Orlando Bowen: Encapsulating Resilience
Naomi M, Toronto
Orlando Bowen is the CEO of Gameday Training & Consulting and the Executive Director of his charity One Voice One Team. He was a linebacker in the Canadian Football League and played for the Toronto Argonauts before his career was abruptly ended after an assault by two undercover police officers. Instead of looking at them with hate, he chose to value life and the impact you can have on others by doing so.
I had the honour of interviewing Bowen to learn about his story and the many lessons and words of wisdom that come with it. It was a truly magnificent experience.
Growing up Bowen started by playing soccer at school, which eventually led him to a strong passion for basketball. “Basketball was the thing, he says. “I slept with a basketball beside my bed, everywhere I walked I had a basketball.” In high school, one of his friends introduced him to football, and after a passionate debate about whether it was right for him, he was recruited by a football coach who was impressed by his passion for the defence in basketball. Orlando Bowen had lots of potential for football, he was part of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
One day on his way to celebrate a new CFL contract with his team, two undercover police officers pulled him over, searched him for cocaine, and beat him up. When he was getting beaten up he pleaded to God, begging for his life not to end like this. There were still so many things in his life he wanted to fulfill, he wanted to meet his unborn child and to teach his son how to tie his shoes. Although Orlando was clean, he was wrongfully charged in 2004. In 2005, Bowen was acquitted. Despite being a victim of racial profiling and assault, he refused to let that interfere with his future. Not only did he survive, but he forgave. His power of forgiveness speaks to the strength of his character, refusing to let negative emotions weigh him down. Instead, he focuses on what he can control and the people he can touch, instead of dwelling on the past. Somehow he managed to stay positive, despite troubling adversities. He made this experience his fuel to make an impact on others, so he founded the One Voice Charity.
From heroes like his parents who went through so much so he would have a chance, to Michael Jordan’s drive to succeed after he got cut from his high school’s basketball team, Bowen says one thing these people have in common is passion and determination. He has a passion for sports and community like no other. Although he stopped football he is a coach for his kids’ soccer, lacrosse, and football teams, which keeps him connected to the world of sport and fitness. He used to teach a fitness boot camp program called Insanity and even taught a dad’s fitness program called Fusion.
Bowen says that “sports is the greatest teacher.” There are so many lessons and character-building opportunities that come through sports such as the value of teamwork and the importance of giving it your all. You never know how your story will go, but like the sankofa bird, moving forward while reflecting on the past is crucial to keep going in life.
Orlando brings a vibrant and inspirational energy to life and perseveres through numerous challenges. Instead of letting his struggles define him, he uses his experiences as a foundation of hope. After the George Floyd tragedy in 2020 and numerous other murders, he formed the motto, “They can’t. So I Must.” This shows his action-oriented mindset, by being the foundation of change he wants to see in the world. I am so grateful I had the honour of interviewing this phenomenal hero.
Naomi M is a Toronto-based participant in Youth Media Forward: meet the Toronto participants here