Remarkable Learning Stories: Meet Dee transcript

Voiceover: There are lots of things to be proud of, even though you don’t see it at this moment in time. You are going to turn your deepest tragedies into lifelines for the next generation.

Dee: I lost my mum when I was three years old. I was kind of seen as problematic as a young child. I was a bit of a lost soul. There was no clear direction or guidance when I was at school.

I remember having a conversation with the careers adviser and saying, “I want to be an animator.” And they were just like, “Well, you need to choose something a bit more realistic.”

Creativity for me was everything. It gave me a sense of purpose. I gravitated towards the breakdancing and the graffiti art side of hip hop culture. At that particular time, graffiti art was shunned within the media. It was seen as illegal vandalism; it wasn’t seen in a good light. But I had a passion and a drive, and it was at that particular stage where I saw, yes, I can make a living out of this.

During that time, I’d received a telephone call saying that my father was seriously ill. By the time I got there, unfortunately, he had passed away. It felt like a bit of a dark period in my life. I did not see any future for myself. I felt lost.

Avatar: Do you know who I am? Do you recognise me?

Dee: Wow. Yes, I do.

Avatar: I’m you at 24. Pretty mad, right?

Dee: Most definitely.

Avatar: With everything that happened, I feel empty, man. How do we keep going? How do we find strength?

Dee: It’s about being resilient. There’s always hope, even though you don’t see it at this moment in time. After burying our father, we pursue a Pearson BTEC Diploma in Business and Finance, and that changes our world.

Avatar: So do we end up having some boring desk job?

Dee: No, never. We go on to set up our own successful business. We end up even getting a first-class honours degree and a master’s degree in 3D animation and special effects.

Avatar: Out of everything we’ve done, what are you most proud of?

Dee: Ooh, good question. I’m proud of being a teacher and teaching graffiti and street art as contemporary art forms.

Avatar: All this is really giving me hope, but it’s heavy right now. Would you write something down for me? A letter I can look at.

The following is a letter written by Dee:

Dear Dee,

I’m writing to you from the future to tell you that the chaotic, painful, and extraordinary path you have walked so far in your life has purpose. The lack of education in your own youth is going to ignite a fierce, unstoppable drive to teach. You will look at vulnerable students and see yourself.

The instability of your early years did not break you. It made you adaptable, resilient, and fiercely determined. Love what you do. Do what you love.

Your future self, Dee.

Avatar: Hearing that, it honestly lifts a massive weight off my shoulders. Serious question. Can we still break dance?

Dee: Ooh, that’s a good question. To some degree, not as good as when we were in our 20s. But yeah, we can still pull a move.

Avatar: The fact that I become you makes me feel like I’ll be doing all right.

Dee: You’re gonna do more than all right. You’re going to change your world, and other people’s world, for the better.