Andre Fraticelli, an openly gay manager with the Univ. of Hawaii baseball team, has started a new podcast and blog that he hopes will connect with people struggling with mental health, as well as other issues affecting the lives of people whether or not they are part of the LGBTQ community.
Fraticelli came out publicly last year in a story he wrote for Outsports. Since then he has tried to find ways to help other people navigate some of the struggles he has worked through. Fraticelli said his mission statement is “to inspire individuals to become the best version of themselves with powerful stories and messages.”
He told Outsports that he hopes to cut through some of our culture’s divide with his project.
“We live in such a divided country right now and people put energy into things that in the long run don’t mean shit and aren’t taking the time to pay attention to things that means the most,” Fraticelli said. “Life is tough for a lot of people and I want to create a space where individuals can go and listen to people who are on a similar path to them.”
His podcasts feature guests who, with their own personal stories, can help connect with people across society.
“Whether it’s a coach, athlete, professor, or just someone with an inspirational story, I find that when it comes down to the deep stuff such as perseverance, confidence, failure, etc… that they all have similar messages.”
His three guests so far have been UCLA softball coach Kirk Walker, UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field and Jeremy Forbes, co-founder of Hope Assistance Local Tradies.
Be sure to check out Fraticelli’s blog and podcast at www.andrefraticelli.com.
