One Day on Earth

The World's Story is Yours to Tell

This week we're delighted to bring you Jerry Darko, the founder of Just Like You. Find out more about the organization at: www.playjustlikeyou.com

Who are you and what is your profession?
My name is Jerry Darko, President and Co-Founder of JUST LIKE YOU International Sports Exchange, a Nike non-profit afterschool program that teaches kids about other cultures through traditional sports and games from around the world, "building the next generation of global citizens".

Can you tell us a little about your background and upbringing?
My parents are from Ghana, I was born in Zimbabwe, raised in Botswana, educated in Minnesota and now live in Los Angeles. I have been lucky enough to have been exposed to lots of different cultures as a child and I believe that those interactions have shaped my worldview.

What inspired you to create Just Like You?
As a child, I spent a lot of time outside with other kids in the neighborhood playing all sorts of games. We'd use practically anything we could find: sticks and stones, rubber tires, wheelbarrows, empty soda cans, tattered soccer balls, whatever. We were inventive! In my travels, I have noticed that kids in other countries played some pretty cool games too; some were very similar and some were completely new. The idea behind JUST LIKE YOU is that "you can't stop the power of play", so we can use traditional sports and games played in other countries around the world to teach kids about new cultures and show kids that children around the world play "just like you".

Who are your heroes?
I have a ton of people I look up to and admire and would consider my heroes. A recent addition to the list is the current President of the United States of America, Barack Obama (as cliche as that may sound). He is someone that is not only bi-racial, but half-African, he grew up in Hawaii, spent time in Indonesia, lived in LA, Chicago and New York. If there is anyone who understands the importance of global citizenship, it is him!

What do you feel you want to shoot on 10.10.10?
I want to engage filmmakers all over the world to capture footage to kids playing around the world. That way, we can launch a large cultural preservation project to share traditional sports and games from around the world with generations to come. Also, we can show the similarities between cultures across the globe.

Why is this important to you?
We are in the midst of rapid globalization and we've seen ethnic clashes, religious wars and needless violence all surrounding cultural differences. It is important that we instil a culture of peace and promote global awareness, tolerance and sensitivity in the next generation. If we start young, we may have a chance to really affect change.

Photography courtesy of "jjmoorephoto.com - Premiere Sports Photographer"

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