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Sunday, 3/29/2026, 8:30am - Like It Is

John Conyers
John Conyers

John Conyers, former United States Congressman, Michigan.

Conyers was one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and was considered the Dean of that group. Formed in 1969, the CBC was founded to strengthen African American lawmakers' ability to address the legislative concerns of Black and minority citizens. He served longer in Congress than any other African American. In 1971, he was one of the original members of Nixon’s enemies list.

Conyers served for a year in Korea during the Korean War as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was awarded combat and merit citations. After his active military service, Conyers pursued a college education. He earned degrees from Wayne State University. After he was admitted to the bar, he worked on the staff of Congressman John Dingell. He also served as counsel to several Detroit-area labor union locals. From 1961 to 1963, he was a referee for Michigan's workmen's compensation department.

Conyers became one of the leaders of the civil rights movement. He was present in Selma, Alabama, on October 7, 1963, for the voter registration drive known as Freedom Day.

Areas of discussion:

*Building Resilience Through Reflection
Healey explained a four-phase process for building resilience: Reflect, where individuals take time daily to reflect on their day with gratitude; Build, which focuses on developing a positive mindset and support system; ACT, where people face challenges, set goals, and act; and Renew, where they learn from adversity, celebrate their achievements, and strive to become better. Terry emphasized that the process is customizable and encourages individuals to choose positivity, set goals, and focus on personal growth.

*Gratitude and Resilience Journey
Terry shared his personal journey with sarcoma cancer, emphasizing how the experience taught him gratitude, provided a new life perspective, and fostered empathy. He discussed his book, "The Resilience Mindset," which was inspired by audience requests for a prescriptive self-development guide based on his experiences and those of others who overcame adversity. Terry explained that the book aims to help readers prepare for challenges by sharing lessons learned from personal struggles.

*Resilience Through Personal Themes
Terry shared his personal experience with resilience, highlighting how a song called "Never Surrender" by Corey Hart helped him cope with a challenging medical situation. He emphasized the importance of finding a personal theme song that inspires hope and resilience during tough times. Terry also discussed his book, "A Pimple Nearly Killed Me and A Resilience Mindset," which aims to provide readers with tools and methods to build resilience and maintain hope, despite life's adversities.

*Perspective and Resilience Discussion
Dr. Franklin and Terry discussed the importance of perspective in their community, emphasizing the need to appreciate the relative safety and comfort they enjoy compared to many others worldwide.