Fast Company: A True Leader Actively Does These 3 Things Every Day

When people ask me where I’m from, I proudly tell them I’m from “Deep East Oakland.” I was raised in the heart of the East Oakland community where, like many other youths, my loving and nurturing family faced substantial hardships. The compounding effects of those hardships—along with the violence, substance abuse, and community blight spurred by decades of systemic oppression—took a toll on me during my adolescent years. I struggled with depression and was in critical need of hope and encouragement, in ways I didn’t yet understand.