PURPOSE

My Story

Early Years: Feeling Different

From Pre-K through elementary school, I struggled. Staying on task was difficult. Reading, writing, and even speaking in class felt overwhelming. I often became the class clown, not because I wanted attention, but because I felt different and did not know how to express it.

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Teachers and doctors labeled my behavior as ADHD. Medication was prescribed, but instead of helping, it made me feel disconnected. I was constantly tired and often slept through class. I missed important learning moments, and that became my first secret.

That secret turned into frustration. Frustration turned into acting out. I fought almost every day because I felt misunderstood.  I did not know how deeply those experiences were shaping me.

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My mother became my advocate, not only for me, but for other families walking through the same experience. She took the time to educate churches and communities, helping them better understand ADHD and the medication Ritalin, and how easily labels can be misused.  Her goal was never blame. It was change. She wanted to remove judgment that often leads to academic setbacks and emotional harm.  She met with school board members, teachers, and even basketball coaches.  She refused to let discouragement define my future. Education was always the priority. I remember her saying, “My son is gifted. He needs to be challenged.  He is not being pushed enough.” She believed that boredom, not lack of ability, was causing me to lose focus.  At a time when Ritalin made it easier for classrooms to have one less child to manage, my mother chose to fight for deeper understanding instead of quick solutions.  She saw my potential long before the system did, and because of her, I learned early that being different does not mean being incapable.

The Teacher Who Saw Me

Everything changed when I met an incredible teacher named Ms. McDaniel. She saw something in me that I did not yet see in myself.

While others saw another young Black boy with behavior issues, she saw potential. Despite my attitude and academic struggles, she noticed my creativity. I spent a lot of time drawing in class because my imagination was constantly active. I could look at the clouds and see images, then bring them to life on paper.

Today, people might say I was on the spectrum. Back then, children like me were simply labeled ADHD. Ms. McDaniel did not focus on labels. She focused on growth.

For an entire year, she pushed me academically and emotionally. She helped me with reading and writing, and she consistently spoke confidence into me. She told me I was smart, capable, and that I would become someone. Over time, I began to believe her.

With tutoring and her continued support, I learned to read and write. Looking back, that was my first real step toward the next journey ahead.

Middle School: Learning to Fight Differently

In middle school, I met another influential educator, Ms. Joseph. She had a fighting spirit like mine, but her fight was for her students. She taught me the power of perseverance and the importance of praying over your battles, even in the classroom.

I was still known as the class clown. I made beats on desks with pencils until my hands hurt on the old wooden tables. Music became an outlet for me. That passion led me to become a drummer and later a writer.

I began using poetry to express my pain, my experiences as a fatherless child, and my hopes for the future. I even wrote my own version of an “I Have a Dream” speech. Art, music, and writing became my voice.

Finding My Voice

Ms. Joseph signed me up for a program called Teachers of Tomorrow. That experience introduced me to public speaking. With my mother’s help, I wrote a short story about my life. I spoke about being unable to read, write, or spell, and about being told I would never amount to anything because of ADHD.

When I stood in front of that room and shared my story, the response was overwhelming. People were silent, emotional, and proud. At that moment, I realized that my voice had power. Even at a young age, I could impact lives.

Becoming the Proof

From that point forward, I never stopped pushing. I became a leader on the basketball court and in my community. I mentored youth who were facing the same struggles I once did. I served as a basketball assistant coach at the YMCA for young boys dealing with the absence of a father or feeling misunderstood.

I won art contests and shared my story in churches. I nearly published a poetry book, but my book bag was stolen the day before I transferred to another school. Even then, the stories stayed with me. Those experiences became my “why.”

Full Circle

Everything I am doing today is something I was born to do. Giving back to the community that raised me is not optional; it is my calling.

The Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, mentors who kept me off the streets, and family members who prayed for me all played a role in my journey. At times, I thought I was doing everything alone. In reality, I was being covered in prayer the entire time.

Next Journey Ahead is not just a name I chose one day for my organization or for my children, Neko, Jamison, and Aniyah. It has been part of my story from the very beginning.

This marathon continues. My hope is that my journey encourages others to believe that their story has purpose too.