Solomon was born with an imperfection, the term he uses to describe a congenital stutter. He endured the taunts and teasing of his classmates and treatments that didn't work. Desperate to seek approval, he began to overcompensate, but this made matters worse. Then at the age of 14 Solomon had an epiphany. He needed to prove himself and especially to find a way to make his mother feel proud. What he achieved in three short years - Solomon is 17 - should be an inspiration not only for young people with a disability, but to anyone who believes the odds are stacked against them.
Solomon never had a clear idea of what he would do when he grew up. The day he was excluded from school for the fifth time, he saw his mother break down and cry. He vowed that one day he would make her proud – and make a positive contribution to society.
So, despite the school exclusions and most debilitating of all – a stutter, which was a cause of bullying and fights during school, Solomon refused to be defined by society. Instead he has utilised his adversities to build resilience and tap into his creative entrepreneurial skills.
Solomon says, “Although my mouth still shapes words that will never be released, I will never let my circumstances define me.”
Today, as well as studying for A Levels, Solomon is the founder of AttireX – a growing customised clothing enterprise with a dedicated client base. He aspires to be a successful entrepreneur, in the vain of entrepreneurial heroes Jamal Edwards and maintains an impressive following through various social media.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at [ Ссылка ]
