Growing up as a third culture kid (TCK), Tayo Rockson spent the formative period of his life in countries such as Vietnam, Sweden, and the United States. Born in Nigeria, Tayo is a storyteller, cultural translator, and brand strategist. Inspired by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Nelson Mandela, Tayo aims to build the next set of global leaders by teaching individuals how to communicate effectively across cultures and communicate with impact.
In this episode of our Take Ownership Podcast, Tayo chats with us about embracing our own identity, cultural competency, and practicing morning rituals.
Embracing Our Own Identity…
“I was never quite Nigerian enough, Black enough, or man enough” says Tayo. “The world is actually a world of nuance governed by binary systems. The problem exists when we try to put people in different boxes. A lot of TCK’s experiences nuance at a very young age. You live so many lifestyles and you have to code switch all of the time. What if we can show people how to embrace their own identity?”
Cultural Competency...
“Cultural competency is so important now” says Tayo. “Regardless of where our politics are, we are going to run across someone that has a different background. A lot of people do not know how to interact with people who are different from them.”
Right after the 2016 election, Tayo received a letter from a 12 year old middle school student that stated, “I don’t have any heroes in my curriculum that I can look at. However, just as Oprah and Nelson Mandela were your heroes, you’re mine. I can’t wait to meet you.” “This is why I do all of these things” says Tayo. “We do not know who is watching.”
Morning Rituals...
“I always start off with meditating. There’s this app called Waking Up that I use and I read my devotional entitled, “Jesus Calling.” These two things help me go about my day in regards to staying mindful.” In addition, one of the things that Tayo has started to do is practice ways to be present. “I think that if you have a good morning routine, your day gets clearer” says Tayo.
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