Daily Inspiration: Meet Cai Garcia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cai Garcia.

Hi Cai, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey has been anything but straightforward, so I’ll do my best to keep it concise. I grew up as an only child in a lower-middle-class family that moved around often. No place ever truly felt like home, making it hard to maintain friendships. My parents, though divorced, lived together for most of my childhood, which led to a lot of tension and conflict in the house. I’d always have my headphones on to escape the noise, singing along to whatever was playing.

After school, I often avoided going home, exploring the grounds until I’d seen it all. Eventually, I started climbing onto the roofs of my schools, which became my regular escape. One day, someone noticed me climbing and told me that what I was doing was called “Parkour.” Intrigued, I went home, googled it, and instantly fell in love. I started training, coaching, and eventually competing professionally in parkour while still in high school, and this passion carried me through college where I double majored in Psychology and Music.

However, my first job in the only professional parkour opportunity in the state turned out to be a harsh experience. The work environment was toxic, with underpaid staff and poorly treated customers. Their disregard for the values of Arizona’s parkour community, which had thrived for decades, led to a deep rift. The fallout from that situation caused me to step away from parkour for several years.

During that break, I discovered country dancing, something I’d tried before but wasn’t ready to fully embrace. Diving into dance re-sparked my passion for music which had been lost during COVID and led me to my future wife, who has brought me the joy of a beautiful daughter and another baby girl on the way. Now, I’m a professional dancer and instructor, and I’ve returned to parkour part-time to help fund my master’s program in Applied Behavior Analysis. My goal is to advance research in psychedelic studies and eventually create a better environment for parkour athletes, ensuring they never have to endure the conditions I faced.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been anything but smooth. My family has faced constant financial struggles, the loss of loved ones, losing friends to the sport I dedicated my life to, divorce, harsh work environments, toxic relationships, and several failed business ventures. Losing a close friend to parkour was one of the hardest challenges I’ve faced, and it made it difficult to continue with the discipline.

Since parkour is an art form that comes from the streets and lacks standardized recognition in the traditional sports world, I constantly heard voices telling me that what I was doing was just a phase, that I should try “real” sports, or that we were just punks vandalizing property. The constant bombardment of negativity made it even harder to keep going after losing someone. But I pushed through, trying to create something meaningful for the community through several business ventures that, unfortunately, didn’t succeed.

As a young man without capital or old money to back my efforts, each venture was a massive, stressful risk with little margin for error. Although these failures were valuable lessons, they were also part of the reason I had to step away from the sport for several years. At the time, I was too young to handle the setbacks as well as I might now.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am currently working in three areas, and while it’s not ideal to burn the candle at both ends, it’s the only way I’ve ever known. Growing up financially unstable instilled in me a drive to seize every opportunity and ensure all bases are covered. I’ve always felt the need to leverage all of my strengths, rather than focusing on just one. These strengths are dance, psychology, and parkour.

I coached Arizona’s first competitive parkour team, which placed first in the region during its inaugural season. Now, I’m using my experience to help build a small program locally, hoping to provide a better and brighter option for those interested in the sport. Dance has also been a significant influence in my life, shaping who I am today. To help raise money for our newborn, my fiancée and I started a dance company that organizes events, teaches lesson on country swing dance, and organizes dance nights across the valley. My background in music performance and theory has given me a unique perspective on this ever-changing discipline. I’m also a competitive Advanced dancer, and I was recently invited to my first invitational showdown against some of the best dancers in the nation. I’m hopeful that this opportunity will help me grow my business and support my family.

Lastly, and perhaps most challenging, is psychology. After months of contemplation, I decided to return to school for a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, which is primarily applied in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder. I’m currently a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), working in clinics and homes to provide behavioral analytic services to children and adults in need. Once I graduate and complete the clinical hours required for certification, I plan to delve into psychedelic research to explore how these compounds can help treatment resistant disorders. Additionally, I intend to continue working in the parkour space, using my certification to create a safer and more structured environment for athletes, so no one has to endure the challenges I faced.

What were you like growing up?
I never had a strong role model for marriage, parenting, or how to be a man growing up. My mom struggled with financial literacy and my dad’s primary focus was ensuring there was a roof over our heads and that we could make it to the next month. Because of this, time well spent and life lessons were few and far between, and I don’t remember gathering much guidance from them, although I am sure there was plenty, I just do not recall. I learned how to act and behave largely from my friends and social media, who, in hindsight, were not always the best role models.

As a result, I was unfortunately a bit volatile and inconsiderate as a child. I followed poor examples, saying and doing things I’m now embarrassed and ashamed of. Thankfully, at the end of high school and through college, I found and reconnected with a couple of solid friends who guided me onto the right path. Their influence helped me start thinking for myself and analyzing my actions, which made me realize that I needed to change my ways.

I wish I could say I was born wise and that everything was sunshine and rainbows along the way, but that wasn’t the case. I dealt with a lot of trauma and bad habits that led me to hang around the wrong crowds, make poor decisions, and hurt people I cared about. For that, I will always be sorry to those who didn’t deserve it.

It wasn’t until my college years that I began to grow wiser and more caring, but it took me until the spring of 2022 to fully heal and realize the person I was meant to be. This was a pivotal moment in my story and one for another time.

Pricing:

• Private lessons $80/couple
• Social Dance Nights $6
• Even Prices Vary
• Video Critique $40

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/arizona_wildfire/?hl=en
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_kviro_project/?hl=en

Image Credits
Natalie Shawl Dancing Queen B