Young people can be ostracised for looking, talking or acting differently.

And motivational speaker Poet Ali is one who knows all too well what it feels like to be an outsider.

The hip hop artist, dancer and choreographer overcame a host of challenges as a youngster to find success as an entertainer — sharing the stage with superstars like One Republic, Christina Millian, The Dream, Mos Def, Talib Kwali, Colbie Caillat, and Run D M C.

He was invited to the Island by pro-kindness programme Chain Reaction Bermuda and was able to share his inspirational story and music with hundreds of students from local middle and high schools last week.

One piece of wisdom he offered to young people was not to judge others because they are different.

“Do you know how boring things would be if everyone was the same?” he asked. “We see people that are different and rather than embrace them we jump on them. Those of you who have been in that dark place because you look or feel different, trust me I have been there.”

He encouraged students to figure out who they are and what it is that makes them unique — and urged them to stop trying to be just like the person sitting next to them.

He said he was once asked to write a song about fancy cars, designer labels and flying girls around the world, but objected because those things weren’t real to him or true to what he was about.

Originally from Iran, Poet Ali’s family moved to a predominantly white community in Fallbrook, California when he was just three-years-old.

“It was an area in the United States where they still had a strong presence of Ku Klux Klan members [back then],” he said.

“My dad owned a nightclub and I worked in this nightclub and restaurant, but [some of the residents] didn’t want us there so we stayed for a few years and then moved to Orange County, California.”

While living in Orange County, he started to feel alienated in a different way.

His family didn’t have a lot of money so he didn’t get the high-tech gadgets or expensive clothes like other youngsters in the affluent community. “So here we are, in this area and if you knew me in middle school or high school I was overweight and a big kid and was made fun of for that. I was a different race, we didn’t have as much money as everyone else. I was kind of ‘that kid’.”

Poet Ali believes those early experiences helped him to connect with minorities or those who feel they don’t belong.

He said it’s been “a big part of his calling” to talk to young people and inspire them to overcome their challenges.

Poet Ali told The Royal Gazette: “I grew up feeling like a bit of being a nomad, like you don’t always have a home and you learn to connect with people in a different way.

“It was a feeling of being displaced and never completely belonging to one particular group, that you are always one foot in and one foot out.

“I hope those students who feel that way are inspired by my message and feel they can use what they perceive as their shortcomings as a source for great power. I hope they are encouraged and tune out any negative discouragement and focus on the positive.”

Another piece of advice he gave to students is not to be afraid to fail.

He said some people thought success just happened in a straight line, when in fact people tended to bounce from one thing to another, fall and then get up before finding success.

“If you succeed you get respect, money and fame sometimes, but [there’s this idea that] if you fail sometimes someone is making fun of you.

“You might be afraid to take some risks or go after your dreams because we worry if you fail there will be someone there laughing in your face,” he said.

He told students they could start planning for their future now, rather than waiting until they get older.

Poet Ali stated that life was short and no one knows exactly when their journey will end. That’s why everyone should use the time they have to do things that will help them to be remembered in a good way, he explained.

They should also spend time with the people they care about most.

In addition to the speech, Poet Ali also shared his music with students, including a song called ‘Light Up The Darkness’.

Many students left last week’s presentation feeling encouraged.

Berkeley student Dee-Neishae Zuill, 16, said she liked the moral behind his story.

“I liked the point he made about how you sometimes have to fail before you can succeed later in life,” she said. “Sometimes I struggle in some of my classes and want to give up, but this has encouraged me to try again.”

Nkosi Hollis, 15, said the presentation reminded him not to take time with people you love for granted.

“It also inspired me to push myself hard and work harder towards my goal of becoming a singer and to be more confident,” he said.

Poet Ali was first invited to speak with students as part of a Chain Reaction Bermuda event back in January.

Close to 1,500 students were impacted by the anti-bullying presentation and Poet Ali in particular was well received, according to Mary Samuels, the programme coordinator.

“Being a hip hop artist and motivational speaker, he can speak to students in a meaningful way and they found him to be really relatable,” she said.

Chain Reaction Bermuda — also known as Rachel’s Challenge — is an international Pro-Kindness Program for elementary, middle and high schools. It was designed to disarm bullying and potential violence in schools by promoting kindness, respect, and understanding.

For more information on the programme or to find out how you can become a sponsor, visit www.chainreactionbermuda.org