An ongoing theme for Frunchroom readings seems to be childhood – specifically about how your formative years shape who you are as an adult. This week, we’ll hear from Rodney Walker on this very topic.
Rodney, a Chicago native, is the founder of Forever Life Productions, a company that creates custom videos for special occasions and events. Along with his production company, Rodney travels both nationally and internationally, speaking at public schools, corporations, and conferences about the importance of education, entrepreneurship education, mentoring at-risk youth, and corporate philanthropy for non-profit organizations aimed to uplift and support at-risk youth.
Given the obstacles placed before him as a foster child, Rodney struggled academically and socially in school. In his early years of elementary school, he was placed in special education, repeated the fourth grade due to poor academic performance, and underperformed with a sub-1.5 GPA in his freshman year of high school. But today, Walker is an award-winning entrepreneur, has a Bachelors’ degree from Morehouse College, and a Masters degree from Yale University – all before the age of 25.
Rodney is the bestselling Author of the educational memoir titled A New Day One: Trauma, Grace, and a Young Man’s Journey from Foster Care to Yale, available on Amazon and in all major bookstores nationwide.
In an effort to address the epidemic of violence and social failure among at-risk youth in Chicago, Walker is currently partnering with former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to create a comprehensive employment pipeline program for disconnected youth across the city.
This fall, Walker will be pursuing his Doctorate in Education at Harvard University.
On the first night of our two-night, 2nd anniversary event, Rodney – a resident of Englewood – will read a poem that is about (in his words) “unconditional love as the vaccine for deep-rooted trauma.”
RSVP below and we’ll see you at Beverly Woods!
The Frunchroom 