"What's Your Story?" -featuring Etan Thomas

Etan Thomas is More Than An Athlete. He’s been called a “gentle giant.” A “rebounder with a cause.” “The Poet”.  Thomas defies the stereotype of the apolitical athlete, and plants his roots in his budding literary career with the conviction of a Bill Russell, and the poetic finesse of Muhammad Ali. Born in Harlem and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma...greatly influenced by his mother, Deborah Thomas, a schoolteacher who traveled with Thomas and his younger brother back home to Harlem every summer, attending plays and poetry readings. Described by Hall Of Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar as “The Poetic voice of his generation” and by Hip Hop legend Chuck D of Public Enemy as “A Portal of our future”...Recipient of the 2010 National Basketball Players Association Community Contribution Award...2009 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation Inc Legacy Award...His body of work includes serving as a Surrogate for Barack Obama ’08 Presidential Campaign; A guest speaker with DNC Chair Gov. Howard Dean during the “Register For Change” 50 State Bus Tour Campaign. In 2005 he released a collection of poems called More Than An Athlete; In January 2013...Voices Of The Future a collection of poems and essays from young writers from around the country...On May of 2012 he released his 2nd book called Fatherhood (Rising To The Ultimate Challenge) and started a Fatherhood Movement in which he goes from city to city holding panels and town hall meetings to discuss Fatherhood. In each city he recruits different celebrities to join him in inspiring an entire generation. He takes his message to prisons, Universities, churches, high schools, middle schools and various conventions including The NAACP convention and The Congressional Black Caucus. His writings have appeared in CNN, ESPN, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Hoopshype.com and slamonline. website etanthomas.com Twitter @etanthomas36