Published by Asian Journal
“Since the time of the two-part article, Ollie has continued working successfully to make a real difference in people’s lives. He provided me with these updates:
“In 2016, Ollie was given the Secretary’s Diversity and Inclusion Award from John King, Jr., appointed to his Cabinet post under President Obama. The next year, he was inducted into the Susan M. Daniel’s National Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame and was named an Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. His sons and he were named Persons of the Week and featured on ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir.
Over the ensuing time, Ollie’s sons received a year of intensive training to enhance their independence and now attend Southern Virginia University. Meanwhile, with his boys now away, Ollie relocated back to West Covina, California, to be closer to his parents. His permanent residence has now changed accordingly as he works remotely full-time as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. He was also bestowed with the Marc Gold National Achievement Award for his groundbreaking resource book, geared toward optimizing economic empowerment for persons with all types of disabilities. In July 2021, he was unanimously elected chairman of the Board of Directors of a multi-million-dollar national non-profit organization.
Most recently, Ollie is running for West Covina City Council, District 4, a nonpartisan position. If elected on November 8, he will be the first blind Filipino-American elected official in West Covina history.”
“[Ollie] Cantos, like the [blind] brothers [Leo, Nick, Steven Argel] had a hard time growing up. He says he didn’t have any friends, and people made fun of him. He taught the brothers how to use their canes better by taking them to the corner store. One day, the store clerk asked Cantos if Leo was his son. Before Cantos could answer, Leo put his arm around him and said, “Yeah, that’s my dad.” As Cantos remembers it, Leo said, “Well, you take us places, you protect us, you help us with our homework and make us happy. Sounds like a dad to me.” “Whenever I hear you call me ‘Dad,’ ” Cantos tells the three brothers, “it’s the highest compliment to me. You three used to be in the same situation that I was, and to see you come out of that and to be the way you guys are now, it’s impossible to describe how grateful I am that I get to be your dad.” Jasmyn Belcher, NPR Radio, 2014.
In an Asian Journal exclusive, September 14, 2014 in a sit-down lunch at Salo-Salo Grill in West Covina, California, Ollie shared his bipartisan mentoring principles. Ollie by the way has his “boys’, triplets who are blind, whom he has been mentoring to be more self-reliant. Hence, the NPR radio program on the four of them.
Olegario Cantos was one of the 50 inspiring alumni recognized by Loyola Law School last Sept. 20, 2014 over a gala attended by over a thousand. Peter Cetera, an American singer, songwriter, bassist, producer and member of the rock band Chicago provided the entertainment.
And to think that Olegario (Ollie) D. Cantos VII graduated in 1997, yet illustrious enough to join some of these prestigious folks, the likes of Gloria Allred, the lawyer of precedent – setting cases on women’s rights and discrimination for 30 years; John Anderson, for which an entire UCLA School of Management is named for him and his philanthropic gift of $50 million to Children’s Hospital; Hon. Ben Cayetano, the first Filipino-American governor of the State of Hawaii; Johnnie Cochran (deceased) the finest lawyer of social justice and civil rights who defended O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson and Geronimo Pratt; and Hon. Otto Kaus (deceased) an associate justice of the California Supreme Court.
In working with a Democrat, how do you as a Republican manage it? “It is about trust. Trust is about meeting a need they have in you. Their vested self-interest will make them bring you onboard. When they say, “we need to see if you are a good fit,” that is a code for “for what we need, do the skills that you have to offer meet ours? When you are told you are not a good fit, that could mean either the match is not right or the person being interviewed did not put her best foot forward. Remember it is not just about the telling the truth, as you have no credibility yet with the person listening to you, and if you have no credibility with them, you will not be believed. It is about meeting their needs with the skills that you have. It is never about you, it is about meeting their needs first.”
He goes on, “If you are thinking down deep that you are not worthy, you will sabotage yourself. But when you value yourself, when you see something wrong, you make it right. Whatever we have in our lives, we have envisioned that level of success once before. We have realized that success in our minds before. Stepping into the future means even if we don’t have it now, it is about what we want for ourselves here and now. The secret is in having them see in you that what they need is in you. It is about matching your job skills with what the company needs.”
We talk more, sharing examples one to the other. I remember how I envisioned covering an event in the White House and Ollie was not working in the White House anymore; he was there before as one of younger GW Bush’s speechwriters. He was then working for the Department of Justice.
He told me to keep at this vision, to imagine the details of going inside the White House. I wished I taped our phone conversation, but like a dreamer, I followed his advice and the dream came true. I was given an invitation to cover the Presidential Medals of Freedom and those being awarded were Dolores Huerta along with Toni Morrison, John Glenn, Madeleine Albright, and Bob Dylan. Dreams do come true, and to think, my security clearance was given to me on the day of May 28, 2012, but faith made me book my plane tickets and hotel room, and my dream came to pass. I am even sharing the photo to memorialize that dream coming true. Next, a dinner with the White House and with Pope Francis, what a big one, isn’t it?
“Don’t talk about beliefs. But, when you do, do it in a way that overlaps with the interests of the other party. Describe part of you are, not all of you, not representing!
For example, he said that there are a number of children of immigrants who are undocumented.“They were brought to America at a very young age, and the only country they came to know is America, and they went to schools here and the only language they speak is English. Both Democrats and Republicans support these children of immigrants to be documented. Pass this!”
Lastly, “Never speak ill of a person at a personal level. Like I do not like hearing folks accuse the President of being a Muslim or comparing him to a Nazi dictator. He is not any of those. Don’t demonize people. So what if they are Muslims, there are also faithful Americans who practice their religion and we must respect their rights to worship under the Second Amendment. Never engage in personal attacks. Find ways to genuinely support the other person. If you find something they love, support them privately. For me, it is cancer research and dogs. There is not a single dog that I cannot love.”
I thought that would be our last question but I followed it with another, “How do you maintain such optimum level of enthusiasm?” To which he declared, with confidence, “There is more to be grateful for everyday, I have more new reasons on becoming an idealist. There are forces contrary to our ideals, but that means we find ways to address them.” His triplets of strength come from idealism, gratitude, and creativity.
As we were about to end our interview, a sweet woman in her fifties walked quietly toward Ollie. She motioned me not to say a word. Her yellow t-shirt gave her away. I figured she is the source of sunshine for the day. She gave him such a lingering kiss on the cheek while Ollie simply relaxed, did not flinch, and received fully the warmth of her kiss. It made for such a loving, endearing moment between two friends of two decades now, Ollie Cantos and Ann
Dickerson.
I have only known Ollie for seven years now, and each meeting is marked by a surplus of joy and mentoring exchanges. Each encounter is supremely positive, and each meeting ends with a lingering hug. No wonder Ollie became one of the 50 inspiring Loyola alumni from a pool of 16,000 who passed through their Los Angeles campus. The last time Ollie was with our common friend, Loida, she cried reminiscing her love for Reginald, and our early snack of coffee and cake became hours into the midnight. Good thing we ate at Cendrilon a second time, Ollie can entrance you in his field of dreams for hours, even 19 hours with him is not enough! I think that happens with me when I encounter “spirits of light,” I linger and linger in their presence and I do not want to leave them. Good thing, I have a loving, supportive hubby who understands how passionate I become when I interview subjects!
Olegario Cantos, one of Loyola Law School’s 50 Inspiring Alumni-Part 1