My First Speech!!

I did my first speech for Toastmasters last week!! I experienced a joy and excitement that I don't recall feeling in a very long time. I was so high from the experience that all day I was floating on air! I mean it! I was high all day! There's a fear and joy that one experiences when giving a speech, at least from my perspective, that can't be matched. But what really touched my heart was that so many people came up and told me and how they connected with it! WOW!!

I know I have found my calling and I am excited in pursuing it further! throughout my life I have been looking for a way to touch people and make life better for them. To change the world by helping to my own corner better. I now know I have found a way. :)

I'm posting my speech below, as a keep sake for myself, but also to share with anyone who is interested. Stay tuned because there will be more. :)

Epi?!? What’s an Epi?!?!

This is a comment I have heard throughout my life and continue to hear to this day.

Epi is short for Epifanio; the name is of Spanish and Greek origin, it means bringing of light. It also is derived from the feast of the epiphany which is when the Biblical Magi (Three Wise Men)meet the baby Jesus.

I can say that my life has been as unique as the name implies. Born in Brooklyn 1965, my name was so unique that officially on my birth certificate my name is misspelled. I grew up in New York City’s Child welfare system for most of my childhood. My father left at a very young age and my mother lost custody of us at age 7. Since then my brother and I jumped around from orphanages, foster homes and group homes until I graduated High School.

One thing about having a name like Epi when your young is you get picked on allot. I heard every name possible, epiglottis, epidermis and some names I cant mention. That being so, I hated my name. So much so that I wanted to change it. When I lived with a particular foster family I petitioned to have my name changed to “Robert

” It was the fathers name but it was just a plain ordinary name; and I wanted so much to be plain and ordinary. I found out it wasn’t going to happen partially because they weren’t going to do it and partially because it cost money. When I entered High school, I was in a group home and had been working for awhile. I had been saving my money and was determined to change my name. I was very active in school and had met up with a girl I really liked. When she asked my name I grudgingly told her it was Epi. “Epi? What a cute name” she said. I suddenly realized, maybe Epi wasn’t such a bad name after all.

I graduated High school and decided to keep my name. I met my wife and decided to ask her to marry me. Fortunately for me she said yes and I was ecstatic. But something happened that was even more profound for me and I don’t think I ever told her. When we decided to marry she decided to take my last name in place of her maiden name. I displayed a tough and confident exterior but I was still very insecure about myself and my name. That this woman had the faith and love in me that she would take my name had a bigger impact on me than her saying yes to my proposal.

We started a family and moved to Pennsylvania where I worked in an IT department in a hospital and worked my way up the ranks to become manager. I went from Epi to Mr. Ortiz. I was a super type A person. My aggressiveness and New York attitude earned me a reputation as a pit bull and I didn’t care. When given a task I would make sure it’s done regardless of the costs.I didn’t think anything was wrong my family was well provide for and I was achieving success in my career. Then something interesting happened; My life came crashing down around me before my very eyes. My boss had retired and I had a new boss and I went from doing everything right to doing everything wrong. Since my life was solely based on my work my family also came crashing down and I almost lost them. I was lost and experienced a break down in just about every facet of my life.

My wife stuck with me and together we decided to make a whole sale change and move to Phoenix. It’s funny but I didn’t realize it until recently the irony of us moving to a location that is named after the Phoenix being the bird that rises from the ashes. We arrived pretty much penniless and with few things from PA. We have rebuilt our lives and I have been reinventing myself ever since. I have discovered that you can get more done with kindness than aggressiveness, a positive outlook than a motivating fear and collaboration instead of competiveness.

I came to Toastmasters because I am ready to make another change. I want to help people and I love to talk. So I figured I better learn to communicate more effectively in order to do this. I also want to write a book I want to share what I have learned and hopefully help others. And finally I want to start my own company and I think communication is an important part of that.

What is an Epi? I am Epi, a man experiencing this wonderful journey in life. One that I share with you today and invite you to be a part of in the days to come.