Fitting the stereotype doesn't disqualify you from greatness

As part of our series Real Talk on Race, CBC Montreal asked 10 people to share their personal stories about race. These stories are in their own words.Share yours with usonFacebook,Twitteror emailwebquebec@cbc.ca.

"Awareness precedes change," and unfortunately, real talks on race can be anuncomfortable issue.

• Follow the full Real Talk on Race series

I wanted to address the all too common stereotype that labels young black males who have been graced with height as not being graced with brains as well.

It's too much of a common occurrence to have others believe your only contribution to society can be appropriated to athletics because you're tall and black.

Too much of common occurrence that others feel like, because you fit a supposed description, you are limited to the confinesof ignorance.

But even if we do fit the description, we can always do and be better.

Watch Svens' P.O.V. in the video above.

• MORE REAL TALK P.O.V. Coltrane McDowell:Growing up as the white minority
• ROUNDUP: Meet theP.O.V. contributors in thisseries

After he was acquitted on agun possession charge,Svens Telemaqueputan end to a life of crime,abandoning Miami, Fl. and everything that was once common to himto become who he is today. The life of turmoil he left in the past fuelled his creative abilities and transformed him into an author, speaker, and spoken word artist, with a principleinterest in using his experiences to serve others.