Antwone Fisher: Busy Living a Life of Consequence

Like a life-insurance policy without beneficiaries, if there is nobody there to learn what you’ve learned, then your life is without consequence, no matter how much wealth of wisdom you’ve attained.
                -Excerpt from Finding Fish, by Antwone Fisher

Do words like Hollywood, Oscar winners, award nominations or names like ‘Denzel’ impress you? Perhaps you’re intrigued by the fact that a movie was just released bearing his name: Antwone Fisher. Antwone Fisher is now synonymous with these words after his autobiography, Finding Fish, was made into a motion picture released late last year. But for those attending the 2002 National CASA Association conference, Antwone Fisher is remembered for sharing his heart wrenching foster care experience in an unforgettable, simple and humble manner.

In April 2002, Fisher was relatively unknown and the National CASA network was the largest assembly he had addressed since the book’s release. Standing on stage, Fisher quietly and bravely shared his deeply personal story about a tumultuous life in the Cleveland foster care system and the inspiring climb to understanding and acceptance.

There were no mentions of Hollywood’s glamour or the high of having your name in light. With his soft spoken voice and strong physical presence, Fisher shared highlights and lowlights from a ‘personal resume’ that included being born in prison, living 13 years in a flawed foster care system, having 13 different social workers assigned to his case, enduring abuse at the hands of foster parents, living life on the street, facing homelessness and working for a criminal to stay alive. From this bleak childhood, Fisher emerged a man with a confident future and an acceptance of his past. Fisher’s ‘a-ha’ moment came when he realized, “It’s like the quote says: Get busy living or get busy dying.”

“This story isn’t about accusations.” Fisher said. He says it is simply his experience-his story. Before writing off the book as yet another bleak look at foster-care-gone-bad, keep in mind that most people are walking away from the book and movie inspired to help children more than ever. The most inspiring element to Fisher’s book is learning what motivated him to move from the dark early years. He credits people who stepped into his life, saw his potential and helped him move on. “I feel like I gave back to those people (his first foster mom, dedicated teachers) by writing the book,” said Fisher.

After speaking at the CASA conference, Fisher shared his thoughts about those key people who were there when he needed them; he likened the work of CASA volunteers to the role those people played in his life. “In my life it seemed that it was always people who didn’t have to help me - like all of you - [who helped]. You are volunteers who don’t have to be.” “To do good for a child is the best thing you can do.” Fisher went on to thank the CASA network for their efforts, adding, “When I was growing up, there was nothing like CASA.” He added, “I discovered there was hope through people who didn’t necessarily have to show me there was hope: strangers.” and because of his experience, he trusted strangers more. He encouraged CASA volunteers to remember this perspective when working and speaking for kids in foster care.

Fisher‘s advice to CASA volunteers? “If a kid grows up not feeling respected, there are repairs that need to be done,” he said. He encouraged CASA volunteers to keep doing what they do: treat each child individually, find out their true story and learn their motivations. Most kids just need to be asked the questions according to Fisher. He always thought and hoped the social worker would ask questions about and lead him into telling about the abuse. And yet they never did. “It’s nice when you’re a kid to know that someone is thinking of you…with care.”

Antwone Fisher notes that he’s surprised and sometimes unsettled at becoming an unlikely spokesperson for child advocacy during the promotion of the movie. As he talked about promoting the film, he said, “I’m grateful the studio has confidence to have me promote the movie and book; it helps to cancel out those childhood fears that I still carry.” “Everyone seemed to respect the story and treat the subject of my past with kindness.” People not only respect the story, but critics are taking notice of Antwone Fisher with a Writer’s Guild nomination. Marc Caro of the Chicago Tribune noted in his movie review, “Looking backward turns out to be just a means of reaching forward.”

And if you weren‘t inspired enough, when Fisher was asked to reflect on the big picture of his life he said, “It’s really a wonderful life.”