FlashReport readers know that Damon Dunn is a newcomer on the political scene, but has made quite a splash with his candidate for the GOP nomination for Secretary of State.
I received an interesting note from Anthony Bookman, Damon Dunn’s Jr. High classmate, college friend and Stanford teammate. It is an interesting read and provides some great insights into Dunn. I have reprinted it below.
Since Anthony played football at Stanford, I "Googled" him and came up with this great article where he played a key role in a major Cardinal defeat of Notre Dame back in 1997. This photo is Anthony setting up a touchdown in the 4th quarter of the game.
Understanding The Real Damon Dunn
by Anthony Bookman
Over the past few weeks I have been keeping up with the various stories and comments regarding Damon Dunn’s running for California Secretary of State. A lot has been said. Some have called his voting record into question, many have called him a breath of fresh air, and others have even questioned his sincerity.
As someone who has known Damon for 23 years – we both attended the same Jr. high school, both attended Stanford University, and we both played football at Stanford together – I feel like I can help give some more perspective on who this man is.
Celebrities, athletes, and public officials all have something in common. While they are well known to the public, it’s rare for us everyday people to see them in moments out of the spotlight. With so many of us and so few of them, those moments are rare and often fleeting, but they give us insight into who these people really are.
I have had the privilege of knowing Damon Dunn for many years and seeing him both in and out of the spotlight. Even today, I am still amazed by his selflessness, genuine character, and his energetic drive to serve people in need. It’s a clear passion and motivating force in Damon’s life; and that is something that hasn’t changed, whether the spotlight is on or off.
As a student and football athlete, Damon was on the streets of East Palo Alto, California, helping out those who, just as he had experienced, were struggling to keep their head above water. Damon led the East Palo Alto Stanford Summer Academy that provided after-school tutoring and mentorship to Latino and African-American students. These were kids from the depths of poverty, broken homes, and lost hope. It was Damon’s mission, then as it is now, to provide many of these students a pathway out of poverty and the ability to realize their dreams.
One experience that has always stayed with me is witnessing Damon, himself a struggling college student, give the last of his college stipend checks to a homeless woman in East Palo Alto. We both knew he didn’t have the financial comfort to give this money away and it was going to put him in a tough situation. But he knew she needed it more than he did and Damon was willing to sacrifice his own comfort to satisfy that woman’s deep distress.
There were no newspapers there, and there were no cameras or reporters. It was just Damon and an elderly, homeless woman who was down on her luck. And it was Damon being Damon.
This is the way Damon lives his life, even when people aren’t looking. This is the true measure of a leader.
It is this compassion, integrity and sacrifice that I believe is needed right now in our public leaders. This is the reason why I believe Damon is the right person to help lead California.
As Californians get to know him, I think they’ll agree.
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