When he learned he was accepted into the Disney Dreamers Academy, he danced. At the academy, he met motivational speakers, entrepreneurs and other young men who, like him, face tremendous obstacles. “It was just mind-blowing because it wasn’t something I had experienced beforehand,” William said.
His mother Jenelle Williams described the experience as magical. “He described the children of the Academy as his friends, which is a word he never used,” she said. “I noticed that he started opening up and trusting people more which is something he always resisted because he was bullied for so much of his life. It gave him an opportunity to be himself.”
William shared his poem, “I Am a Dreamer” with his fellow Academy classmates, surprising everyone when he thanked the bullies from his childhood.
All I have to say to all those kids that dragged me through the dirt and made me feel like mud is THANK YOU because if you never shattered me into a hundred million pieces, I never get the opportunity to refashion myself into being something greater. So, THANK YOU for calling me white boy every single day so that I can show this generation that complexion does not make your race, so THANK YOU.
Once he finished, many of his classmates chanted his name. Others cried. William’s poem earned him the Courage Award for the Disney Dreamers Class of 2017, and even impressed Steve Harvey, who invited William to appear on his daytime talk show. Harvey presented him with a check for $10,000 to help his family. The mogul also committed to pay for William’s college education, which may not be cheap provided he wants to attend Brown University, a private Ivy League institution in Providence, Rhode Island.
Back at home in Norfolk, William is a celebrity in his community. He speaks at churches, volunteers with the NAACP and communicates with people who have albinism motivating them to follow their dreams.
He also holds fast to his dreams of becoming president and starting a nonprofit that helps youth master public speaking. He has a venue for the program and is creating a website. One day when William has achieved his goals, he will remember that it all started with a dream, belief in himself and a program that helped him realize that anything is possible.
Do you know a teen with unlimited potential who would benefit from the Disney Dreamers Academy program? Encourage them to apply TODAY! Applications are accepted through October 31, 2017. Students must register online here. To learn more about the Disney Dreamers Academy, visit www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com.