At the start of the new school year, motivational speaker Chris Romulo visited three middle schools on Oʻahu to talk about how to prevent bullying.
A former champion of the Thai martial art of Muay Thai, which involves kicking and striking, Romulo said that “physical activity was definitely my outlet” as he admitted to experiencing bullying at school as a Filipino in New York.
A championship boxer himself, Romulo opened a gym in Rockway Beach for the community’s children.
“We built this gym, we started a scholarship program for at-risk kids in the community, and that’s when I discovered my passion for going out and giving talks,” Romulo said. “I got this one job speaking for an anti-bullying organization I worked for, and I was like, ‘Wow, that feeling before you even get on stage to actually talk about it.'”
Romulo spreads the message: “We are all champions.”
“Being a champion is a choice and as champions we face challenges in our lives, but sometimes we think it’s about what happens to us, but more than that, it’s about what’s going on inside us,” Romulo said.
This interview was broadcast on The conversation on August 12, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
