I’ve been very critical of our leaders for good reason. So I thought perhaps I should spend a few minutes talking about leaders who have truly inspired me. To show that there are leaders out there. There are people who are doing what is right not what is easy. People who are focused on making the world a better place, not just on making the world a better place for them. They may surprise you but they are truly amazing. Leaders are not elected although sometimes leaders get elected. Leadership is not a position but an action. These two people lead by example. They inspire. I can only hope (but doubt) that our elected officials will pay attention to them and what they are doing and choose to follow their example.

The first person I want to talk about is Flavor Flav (born William Jonathan Drayton Jr.). Yes, Flavor Flav, the rapper. This is the guy who dropped out of high school in the 11th grade, who as a kid was in and out of jail for robbery and burglary. The guy has had multiple issues with the law and with substance abuse. The man who was a founding member of the controversial rap group Public Enemy.

Why did I pick Flavor Flav? What makes him a leader? How has he inspired me and shown what a leadership really is? He signed a five-year sponsorship deal as the official hype man for the USA Water Polo Women’s and Men’s National Teams. Unlike most sponsorship deals, this doesn’t mean he gets paid for doing it. It means he will be paying and getting to do it. He chose to financially support the women’s US water polo teams so they are able to practice and attempt to win gold medals. He chose to support women’s athletics with his own money because they needed it, because he is a ‘girl dad’, this is a niche sport, and they have great athletes and need the help. He didn’t pick the most popular teams like men’s or women’s basketball or women’s gymnastics. He picked a niche sport that really needed his support. You see him on TV rooting them on at the olympics. This isn’t about his name or his personal fame or gain. This is about leading by example, using his wealth for good, and making a difference in the world.

This would enough to rank as a leader. But it isn’t enough for Flavor Flav. Just the other day, Olympic women’s discus athlete Veronica Fraley tweeted out that as she was about to begin competing in the Olympics, she couldn’t pay her rent. Her school only sent enough money for 75% of the rent and so as she was about to compete for her country, paying rent was a problem. Flavor Flav quickly responded, telling her he would take care of it immediately for her so she could compete the next day without worry.

Alexis Ohanian, Serena William’s husband and the founder of Reddit, joined Flavor Flav. While Flav covered the rent for the upcoming month, Ohanian paid the rent for the rest of the year. True leadership inspires others to join you. Flavor Flav has done that and is doing that. He stated his goal is for others to join him in supporting these athletes who only want to bring honor to America. We are now all rooting for Veronica Fraley and the US water polo teams to win, not just as American athletes but as human beings. We can all be inspired by Flavor Flav to do a little more. To make a difference in ways that we can. To do the right thing for the right reasons no matter what our past may be. We can all be an inspiration to others. Our actions can change lives and the lives we change can change the world.

The second leader who inspires me is Simone Biles. Yes, that Simone Biles, the Olympian and perhaps the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) gymnast. While her talent is truly amazing and watching her perform is spectacular, it’s not her athletic talent that inspires me. There are plenty of talented people who are amazing at what they do. That’s not leadership.

Leadership is what she did in 2021 at the Olympics. Not winning medals or competitions but winning at life. As she began strugging with mental health issues, feeling ‘the twisties’ and shaking due to the pressure she was feeling, Simone made the difficult choice to prioritize her mental health over winning at the Olympics. She took a lot of heat for that decision. When the women won the Silver medal instead of the Gold, she was criticized and she even said she felt responsible. She didn’t feel a part of the team and that she didn’t deserve the silver medal. Her teammates disagreed. She withdrew from all the remaining events so she could focus on her mental health.

It was a big risk for an athlete like Simone Biles to admit to having mental health struggles. She had enough courage to take care of herself and to publicly address it. She led and since then others have followed. Prioritizing mental health is now accepted by athletes and fans. It is because of Simone Biles and her courage. As I watch her compete in these Olympics, there is joy in her eyes. She is dominating the Olympics but more importantly, you can see she is dominating at life.

I saw a video of her throwing out the first pitch at an Astros games. The joy you see in her face, in her actions, warms my heart. Watch and be astounded, both with her incredible talent and the joy that exudes from her.

Not only did Simon Biles nail the somersault, she also nailed the First pitch pic.twitter.com/QSQL3xfK4C

— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) August 2, 2024

If that is all Simone Biles did, it would be enough to shine as a leader. But it’s not. When Larry Nassar was accused of molesting gymnasts, Simone was the 3rd person to announce publicly that he had abused her. She then took action, fighting back against the system that enabled the abuse. She advocated for change. She testified in front of Congress.

She held people accountable. Joined by fellow gymnasts McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Maggie Nichols, they described in detail what happened and how the system, including the legal system, failed not just them but the hundreds of female athletes that Nassar abused. She became the face of change in women’s gymnastics. How the system works. How the coaches treat the athletes. It is noticable to see the change. The joy in the gymnasts faces as they compete instead of the fear of failure. The way they hug and support each other. How the gymnasts used to be young and by 18 were seen as too old to competitors now being in their early and late 20s.

Simone isn’t done though. After winning a gold medal in these Olympics, her husband posted a picture of them together and kissing where he was wearing her gold medal. He posted:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jonathan Owens 🏈 (@jowens)

He got terrible criticism because he was wearing the medal she won. This Tiktok video was enough for Simone to actively respond.

@kierabreaugh

♬ original sound – Kiera Breaugh

She wrote a comment saying:

“Crazy thing is, I put my medal on every single one of my family members and took pictures. So don’t ever make assumptions.” She continued, “Like y’all are so f–ing miserable. Leave us alone.”

She wasn’t afraid to step up and say what she felt. She wasn’t afraid to take a public position even when it was criticizing her fans. She stood up for what was right and didn’t care about what blowback she might face. That’s leadership. She could have stayed quiet. She could have ignored it. She could have even publicly said that it was just a meaningless distraction. But she didn’t. She couldn’t ignore the hate he was getting. She couldn’t sit by idly and allow something wrong to continue. That’s leadership.

Being a leader isn’t easy. Both Flavor Flav and Simone Biles have been through tough times and chose to change the world. They chose to take risks, give of themselves, and take positions, often alone, because they believed in them. That’s what leaders do.

At this critical time in our world, I urge the leaders of America, of Canada, of the countries in Europe and around the world, in our Jewish communities and outside our Jewish communities, to look to these two amazing human beings for what leadership looks like. Take the unpopular position because it’s the right position. Stand up against evil and what’s wrong, speak up because it is the right thing to do, like Simone Biles, and make change, regardless of the potential personal cost. Don’t just support the popular but support what is needed, what is good, what matters, like Flavor Flav.

We desparately need our elected officials around the world, in the United States, and in our Jewish organizations and communities to follow their lead. I hope they can learn from true leaders what it means and change their behavior. The future of the world and the Jewish people depend on it.