I'm just hoping throughout my career I can help eliminate what

Hear, O seeker of justice, the words of the fighter Caleb Plant, who declared: “I'm just hoping throughout my career I can help eliminate what people can and can't be because of where they're from or what they look like or their religion or ethnicity.” These words are not merely the boast of a champion, but the cry of a soul who knows the weight of chains that society lays upon its children. For in every age, men have sought to limit one another, to bind possibility by prejudice, to tell a child, “You cannot rise, for you are of this tribe, of this faith, of this skin.” Plant speaks against this ancient curse, and in his voice, we hear the longing for freedom that dwells in every human heart.

Consider first the meaning of his hope: to eliminate what people can and can’t be. This is a battle greater than any fought in a ring, for it is waged not with fists but with vision. Too long has the world been ruled by the narrow eyes of prejudice. One is told they cannot lead because they are a woman. Another is told they cannot learn because they are poor. Another is told they cannot dream because their skin is dark or their faith despised. Yet history itself proves such judgments false, for greatness has risen from every corner, every people, every land.

Behold the story of Jackie Robinson, who shattered the barrier of color in America’s game of baseball. Many said a Black man could never stand among the white players, that he would falter under hatred. Yet Robinson bore the insults with dignity, and by his excellence proved the world wrong. Like Plant’s words, his life was a testament that no one should be bound by what others say they “can’t be.” He did not just play a game—he struck a blow against the walls of prejudice.

So too, look to Malala Yousafzai, a girl told by tyrants that she could not learn because she was female, that her destiny was silence. But even after violence sought to silence her, she lifted her voice with greater power, becoming a symbol for all who are denied education. In her courage, we see the truth: where one is from, what one looks like, or what one believes should never limit who they may become.

Plant’s vision arises from this same spirit. Though his battleground is sport, his hope reaches beyond victory or titles. He longs that his career itself, his life lived in discipline and determination, will stand as a witness against the lies of prejudice. For when a champion rises from humble origins, when one despised by some for appearance or heritage achieves greatness, the walls of limitation begin to crumble for all who come after.

The lesson for us is clear: never let the world’s narrow voices decide your worth. Do not believe those who say, “You cannot,” because of your birth, your faith, your color, or your name. Instead, let your life proclaim, “I can, and I will.” And just as importantly, do not place those same chains on others. See beyond appearance; honor the divine spark in every soul. In this way, you join the battle to eliminate false boundaries and to open the path of possibility for all.

Practical wisdom follows. When you meet another, do not ask first what limits them, but what gifts they carry. When you see prejudice in your community, speak against it. If you are in a position of power, lift others up, especially those long silenced. And in your own life, strive with courage, not only for your own sake but for the doors you open for those who will follow after you.

Therefore, O child of the future, remember Caleb Plant’s hope: to eliminate what people can and can’t be because of where they’re from or what they look like or their religion or ethnicity. Let this hope burn in you as fire. Live so that your life denies the lies of prejudice. Stand so that others may walk. Fight so that others may dream. And in doing so, you will become not just a victor in your own battles, but a champion for the generations yet to come.