Being human is also about passing it on.

In August 1994, I found myself confined to a hospital bed in Malibu, California. “I was suffering from cauda equina syndrome, a rare neurological emergency causing severe back pain and bladder issues that required urgent surgery.”
It was in that exact moment, at 32 years old, that I chose to fully accept who I was. That day, I promised myself never again to hide my homosexuality. It was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to authenticity, diversity, and humanity.

For more than 40 years as a coach — with the Limoilou Titans and Université Laval’s Rouge et Or — I passed on far more than athletic skills. I shared human values. Through every practice, every game, every doubt and every victory, I saw how deeply humanity fuels performance.

Today, I believe in a simple but essential movement: Being Human — the behavioral foundation of the Humanity Index. Inspired by the 14 key behaviors — listening, respect, kindness, responsibility, openness — I am convinced these principles must guide our relationships, our institutions, and our playing fields.

Changing humanity might sound utopian. But aren’t deserts made of billions of grains of sand? Aren’t rivers filled drop by drop? Every gesture, no matter how small, is a step forward. A drop of light in a world that longs for it. One gesture at a time, repeated again and again.

As a new board member of the Humanity Index, I invite you to be part of this movement. To pass it on. To live with humanity.

— Pascal Clément
Coach, educator, photographer, human being.