I was born to two working class parents in Whittier, California who believed in hard work and the value of a dollar. My father went on to become one of the first African American supervisors at AT&T while my mother marched alongside social justice movements for better wages and working conditions.Growing up, my mother served as the primary rock who sometimes worked two or three jobs just to be able to support me and my childhood.My upbringing from elementary school to high school presented a lot of challenges both in and out of the classroom. Nonetheless, I am who I am today because of the sacrifices my parents made for me and the choices I made for myself. I am emotionally and mentally stronger than I ever was because of them.Today, I have the great fortune to be in a position to encourage and motivate young leaders with my story and life experience. I've been a big believer that as we climb we lift.I am currently a Senior Policy Manager for a major business association, former district director to the California State Legislature. former city planning commissioner, and a current county commissioner and neighborhood Councilmember. But most of all, I am an African American and Latino man who lives in a small town focused on inspiring people one story at a time.