The "No-OpEx" Disruptor
UniFi's First
Experience Center

My name is Cameron Champion. My journey life taught me early that no barrier stands between me and my goals – except the ones I believe are there. My mentors have shown me that loving without expectation is the only force capable of healing the soul. Curiosity or taking on challenges simply for the sake of doing so is all one needs to bring excitement for what tomorrow may hold. Any fears of the unknown are quelled by authentically being driven by a desire to leave everything you touch better than you found it – and if you mess something up, take it as the challenge it is – be better, and figure out how to leave something better because of it. At all times, and especially when you don't know what to do, just treat others as you'd like to be treated. My grandmother taught me that these ideas transcend culture, religion, language, and time. Try to inspire others when possible, even if all you do is let them see you act on what feels right to you. And most importantly, she said, never forget who you are… because people need you to be you.

I didn't understand all of that as a child, of course, yet it stuck with me because, thankfully, she left that guiding light of hers inside of me. She left it to my mother, and I was lucky enough to feel it as I grew, learned, adventured, became strong in myself, and eventually started creating things of my own.

It was only when I learned to share these things with others, that I found other creators, and together, built great things that were bigger than self and had a life of their own.

Perfect, right? Except, those great things brought a sense of pride, and a drive to protect them. When the chosen family of creators who collaborated in building those great things were harmed, I stopped creating and lost myself in pursuit of the person who chose to harm them.

That period of darkness, when I woke each day to fight for the return of something stolen, for anything that could make it make sense – what a waste. I realized that thieves wouldn't need to steal if they weren't desperate... and desperately, I tried to understand... but when creators choose to fixate on loss, grief, or the results of their creations more than the act of creating itself – we inadvertently create a cancer in ourselves which makes us forget who we are… it holds us in darkness… isolates us from joy and from each other… it renders us inconsequential to all those who we may otherwise have benefited had we just kept creating.

This "smallness" eats away at us... until we're completely empty.

For far too long I made it my mission to pursue the billionaire who, without need, stole all of the monetary rewards held "safe" for my Surterra / Parallel chosen family of creators, and for each of your own families, after your years of sacrifice in service to all we built together. I felt responsible, and fought until everything was gone. One of you found me recently, and in a brief conversation, we acknowledged the emptiness we saw in each other... and as we uncomfortably spoke of the challenges we shared, authentic laughter replaced that loss and grief, and somehow that emptiness occurred, once again, as the same blank canvas from which every creation had always come.

It was always there. It could never be stolen.

I wasn't responsible for the theft. Finally, I understand that fact. My responsibility was to continue to guide, inspire, and remind you all to keep creating in the face of that loss which hurt so badly. To all of you, I apologize for losing sight of that responsibility and for failing in that loss to be the leader who brought us all together to do what we did.

My promise to you: Never Again.

To all who have given of themselves, or will, to resource and shape this endeavor:

This mission of this institution, which we will grow until it lives on its own momentum, will leave those in the wake of its impact, better.. Better for having experienced it themselves, and better able to positively impact others.. Simply because. This we build, leave, and dedicate in admiration and honor to all the truly rare humans (and working animals) who, together, built a lasting legacy that still serves communities who love, live, and count days by the minute -- because, you cared. Even in the worst times, "treating others as you'd treat yourself" was still as natural and strong as the wind. Success is measured by inspiring this in others and enabling them to do the same.

Respectfully yours,

Cameron