Hi. My name is Kyle David Ledda-Lewaren. Everyone calls me KD.
And I guess that's a good starting point for 'the real KD'.
Who I was.
Who I am.
Who I want to be.
You see, this project...this journey...really began last year. I had some trouble at school. A couple arguments escalated. And the next thing I knew, I was sitting in the principal's office. Not good.
I disappointed my parents.
I disappointed myself.
I wondered why I made some of the choices I made...especially the bad choices. Thinking back on those decisions, I realized that there wasn't much of a thought process involved at all.
Maybe it was my teenage brain. There are studies that say that a teen's brain isn't fully developed until their early 20's. Of course, if I believed that was all there is to it, I could've blamed my not-fully-developed, teenage brain and absolved myself of any responsibility for my actions.
But that seemed like I'm just a cork bobbing in a wild sea. No control over where I go or what I do. I just don't believe that.
Anyway, last summer...before this project was even an idea...in between video games and swimming and summer movies, I actually did read some things. I know, shocked, right?
One thing that resonated with me was about Aristotle and practical wisdom. Aristotle believed that 'life experience' is a natural path to gaining wisdom.
If I was going to make better choices; if I was going to know myself better; if I was going to have any chance of gaining some wisdom...I needed some life experience.
But that lead me to ask - how much life experience can a 16 year old kid without a driver's license actually gain?
Yeah. My only chance would be to seek out those who already have some life experience. People in my community. People in business, in the arts, in politics, in sports, in education. People with 'life experience'.
People with answers!
So, I wrote and asked if they'd help me.
I asked them about their lives and tried to gather their wisdom for myself (And for those who read this website).
So here are their stories.
And in their words, maybe my path forward.
Caleb Porter is the head coach of the 2015 MLS Cup champions, Portland Timbers. He was previously head coach of the United States U-23 team, and the University of Akron men's team from 2006 to 2012.
A former midfielder, he played college soccer for Indiana University before his short professional career in Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League was ended by persistent knee injuries.
A career change from player to coach was followed by almost immediate success on the collegiate level, where Mr. Porter led small University of Akron to a NCAA championship in 2010.
My impressions of Mr. Porter: Who says there are no second acts in soccer or in life? Caleb Porter has consistently proven his doubters wrong. In our interview, I was struck by his intense focus. His answers and tone really captured his personality. And whether he meant to or not, I took away lessons in resiliency and drive from our conversation.
I really was honored and excited to meet him.
Chris Coleman is the artistic director of Portland Center Stage, located in the renovated Armory Building in the Pearl District.
Before joining PCS in May 2000, Mr. Coleman was the co-founder and artistic director at Actor’s Express in Atlanta.
Mr. Coleman's directing credits have taken him from Portland to Broadway and stops all over the country, including Actor’s Theater of Louisville, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, ACT-Seattle, The Alliance, Dallas Theatre Center, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop and Center Stage in Baltimore as he's tackled such diverse fare as Fiddler on the Roof, Sophocles' Antigone, Anna Karenina, Oklahoma!, Cabaret, West Side Story, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Shakespeare's King Lear and The Merchant of Venice.
Mr. Coleman is native of Atlanta, Georgia and holds a B.F.A. from Baylor University and an M.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon. He currently chairs the Creative Advocacy Network board, and serves on boards for the Cultural Advocacy Coalition and the Institute for Metropolitan Studies.
My impressions of Mr. Coleman: in his own words, he describes himself as driven to succeed and that really comes through in our interview. He was drinking from a coffee cup, but I sensed that he had enough energy and enthusiasm for his life and creative work that coffee was unnecessary. As a born Southerner, Mr. Coleman was polite yet direct, and willing to share wisdom and insight.
Dan Wieden is the co-founder of the multi-billion dollar company, Wieden+Kennedy, one of the largest independently owned advertising agencies in the world. And famously coined the Nike tagline "Just Do It."
He also founded Caldera, a nonprofit arts education organization and camp for at-risk youth located in Sisters, Oregon.
Mr. Wieden and his business partner, David Kennedy were listed as number 22 on the Advertising Age 100 ad people of the 20th century. He was named one of America's 25 most intriguing entrepreneurs by Inc.
Mr. Wieden has been Oregon’s Professional of the Year, Oregon’s Entrepreneur of the Year, one of the world’s 50 CyberElite by Time magazine, and one of 32 members of the One Club Creative Hall of Fame.
My impressions of Mr. Wieden: The most gracious man I've ever met. Before our interview even started, he gave me a tour of Wieden+Kennedy's downtown Portland building, introducing me to his partner, David Kennedy as well as some of the creative geniuses who work for them.
I found Dan Wieden to be friendly and soft spoken. He pondered all my questions and gave thoughtful and often funny responses. For my first interview, I couldn't have asked for a better subject!
A quick point - of the hundreds of commercials Dan Wieden's company has done ...starring people like Will Ferrell, Clint Eastwood and Michael Jordan ...my favorite is the Old Spice commercials. "Ladies, look at your man. Now back to me!"
