It's no secret that I am not afraid to shine bright and be festive, and I like to encourage that in others.

Growing up in Atlanta I always had a sense of what fashion was, a sense of style - my parents always talked about the importance of making a first impression and that's stayed with me.

I grew up trying to be like my idols, and one of the main people in my life was my father. He played football, and when your father is telling stories about the game he played... Everybody wants to be like their father.

Growing up in Atlanta, it brings a particular swagger about a person. There are three or four places in the country where people think of fashion: One is LA, obviously. Another is New York. And I think Atlanta has to be in the top five cities where fashion is very big.

This is what makes sports so amazing, that we can start a discussion around a table, in the newspaper, in the magazines, that will get people's attention. And that's what sports does.

My place of refuge is definitely watching movies and playing video games.

I'm a living testimony that anything is possible.