During my young adulthood, I was a bundle of ambition and drive, but I was also plagued by uncertainties. I had these grand aspirations, but my plans were meager at best, and I possessed no special skills to speak of. My superpower, however, was the unwavering love of my family—they had my back, no questions asked.
Like many of you, I was raised on the promise that a "good education" and "hard work" would secure mY "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Yet, after six grueling years of college, a bachelor's degree, and a graduate degree, I was still struggling to make ends meet. I entered survival mode, juggling three jobs with hardly any time for a personal life.
By my mid-30s, I found myself divorced and dealing with wage garnishment and a disgraceful credit score. I survived two life-threatening hospitalizations brought on by stress-induced illnesses. After leaving the family home I'd helped build and adapting to a new routine with my four young children, I hit rock bottom.
I felt utterly worthless, consumed by depression, anger, and a sense of displacement. I ended up moving in with a college friend, residing in his mother's dingy basement apartment under deplorable conditions. But it was during one of my darkest moments, as I contemplated how to escape the grip of shame and pain...
I went from BROKEN to AWOKENED!
moved from that filthy cellar to a high-rise Manhattan condo facing the East River.
co-founded an award-winning nonprofit serving underrepresented men of color.
went back to college... as a professor, teaching in three disciplines: psychology, education, and social work.
served on boards and volunteer organizations, improving the conditions of black men and youth nationally.
won awards and honors affirming my successes, joy, affluence, and wellness.
climbed the corporate ladder in an industry that was totally foreign to me, commanding a six-figure income
During my young adulthood, I was a bundle of ambition and drive, but I was also plagued by uncertainties. I had these grand aspirations, but my plans were meager at best, and I possessed no special skills to speak of. My superpower, however, was the unwavering love of my family—they had my back, no questions asked.
Like many of you, I was raised on the promise that a "good education" and "hard work" would secure me "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Yet, after six grueling years of college, a bachelor's degree, and a graduate degree, I was still struggling to make ends meet. I entered survival mode, juggling three jobs with hardly any time for a personal life.
By my mid-30s, I found myself divorced and dealing with wage garnishment and a disgraceful credit score. I survived two life-threatening hospitalizations brought on by stress-induced illnesses. After leaving the family home I'd helped build and adapting to a new routine with my four young children, I hit rock bottom.
I felt utterly worthless, consumed by depression, anger, and a sense of displacement. I ended up moving in with a college friend, residing in his mother's dingy basement apartment under deplorable conditions. But it was during one of my darkest moments, as I contemplated how to escape the grip of shame and pain...
I went from BROKEN to AWOKENED!
moved from that filthy cellar to a high-rise Manhattan condo facing the East River.
co-founded an award-winning nonprofit serving underrepresented men of color.
went back to college... as a professor, teaching in three disciplines: psychology, education, and social work.
served on boards and volunteer organizations, improving the conditions of black men and youth nationally.
won awards and honors affirming my successes, joy, affluence, and wellness.
climbed the corporate ladder in an industry that was totally foreign to me, commanding a six-figure income