Being an Advocate for What is Possible

With everything happening in the world today in politics, cancel culture, and extreme barriers of division, Leland Melvin is helping to transform these ills by using his life story as an athlete, astronaut, scientist, engineer, photographer, and musician, to help inspire the next generation of explorers to pursue S.T.E.A.M. careers. Leland is the only person drafted into the NFL to have flown in space, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame honored his athletic and academic accomplishments by placing his Detroit Lions jersey under glass in Canton, Ohio. Through these professional experiences working on high stakes teams, he’s developed a deep and nuanced understanding of effective team dynamics. In this episode, we hear an astronaut’s story of the challenges he’s accepted, the opportunities he’s seized, and the changes he’s seeing. Leland talks with us about the power of the blue suit, activating community, breaking bread, and what is possible when you knock down the barriers of division. He also shares why as leaders and people, we all need that  one person who is there for you no matter what and who has your back.

“Being with a community that believes in things that are bigger than your individual self, when you work together as a team, is transformative!” – Leland Melvin

*This episode features mature content.