.
Later on I found out about moreresources in our state.
I found out about theMississippi Department of
Rehabilitation Services and Ifound out about all of these
other agencies that assistpeople with disabilities.
After meeting them, theycreated that campaign and, as a
client of theirs, they invitedme on to that particular prom
campaign.
That's how it started there.
Dawn Beam (20:27):
And the kids just eat it up.
I've seen you in action andit's just amazing how your story
just resonates with them.
I know that parents soappreciate the message that you
bring at the school.
You know I'm reminded ofanother great thing that you do
and that is minister to otherfolks in the disability area.
(20:52):
I'm reminded of that Bibleverse God comforts us so that we
can yet be comforters.
Can you tell us a little bitabout how that works, the
challenges out there?
There's very little support forsome folks and you really have
to think outside the box.
But a lot of folks have no ideaof the struggle of the
(21:13):
disability community.
Could you tell us some aboutthat?
Dwight Owens (21:16):
When it comes to people with disabilities, most
people feel like they're trappedin a world that others don't
understand.
So imagine having something andyou go to a restaurant you
can't get in.
You go to public facilities youcan't get in, and things like
that, and people feel like theydon't belong.
A lot of people in public don'treally speak to people with
disabilities because they'reafraid that they're going to
(21:37):
offend them instead of justbeing themselves.
When you go to a doctor'soffice and you have somebody
with you, the doctor talks tothe person beside you about your
condition instead of talking toyou.
So they feel like they're notseen in public and they feel
alone.
And loneliness leads todepression, it leads to suicide,
(21:58):
it leads to drug and alcoholaddiction.
It leads to all of those things.
So there are so many peoplewith disabilities that's in
their own homes and don't comeoutside and don't engage with
the public because people don'tpay them any attention.
And so that's why I'm superpassionate about helping people
navigate and find hope and findpurpose, because purpose leads
(22:18):
to that hope that we speak of,because purpose leads to that
hope that we speak of.
Dawn Beam (22:21):
Well, the truth is, we're all broken people.
Some are in wheelchairs, Sometheir brokenness is in other
ways, but we're all broken.
One thing, though, that I'vehad to learn is that when I hug
somebody that's a quadriplegicor whatever I'm not going to
hurt them.
We have a dear friend, Dan Hall, and I used to think, oh my
(22:42):
goodness, I can't, I'm afraid totouch Dan.
And now I just hug him and kisshim and it's all good.
And when you, you realize thatjust because you're in a chair
doesn't mean that you don't havefeelings and you can't
communicate.
Dwight Owens (22:58):
Yes, yes, people with disabilities are no
different from anybody else.
We have goals, we have dreams,we want love, we want all of
that stuff.
So just be yourself, the sameway that you would be with
anybody else.
Just be yourself.
I realize I'm physicallyparalyzed, I can't walk, no one
has the time to deliver it everyday, but, as I said before, you
can be paralyzed without beingin a wheelchair.
(23:18):
There's people walking aroundright now, suffering in silence,
paralyzed by fear, paralyzed bydrugs and alcohol, paralyzed by
a loss of faith and so manyother things.
Dawn Beam (23:29):
And if given a choice , I'd rather stay right here in
this wheelchair, and because youare aware of those issues, you
and a number of your friends allwork together to intervene, to
help one another and to connectwith resources.
Tell us a little bit about that.
I know you work for therehabilitation services, so
there's some things that theycan do, but we were just talking
(23:52):
about a friend that lost hiscaregiver, so it's everything
from a food issue to medicineand mental health and on.
So talk a little bit about that, because we want people to find
ways they can engage and make adifference.
Dwight Owens (24:06):
Oh yes, I am a consultant with the Mississippi
Department of RehabilitationServices and they became my
bridge to independence in somany ways, and there's so many
other resources out there thatcan help people with
disabilities.
I'm also an alcohol andprevention specialist with the
ARCA Mississippi, so I do a lotin trying to prevent addiction
in the disability communitybecause it's so prevalent.
(24:28):
People with disabilities aremore vulnerable to addiction but
less likely to get effectivetreatment compared to those
without disabilities, becausewhen you have autism or IDD and
you want to go to a treatmentfacility, guess what?
They don't take you because,especially if your IQ is too low
.
So therefore you have to sit athome and suffer in silence.
So we're trying to work tochange policy and create things
(24:51):
and give tools so that peoplewith disabilities have that hope
.
There's so many things outthere that can be used.
So just one of those peoplethat if you need something or if
you're looking for any type ofresource, I'll find it for you
and we'll do it.
I'll make sure.
So when I meet somebody that'slooking for something in
(25:12):
particular, I'm able to helpthem navigate and find those
things, and a lot of times I dothat voluntarily.
For example, a hospital missionthat I have for people with new
injuries, I met a girl namedAmanda several years back.
This really gave me themotivation that I needed to
continue doing what I'm doingtoday.
I met Amanda and Amanda wasonly 22 years of age.
(25:36):
Her husband was 23.
She was married at the time.
She had a new spinal cordinjury just broken and I went
into Amanda's room and ourhusband was in the room and he
was telling Amanda that when hefirst met her that he could
never envision his life havingto take care of somebody for the
rest of his life.
(25:56):
And I remember that just likeit was yesterday.
It plays back and forth in mymind in my head of that.
Just like it was yesterday itplays back and forth in my mind
in my head.
When he told Amanda that Icould see where the conversation
was going.
He eventually asked Amanda fora divorce and I could just look
at the brokenness in Amanda andI remember talking to her after
he left the room and I said,amanda, sometimes you have to
leave what you want to find whatyou deserve.
(26:19):
And we made plans to do somethings after I left the hospital
that day, but I couldn't gether back on the phone, I would
call her mom.
Her mom didn't know what shewas.
After she was discharged fromthe hospital, her mom didn't
know anything, and one day, allof a sudden, her mom called me
just randomly and said Dwight, Iappreciate what you try to do
for Amanda, but Amanda was justfound dead in a ditch drug
(26:41):
overdose.
And that really put me on thepath that I am right now to make
sure that people withdisabilities in that community
have the hope that they need,because I understand that
without it, what it leads to aperson not wanting to be here
anymore.
And so I think about Amanda andshe inspires me to continue
(27:01):
doing what I'm doing right nowjust working tirelessly to make
sure people in the disabilitycommunity get what they need to
move forward those in thedisability community that are
(27:26):
oftentimes overlooked, whetherit be through politics or
whatever.
Dawn Beam (27:28):
Oftentimes we don't have all of the resources that
those in the disabilitycommunity need, and so it's just
so important for people to bewide open their eyes, to be open
to that need, and who knowssomebody?
Listening may be that veryblessing that is needed.
They may know somebody with adisability and it may touch
their heart to reach out to them.
Dwight Owens (27:49):
It really touches my heart because there's so many
people.
If you go out into community,you really just look around,
you'll see that there are peoplewith disabilities isolated in
the community, they're isolatedat church, they're isolated in
the schools, and one of thethings that really broke my
heart, especially in theelementary schools, is when you
(28:12):
are seeing kids play on theplayground and you see that
person with a disability on thesidelines watching.
Oh that does something to me.
It does something to me.
Those are the factors and themotivational factors.
I need to just continue on thisjourney.
Dawn Beam (28:26):
And you know, it's just random acts of kindness
that we can show.
I'm reminded one of my kids wasin high school and he had a
friend that was in a wheelchairand my son picked that fella up
out of his wheelchair and justput him in the bleachers so that
he could be like everybody else.
We just need to be open to thatand God will provide
(28:48):
opportunities to help along theway, which brings me to another
question.
Look back over your life andjust think about those God
moments where people helped youalong the way because none of us
got to where we are on our own.
Dwight Owens (29:05):
No doubt there are way too many people to count.
You know my family.
There were doctors who becamemy friends.
One of my favorite people inthe world is Dr Duncan Donald
from Forest General Hospital.
Not only was he my traumadoctor when I was there at
Forest General Hospital, but hebecame a lifelong friend of mine
.
I never knew that when you geta call, you would automatically
(29:28):
think it's the nurse calls.
But when a doctor calls andwants to check on you, when a
doctor sends you a wedding gift,when a doctor does all of those
things, it just means somethingto you.
Mdrs, as I said before, becamemy bridge to independence.
The Arc of Mississippi helpedme learn how to advocate for
people with disabilities so manyto name.
So I just want to pay itforward and, you know, make
(29:50):
every day count for something.
But I have something for peoplethat are listening.
We talked about forgiveness,but many times there are people
that are, you know, theirforgiveness problem is not with
other people, it's withthemselves.
We're our own worst enemiesmany times.
So I want to do something forthose that are listening.
(30:10):
For those that are listening.
It's time to rid ourselves ofthings that are holding us back,
because you can't be the personthat God created you to be if
you're still stuck on thingsthat happened in your childhood,
if you're still stuck with someof those things.
So right here, right now, we'regoing to change that.
(30:31):
So, if you're listening, I wantyou to think about that one
thing that made you feel likeyour life was turned upside down
.
Has somebody harmed you,wronged you, that thought you
were never going to amount toanything?
Maybe someone close to you thatdoubted you.
Maybe you were a victim ofabuse.
Whatever the case may be, maybeyou were surrounded by
addiction.
Maybe you grew up lost, withouta parent in your life.
(30:52):
Maybe you had a father in yourlife, but that father showed no
signs of affection.
So you grew up with a hole inyour heart, afraid to give
affection, afraid to receiveaffection.
Maybe you're going through adivorce.
Whatever your challenge may be,you deserve to live a life that
you're excited about.
So move on.
Move forward and be the personthat you were destined to be.
It's worth it.
Dawn Beam (31:14):
That's what hope's all about the idea that tomorrow
can be better than today andyou can make it so.
And too often times we let thepast hold us back from the great
things that God has plannedthat trauma of those negative
experiences.
But God does not want us to bethat way.
(31:34):
He's got a plan and you got tolet go in order to embrace the
wonderful things ahead.
Let's talk about the importanceof collaboration.
You do a lot of collaboratingin your work, whether it be with
the superintendents andeducators and connecting there,
or whether it be with thedisability community.
(31:55):
But just talk about when wework with one another and the
different talents we all bringto the table.
Dwight Owens (32:01):
Oh, yes, you know collaboration is so important.
It's important for achievingmeaningful change.
You just have to, no matterwhat sector you're in, you have
to be able to work together, andby working together with others
, we can pool our resources, wecan share knowledge, and that
helps extend our impact.
When we come together with ashared vision, we can create an
impactful support system for allthose that we serve.
(32:25):
So collaboration is extremelyimportant.
Dawn Beam (32:27):
Burden shared is lighter, and that is something
that we have to learn to do isto share our thoughts and dreams
.
Nothing is impossible with God,but two when we work together.
I'm reminded I used to play inthe band, and it's one thing for
me to play on my own, but whenI played with that entire band,
(32:50):
the music was just phenomenal.
That just reminds us we can doso much more when we all work
together than we ever couldindividually.
You saw that with your footballexperience, the idea of a
football team working together.
Dwight Owens (33:07):
Oh yes, most definitely, Most definitely.
Dawn Beam (33:10):
So if you had one wish for Mississippi, what would
it be?
Dwight Owens (33:18):
had one wish for Mississippi.
What would it be If I had onewish?
I would wish for a culture ofkindness and empathy, where
people actively seek to upliftone another.
That's what I would wish Forthose out there.
I remember watching ESPN and Iremember there was a basketball
coach I can't think of her name,but she talked about something
that made so much sense to meand she said that life doesn't
get any easier.
(33:39):
You just get stronger.
The harder the life, thestronger and wiser you'll become
.
The stronger and wiser you'llbecome, the easier the life will
be.
So stop worrying about whatcould go wrong and get excited
about what can go right.
I believe that God has a planfor all of us and we all have
challenges to face.
He also gives us the strengthand resources to overcome those
challenges.
There are no guarantees in lifeand it can change on a dime.
(34:00):
All I know is that you have toface things head on, put them in
the best possible light andhelp others every chance you get
.
Life doesn't have to be perfectto be wonderful.
Dawn Beam (34:11):
Absolutely, Dwight.
I love you, brother, and I soappreciate you coming and
sharing your story.
My hope and prayer is that theright folks hear this and that
their lives will be changedbecause of the hope that you
shared today.
So thank y'all so much forjoining us today with Hope
(34:31):
Mississippi.
We look forward to anotherpodcast coming up soon.
Thanks so much.
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