INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL GRANVILLE

Michael Granville is an accomplished athlete, painter and a social justice advocate.  In 1996 he set a National High School 800 meter record and qualified to run in the United States Olympic Trials.   He owns G:Fit Bootcamp is a personal trainer, head coach of the Palo Alto High School just to name a few of his roles.  He was an Exhibition Director for Illustrative Voices, an Art Education non-profit.

He created and donated a painting for Ukrainian Art Fundraiser organized by Maansey Rishi.  The proceeds went to our non-profit.

We set down with Michael to understand his approach to life and his involvement with various projects.

Website - (https://gfitwellness.com)

IG - https://www.instagram.com/michaelgranville2/

Photos by Boris Polissky

First of all.. thank you for donation your art work towards our cause and thank you for sitting down with us for a chat. .

MICHAEL

My pleasure. I’m glad I can help in any way.

 Besides being an accomplished athlete and painter you’re heavily  involved in social activities and a non-profit organization.

MICHAEL

Yeah that’s quite true.  In 2020 is when we started. It was Jordan Fogg and myself. He is the Executive director and his idea was to put together platform for artists to meet and discuss social justice topic -  identity, bullying, love,  racial differences, privileges, geographical differences. We called it Illustrative Voices. Every three months we would change it up. And one thing being a part of the nonprofit and also about fighting for one cause of social justice, it becomes to be a tireless job because once you start seeing a group that you want to fight for and you notice like wait a second…this goes along with this next group and so it becomes a cyclical way of being of service that way.

So as the exhibition director for Illustrative Voices it was up to me to find venues, find the artist, collaborate with Jordan, with the topics and then making sure that it was,for the people. In art, there’s a very exclusive club and to get in you know, you’re usually an older white male you see in all the art books. And this is where the history of art is. And we wanted to say no, there's more. Like, even with myself being African American here to find African American artists, you don't really see them popping up in your schools and say, oh, here's Ernie Davis, or here's Samella Lewis and different people.  

I started learning more about the different art that is out there. Asian art, black art, you know, European art, which we are aware of, local art. So I found venues in Menlo Park, the Cal Center of innovation in Foothill.  And sometimes we  would even go into little businesses in the neighborhood because that's where people come together.  Even like nail salon and have an art show there. You get there, meet the artist, hear their story  behind each painting. And  it's a way to just kind of open up people, a way of discussing social justice topics without being so taboo.

 Yes, when you walk into the gallery and the painting is just hanging, you don’t always have a connection to it as opposed to when you talk to the artist and get the story behind it.

MICHAEL

Yeah, and that's what it is.

It's like it's… when it’s already hanging there, you have no reference.

Yeah, there's nothing for you to connect you to that piece. It’s that connection talking to the artist and then hear what they did to create it,  their story about their family and maybe there's something in that art now that connects, resonates with you that makes you want buy it.

You know or next time you see this artist, you know, next time I see Michael’s painting, I actually want to pick it up because there's a story.

  Yeah, exactly. .

MICHAEL

You know, and so that's what we did. We started online during the pandemic – virtual shows. And I've been able to recruit artists from Philadelphia, Texas, Southern California and a lot more were locally.  Since then I moved on from it because I’ve spent enough years doing it. But we raised good awareness to get the word out there.  To me it was a good way connecting me with other artists and social justice things without having the reserve.. oh it's not dealing with black people, but I understand what they're feeling. Maybe I'm not so pushed to say something about it. But now after being part of illustrated Voices, I can talk about Ukraine, seeing what they're going through with the oppression from Russia and being able to understand how that feels for my culture or maybe someone else's culture.

 And that’s why I was curious - why Ukraine as a subject for your painting? But it seems like to you it’s not just about the country, it's more part of this idea of world injustice…

MICHAEL

There’s a language in Africa that has the word ‘Ubuntu’

So that's a word that really resonates with me - what matters to you matters to me. And I think if all are empathetic and see each other as having the common goal of being free, being able to be with your family without the fear of being persecuted….

So when  Maansey reached out to me…Maansey was my athlete at Gunn High School. I was the head coach for track and cross country and that's how we had our rapport as coach and the athlete. From conversations and before, as coach and athlete learned that she likes chess, she's an artist, she's a singer, she supports a lot of art…

 I didn't know all that…

MICHAEL

Yes, she is.  You know, she's a brilliant, just multifaceted, but most of everything she really cares about people.

 I can see that, yeah.

MICHAEL

A painting donated by Michael was auctioned at our fundraiser on May 31 2023

She reached out to me if I’d be willing to draw something related to social justice and donate for a Ukrainian Fundraiser she was organizing.  I was like,  yes.  I also liked that I had a chance to really dive into more of the story. And I've heard stories about the war in Ukraine, but definitely, you know, my thoughts and prayers are with the country.

I had some Ukrainians in my bootcamp. And this is just before the war happened. I saw them when the war started and I asked “Anything I can do to help? I feel sorry and I know what's going on within the home country.” I asked is there any way I could donate.  She goes, “don't donate because you don't know who you're going to give to. Thank you for what you're saying”. She said that just talking to me and having the conversation, felt good. And so that was my closest thing. And then when Maansey brought this, I was like… I'll jump right on and go for it.

   So how did the idea came to you?             

MICHAEL

These next 3 months I’m doing different showcases for my art and I was already coming up with some ideas. Every now and then I do iconinic picture where I use religious images but make them look black.  And then something hit me I want to use tracking, since it’s my background, and i started looking and wanted to do a historical type of piece.  So i wanted to research .. what is art for me. So I started looking at Egyptian art, which I love and then Greece. Then I got into Greek art, and with Venus de Milo and a lot of the things they need to give to the Olympians.  So I was like, oh, I'm gonna do an Olympic series. I’m using the six colors of the Olympics - black, white, red, yellow, green and blue and then make each piece have that very simple, just like what you see now in my piece. As I was getting ready for my shows,  I wanted to have at least 10-12 pieces of which I already I sold half of them and I have 2 more shows coming.   When Maansey reached out to me I was like “What can I do?” And I've always had this idea of the quote that the Ukrainian lady said when giving the sunflower seeds to a Russian soldier “Put these seeds in your pocket, so when you die, at least sunflowers will grow from your corpses”. You know, just she was so upset and I felt that and to me.

 Yeah, it’s a very visual

MICHAEL And I was like, if anything I was cheering for Ukraine before and now I'm like I'm into this, you know, the underdog. Take Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir, they went in and put on their armor, all of this stuff was happening in February last year was all sticking with me. And I'm always thinking of ways to learn more about Ukraine and understand what's going on there.  I tried to understand the idea with the sunflower seeds and what the flag is – it’s a huge farmland for the world.

I’ve talked to Ukrainians in my class, learning  more about the war. So when Maansey hit me up with this donation I was doing Olympic series, I thought “ OK, what can I do about this?” Knowing that Ukraine is religious I was just looking at different things and came across the images of the stained glass window. I was like, oh, I can make this into a  freeze frame in a moment of time and hopefully at the end, you can see the glory of where this came from. So that was it. The whole idea of having the stained glass and then putting  the javelin thrower which is  a gesture of war, protection. 

 I actually thought you were talking about the missile. Then I realized you were talking about the Olympics

MICHAEL

No, I didn't even think about that.

Whoa, that one got me just right now….  So I continued to go along with that and then once I've completed it, I hoped that Maansey would like it and was just happy to have it go out. Then I was happy to be able to go and speak at the fundraiser event and be part of something meaningful, you know. To see what she was doing with your organization I felt like what I was doing at the moment was something that I was doing it solely for my compassion and I enjoy helping in any kind of way.  Then being able to go and see what this painting has brought me and it also has opened up to meeting new people, which is what part of my life is.

 Yeah, I can see that. Seems like part of what you do is getting to know and sharing your story with people.  When I reached out to you about this interview, you were pretty much .. here is my schedule for next 4 days, let’s do  it!  And that’s awesome.

MICHAEL

Yeah, I understand, we're all busy . Here's I think the one important.  I'm going to be a graduation commencement speaker this weekend  and one of my things is of one of the keys of being successful is to be available, you know.  And I think a lot of the things that has led me to where I am now is to know my value and know the value of my time, but also, other people's time and availability. And just being available. And whenever I always said “Yes, let's do this”. It always ends up in the in the right position.

 Do you feel overwhelmed at times with all the things you do and people you meet?

MICHAEL

That was my last year. Sure it was. I found myself kind of trying to be the board of directors here, trying to do this here, trying to do that there. To the point to where my cup was so empty… I had nothing to give.

You know, and so last year I took some time back.. I wasn't sleeping. So I was able to actually talk with the therapist and they found out why, why I wasn't sleeping. They helped me out with my sleeping, which changed a lot too. I had a chance to regroup to see what is important to me.  Being able to do that and communicate that with my wife and kids and just being able to step back.  I just took about two weeks off and then came back and started doing the things that I really wanted to.  If something interesting would pop up, sure I’ll do that.

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 Well I think it’s the giving Aquarius in us.  You’re born on February 14 right?  I’m January 24.

MICHAEL

Oh, look at that. That’s so cool. Just look at that. I want to help everyone but at the end I really can’t.

At some point you have nothing to give. You get irritated because of the little things

 Looks like taking time off and then jumping back into what you enjoy worked for you.

MICHAEL

Yeah.  And what happened is I had all this lined up and I just took two weeks off with everything going. But ultimately my business and everybody around was totally fine. It's like man, take time off, take care of yourself. We need you. And that's where I got the quote that says “You can't help anybody else if your cup is empty”. And that's when that just stick with me.  And so since then, that's when I just say yes to the things I really want to do. 

 Let’s go back in time a bit and talk what success meant to you when you were young.    

MICHAEL Sure. In 1996 I made it to Olympic trials. I'm looking back at it now, that was really good accomplishment at the time. I didn't win, you know.  But looking back at it now, I was like, man, you should celebrate it more. That was a good accomplishment and at that time I didn’t appreciate that as much. But I've been drawing. Most of my life. Always, you know, was a part of winning a. Contest and drawing or doing things with the environment and different social topics.

 It’s quite a rare mix to be an accomplished athlete and to be a painter.  The physical and creative sides combined in one.

MICHAEL   A part of the mix too is personally, I didn't want to… and I don't know why I say that. Even saying this out loud, it's weird to hear. I didn't want to confuse people's idea of their perspective, because even I knew the drastic poles an artist or an athlete.  But they all do kind of come together, though, because being as an athlete you have to have a lot of practice. There's a lot of hand/eye coordination. You know, there's a lot of mind and body connection and that's what I get from drawing. Even the feeling of running. I think that's why I did this. I was like why I haven't thought about this. Being a physical therapist and a personal trainer, being a massage therapist, I learned a lot about the anatomy and then on this side of it being an athlete and know what it feels like to come out of the blocks and to jump over something and then translating that feeling into a pattern or a line or contour line or circle.  I can really feel what that athlete is doing.

 Do you feel there’s a part of you missing where you’re not pursuing professional athlete, track goals?

MICHAEL

I think I've accomplished that.  I mean looking at my track career, I accomplished that. But there's always, you know, as you get older, it's like, oh, it would have been cool if I did something else.

Maybe trying a different event, being a little bit more courageous. I think I understand when to say no to when the tides are shifting,  to see the ebbs and flows of when it’s pivot. Like it's OK to gun HO and say you know I'm, I'm here till the wheels fall off. But maybe sometimes you can go before the wheels fall off and use that energy, that progression and just shift it to something else.

 Well, and what you do now is influencing, guiding people.

MICHAEL

That’s what I will say in my commencement speech. When I broke the national record that was a dream that I had.  We all have to have dreams and a lot of those dreams too especially as you're a young man, are pretty much self-centered. I want this dream because of this. This is going to make me feel…

And you're seeing your pride, looking out, looking at the people.  As I'm getting older and this what I'm gonna say now, that record it was personal. It's still the national record to this day, 27 years later, and who knew me looking at that guy there and thinking of his record as something that is going to take me to sports heights, you know, Olympic gold or money in sports. But most of what that record has done is brought me closer to where I am now.

 You feel like you're not the same person anymore that you were 27 years?

MICHAEL

Muhammad Ali said “Iif somebody sees you in 27 years later and says you're the same, you messed up in life”. You want to make sure you’re different and you have change for the better.

And what drives me now is seeing smiles on other people's faces.  I have to say seeing satisfaction on my clients faces. It's seeing a new person come up and fitting in. I call it gym without walls, literally and figuratively .

It's the confidence.  It’s fitness,  the mental wealthiness and wealth of it. You know the camaraderie of people and that's my drive is to continue having that source where people can communicate, learn about each other and have a connection. Or if you met through me, if 2 two people hang out outside of our circle and bring back a conversation. That's what drives me.  And another part what drives me to is I I feel like I've found myself and as an artist as well.

Then there’s learning to be vulnerable to not knowing because your ego can get on the way.  You put yourself in someone else’s position as you don’t know what they did that got them to their opinion.  Being able to be in the position to listen and it’ll marinate. It’ll pop up again and I’ll be like..  has said it.. and now I see it again. I can relate.  A big part is revisiting the causes that you helped or put a Like on.

That is the whole point of Illustrative voices – understanding the ways to be helpful.  Starting with conversations, going here.. donate, going here.. being part of organization. Any kind of way your level of giving is available, take advantage of that. And then couple months later revisit it. Don’t forget it.  Let me go back to  being humble and see where else can I help.

And Muhamman Ali is somebody I bring up a lot. He said “our rent for our stay here on Earth is service to other people.” So pretty much the way we give back for our space here on Earth to give to other people. That is fullfillment.

   This is a great way to sum it up and get to the reason why we even started this conversation.  Thank you so much, Michael, for your time, for your painting, for your donation and for supporting various causes like ours

 MICHAEL I love it. Thank you

Stories from the refugee camp on Polish-Ukrainian border April 14-April 29 2022

From San Francisco to Przemyśl

Traveling from a sunny state to a Polish border town is quite an adventure: with three huge bags of medical supplies, I left SFO on the plane to JFK (New York). From New York, I had to transfer to a Polish airlines plane flying to Warsaw. The flight was about 8 hours, it was quite comfortable, but the jet lag showed up at the Warsaw Chopin airport. I was falling asleep literally on the go, and by the time I transferred to the next plane ( it was only 1 hour overlay) I had to activate all the reserves in order to get to the gate. My last flight was from Warsaw to Rzeszow, which lasted less than an hour. It would seem that the most difficult part was behind me, but no… they forgot to transfer my luggage, precious medicines and turnstiles to the plane from New York to Poland. The worst thing to do after a transatlantic flight is filling out paperwork for lost luggage.  But bad experience is also an experience, so now I know how to get my lost luggage back after a flight with numerous transfers.

Rzeszow was not the final destination.  It took another hour by car to get to Przemysl. On the way to the house of volunteers, we (newly arrived volunteers) observed beautiful landscapes with air defense equipment, columns of armored vehicles, etc. Without a compass, it became clear where the Ukrainian border lies.

Snakes

The brave owner of snakes came for them and showed us those 6 beauties!

There was a king python but as a home pet version, they were much smaller and calmer than their bigger relatives.

They were rescued from Kharkov, traveled to Lviv and then crossed Polish border.

They eat mice but not every day, they need environment temperature around 103-104F and they are very friendly.

The Owner and his wife are trying to rescue other snakes but are having problems at the border. Snakes need a lot of documents to cross the border and during the war it is hard to get some of them, but their owners are not giving up. They failed to cross the border today but they will try it tomorrow.

I admire those people who during darkest hours when their own lives are in danger do not forget to take care of their pets.

Despite the lost house snakes owner was very optimistic: “we are alive and have no injuries, we will rebuild our houses and will return to normal lives”.

First 3 days

The first three days here I was on duty during the night shifts -  from midnight to morning. At that time, it was usually relatively calm. People try to sleep while the lights are on (they are never turned off even for an hour), some cannot fall asleep and ask to turn it off, others cannot sleep because of the horrors experienced and separation from their relatives. There are also those who sleep soundly. Apparently after cold cellars and constantly howling airborne alarms, they are so exhausted that they are already immune to such minor issues as lamplight and other noises from outside.

On the way to get some coffee, I pass a long corridor and see babies clutching soft toys, sleeping quietly and peacefully on cots arranged in long rows, as they would have been asleep in their own cribs if there was no war.

Next to one of the cots is a large pet carrier and a boxer sleeps in it. Animals understand everything - they do not bark, do not growl, but they refuse food and water, the owners often come to us for syringes so they can at least give water to their pets. These animals, too, would’ve been asleep on soft carpets in their warm homes, if there was no war.

I returned to my post with my eyes to the ground. I don't want a sleepless person to see a tear on my cheek. I would like to sit by the bed of everyone: tuck in the blanket of an older woman wearing a scarf over her head, straighten a stray strand of hair from the forehead of a little girl, stroke a frightened cat that huddled under the owner’s cot.  But there are so many people. There are thousands of them in their restless sleep. But at least they sleep and I don’t want to bother them. They need to gain strength because many have a long road ahead of them to other countries.

The dawn will come, and with it people will start coming up to us asking for paracetamol and other medicines for the stomach andmotion sickness.  Someone will come after  a sleepless night asking for valerian or valocordin, and to measure their blood pressure. And someone will just come to tell their story and hug, show photos of their grandchildren and remember the life... when there was no war...

Easter morning.

I'm sitting in the kitchen in our volunteer home, chewing on a sandwich. "Christ has Risen" flashes through my head. This is the first Easter that I’m not celebrating, I did not bake Easter cakes and did not paint Easter eggs the day before.

The days go by at a speed I don't quite comprehend. The first 4 days dragged on like one long day, then suddenly the whole week flashed by. The morning begins with questions, what day and date is it today?

Days are remembered not by dates, but by events, people, stories.

Yesterday, for example, someone brought a little dog that in a frenzy barked at all the dogs. With some difficult we gave  the dog 12 mg of diphenhydramine. The animal was not hurt and did not calm down much.

Middle-aged male, broad-shouldered and tall came in.  He asked for a compression bandage for a knee injury he has had for a long time. While putting on a bandage, I asked where he came from. Instead of answering, he hides his eyes, tears running down his cheeks onto his chin.

"Odessa was bombed today." I stand on my tiptoes and try to hug him. Having calmed down a little, he shows me a video and a photo of a burning city with pillars of black all-consuming smoke. A bit of valerian, a little conversation, hugs and I could see he feels a bit better.

Our already well-known "snake dad" brought more snakes. They have just been transported across the border and need to be warmed up. In plastic boxes with holes for ventilation, they stand on special heated mats. I was introduced to a "bald" snake which in the process of selection lost her scales and her skin is soft and tender to the touch.

A lot of things happen in the hallways of the refugee center - someone is napping on sofas, someone is playing chess and checkers with volunteers, kids are riding scooters, improvising with soccer balls. One elderly woman named L. asked me to bring her a bracelet with pebbles. So we are looking for it now. Little things delight and distract people: a kind word, a soft toy soaked in lavender oil, and a bracelet with a pebble also has magical powers. It could return a smile to a person who has lost everything except his life ...

 One day in Lviv.

Sergey and I knew each other for a couple of days, exchanged a couple of phrases if we crossed paths in the house. Sergei came to Poland from the USA to help people. He transports humanitarian aid to Ukraine, to hospitals and organizations, gets medicines in the USA and European countrie.

Many many times in the past month, he crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border to deliver the necessary assistance to Ukraine,  and took people back: women, children, the wounded, the sick. He’s an absolutely amazing person.

I really wanted to get to my homeland, at least for a day, and I managed to along with him.

We agreed to leave in the morning, and at 8:30 we were already on our way to Ukraine. The refugee camp is located 15 km from the border.  We passed the border quickly enough and the first stop was a small village near Lviv. Having loaded the defibrillators into the boxes of volunteers, we drove towards the city. It’s quite difficult to envision that Lviv is part of the country where the war is raging. But you can see “hedgehogs” on the roads, roadblocks, military personnel with machine guns, building destroyed by a missile attack and an air raid alert. I still remember Lviv well since my last trip and it hasn't changed much, except for more Ukrainian patriotic symbols everywhere around and more people on the streets.

Street musicians sing folk and popular songs, singing along with a dozen passers-by who watch this street performance.

After we finished everything we set out to do, with a clear conscience and an empty stomach, we decided to visit several tourist places.

One of my favorite restaurants in Lviv is a place called Meat and Justice. The only problem with the place is that every time I forget how to get into the courtyard of a small fortress where the restaurant is located. But after 5 minutes of searching, the road was found.

After a hearty dinner, one should follow with a nice drink, and for that purpose I brought my new friend to the cave of "Under the blue flask." I have some very funny memories from the peaceful past associated with this place, but the main value of this place is the atmosphere. This is not a basement, but looks like an 18th-19th century basement, located in a building from 1501. People of Lviv call this place "kneipa" and say that this kneip has been opened since the 16th century.

It's raining outside, there's nothing left to do but go on a shopping spree. There are a lot of shops in the center of Lviv. Coffee, chocolate, liqueurs, clothes embroidered with traditional embroidery and much, much more. The number of packages with souvenirs in hands increases as the rain get stronger – it’s almost a downpour.

“Now let's go to my favorite place,” says Sergei. We go to a small cafe with a delicious smell of pastries. Here, the entire menu consists of freshly baked croissants with various fillings. I choose cherry. Approximately 20 minutes after the order was brought to us, an air raid alarm begins to howl and it is accompanied by an announcement that it is necessary to turn off the gas, water and electricity and proceed to the shelter with the essentials. During the siren, some cafes and restaurants are closed, visitors must leave the premises and proceed to the shelter (almost none of the passers-by and visitors go to the shelter, people continue to go about their business as if nothing is happening). I am not afraid of sirens, as such memories brings back memories of Donetsk - the rumble of an airplane, the whistle of a shell, the roar of an explosion and the trembling ground under my feet. The hair on the back of your head starts to move, but you can’t panic. Breathe in, breathe out, back to reality.

I'm in the rain, with a cup of tea in my hands, rainwater drips into the glass, the siren no longer howls, but the tension hangs in the air. After walking a couple of steps, I see a wide and bright rainbow between the houses (I still regret that I didn’t take a photo of it). Rainbow is a good sign...

We returned to Poland without an incident, quickly crossed the border, saw an absolutely unreal stormy sky on the way to the border, sighed thoughtfully and sadly, longing for Ukraine in peacetime.

All the same, being a Ukrainian is something at the genetic level, it does not necessarily manifest itself in every generation, but if it does, it manifests itself very clearly. It's not just a language or culture, it's spirit, will and power. We are united by war, common goals, desires and common love for our homeland.

In one day I got to know the wonderful and caring Sergey better, helped the country's economy by buying souvenirs in Lviv shops and found medicines that our refugees really need that Europe does not have, since they are produced in Ukrainian factories.

That's it – the two weeks are over.

I became very attached to my fellow volunteers. I didn’t even get attached, I soldered with all my heart. We had no time and no reason to pretend to be who we are not. There are no masks and double standards here. We are all here as we are, each with their own story, their own dreams and opinions.

Thanks to the team of two Alexandrovs (Smirnov and Zharov) for this opportunity to be really needed. For gathering under one roof such different, but at the same time such similar in spirit people.

It was two sleepless weeks with the best breakfasts, the warmest friendly hugs, the kindest words of support and care, the most beautiful poems and songs. Two weeks that answered the question "what is the meaning of life?". It's only two weeks, but it's like a lifetime.

Thanks to the #GDRT team for your work!

Back to the ‘real’ world

The hardest part of coming back is not Przemysl-Rzeszow-Warsaw-Chicago (missed flight; night in Chicago)-San Francisco. The hardest part is getting back to the real world.

On the border with Poland, I met different people. There were absolute angels in the flesh, they were irritated, nervous, sometimes a little aggressive, cheerful and sad, everything was there, the whole range of emotions and human qualities except for selfishness. The real world hurts backhand with unhealthy egocentrism and indifference. I will not give examples, everyone understands what I mean.

I miss and worry about the old man with a fistula for hemodialysis - he often came for various small help and did not take this help very boldly - for some reason it seemed to him that someone needed a pack of wet wipes and vitamin D more than he did.

How is the woman who celebrated her 67th birthday in a refugee camp? She said it casually, and we only had cookies and a battery-powered candle, but it was enough to relieve the pain in her chest. And no nitroglycerin.

Why can't the world be so kind and open? After all, it requires so little - just to treat others as we would like people to treat us and not pass by, pretending that this does not concern you.