NEW ULM - Ron Glodoski, author, speaker and entrepreneur, dramatically delivered a strong anti-drug, anti-bullying message to about 70 people at the River Bend Area Learning Center Wednesday night.
Glodoski is considered a national expert on issues of bullying, substance abuse, resiliency and motivation.
He is the author of "How to Be a Successful Criminal: the Real Deal on Crime, Drugs and Easy Money," a book endorsed by parents, educators, administrators, judges, police officers, counselors and social workers. He has delivered his message in 43 states and five countries.
Continuously drawing on his personal history as an abused child, gang leader, drug user and drug "kingpin," Glodoski dynamically connected with the audience of primarily students - but also parents, teachers, counselors and members of the public.
Throughout his talk, he sometimes graphically recounted years of beatings as a child by alcoholic parents; the heavy bullying he endured in school; his alcohol and drug addictions; his years as a gang leader in Milwaukee, Wis.; his "success" as a drug dealer; his term in prison.
Glodoski's presentation drew on his triumph-over-abuse issues, a traumatic brain injury and learning disabilities, to carry a message of hope.
Glodoski has lived and thrived on both sides of the law. At age 12 he was a gang member. By the time he was 15 he was a gang leader with a felony record.
In his 20s, he became one of the most successful drug dealers in Milwaukee.
"I can show you how to get rich in nine months," said Glodoski, "but it ends with a funeral."
At age 33 he entered therapy for the first time; it took five very difficult years to turn his life around; and as long, to forgive his alcoholic father.
He turned his energy to legitimate ventures - interestingly, setting up a business selling teddy bears that play motivational messages. This business grew from two to 35 employees. He has been drug-free for 25 years.
Glodoski pointed out that tragic outcomes for youth are being brought about by negative examples in their family and broader environment; by physical and verbal abuse; by a media culture that glamorizes drugs and alcohol; by schools ignorant of differences in learning styles.
"If you come from violence, you become violent; if you come from love, you generally learn to love," Glodoski pointed out.
There is "no such thing" as a "dumb" or "lazy" kid, Glodoski stressed.
"When kids get lied to a lot, they start believing in garbage."
Glodoski quoted some staggering examples to illustrate his overall message.
One out of two boys - and one out of three girls - are beaten by the time they are 18.
"Verbal abuse" - that causes children to lose faith in themselves - is rampant.
Only 1 percent of all drug addicts ever recover.
Only 3 percent of people who become addicted in their teens quit before age 40.
The average age of teen addicts is 14.
Fifteen percent of teen addicts die before age 40.
'It's a slow, painful, ugly, ugly, ugly death," said Glodoski - who also saw 17 out more than 20 close friends from his gang, the Outlaws, die.
(Two, he said, are serving life sentences.)
"Dropping my colors and hanging around the "geeks" - the teachers, counselors, nurses - was the best choice I ever made," said Glodoski.
"When you hang around such people, you become more like them, it rubs off on you."
Glodoski challenged youth to believe in the value of their own lives and the importance of respecting themselves and others.
He encouraged them to remember their dreams.
"No one starts life dreaming, 'I want to be an alcoholic, or I want to be a pothead,'" he said.
"The first thing you gotta do is, drop your attitude! Your thoughts truly create reality!
"Stay away from drugs and alcohol; stay away from negative people; believe in yourself..."
The event, free and open to the public, was sponsored by the Greater Minnesota Family Services, Healthy Community/Healthy Youth and the Optimist Club.
Glodoski's ideas for parents and educators to ponder:
Help youth learn what it is important to embrace as well as reject;
Gain insight into the stress and pressures of your child's daily life;
Discuss learned behaviors and how they correlate with diversity and acceptance;
Realize how asset building turns into healthy lifestyles;
Learn how our thoughts create our reality;
Understand different learning styles.
