CNN iReport

What I knew then and know now

Urban Bikers, Harley Riders or just plain motorcycles had a stigma of gangs or wild and crazy Rockers attached to it in my thoughts of characters until I met the Pro Committee. Even after meeting and making dozens of friends paralyzed from motorcycle accidents, I still didn't’t know what being a biker is about. From what I saw on television or rumors as a youth, a Biker was a thug on wheels. How wrong was I after my arrival to Atlanta, Georgia where I first met Butta , Seven,  Lexy, Ladie and Mocha. However what I thought I knew I found out I was all wrong.  The saying is true you can’t believer everything you see or hear, going to the source is your best form of gaining knowledge.

Yes in every walk of life, good and evil will exits, good policemen, bad policemen, good doctors, quacks, good politicians bad politicians so of course there will be some out there with bad reputations that only by their own free will this negative stigma is exploited.  So here I am, my first trip to Atlanta and coming to cover their 4th annual  PRO Convention. I must admit, when I took on the project in heart, my main focus was what my mission is all about. Bridging the gap between the norm and the not so normal, by going to events most don’t consider  because they’ve given up on life because of a wheelchair.

Now back to my experience in Atlanta, after being introduced and meeting the committee , the lobby was filled with other Mcs around the nation. A MC is an abbreviation for motorcycle club, over a thousand showed up and the list continues to grow each year beyond capacity. I didn’t see no gangs, wasn’t anyone fighting or any nonsense, I felt safe and accepted by others I never seen before in my life. What I learned and  experienced those few days wasn’t anything I expected.

An organized panel of speakers, politics, safety education and how to be an effective person for your community and the world , tapped off with a house rocking festive to end off the night. I really pushed my body beyond what I shouldn't’t do because I felt so normal and alive again. But 2 Tylenol's and 32oz of water helped me sleep that night and yes, I did it again the next. After one night it seemed how many years of what I assumed was gone in 60 seconds.  I didn’t know Mcs  donated to charities, like cancer, AIDS, Autism and the list goes on, they come together to help hold a community together in crisis and most of them are corporate, domestic and law enforcement family driven human beings.

Even after Atlanta, I went to other events, event to help stop the violence, to raise money for cancer and even after a week in the hospital I pushed myself to attend the next PRO Convention.  It’s a difficult life living with a challenge but I tell myself I can be in pain and tired at home, why not be in pain and tired somewhere that may inspire other like me to gather strength to live their life.

The 6th annual is coming January 8-12 2009 at the Marriott - New Orleans 555 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130.  More in depth info can be seen at www.proconvention.com.

Professir X