Dartanyon Crockett, 28, calls himself an underdog. He says he had three strikes against him growing up in the inner-city of Cleveland, Ohio: he was black, poor and physically limited. Having been severely near-sighted all his life, his mother died when he was 8, his father battled drug and alcohol addiction, and he grew up …
Tag Archives: resiliency
089: Jessica Key: Why This U.S. National Dragon Boat Team Racer Says to Be The Champion of Your Own Life
Jess Key is a remarkable woman who says she’s a major underdog story. She’s a 41-year-old mother of three and she’s a dragon boat racer on the U.S. National Dragon Boat Team. You’d never know it today, but Jess has overcome multiple adversities. Both of her parents were drug addicts, she grew up with physical …
058: Dan Zerin: How This Stand Up Comedian Uses his Tourette Syndrome as a Way to Raise Awareness in his Show
A manager at the only comedy club in Iceland, Dan Zerin found what he says a fun way to raise awareness about Tourette syndrome, a disorder where he began noticing having symptoms since he was a kid. Feeling like what he calls a “freak,” Dan says he didn’t know exactly what was going on with …
056: Bobbi Booker: Growing Up as a Motherless Child
Award-winning journalist Bobbi Booker talks about having been raised as a motherless child. Although her father taught her never to disrespect her mother, Bobbi struggled with learning how not to be angry with her. Turns out, it was writing that helped her cope. As an adult, Bobbi finally began to heal and shares what realizations …
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055: Eddie Lorin: Investing with a Purpose
Today we’re talking with Eddie Lorin, Founder and CEO of Impact Housing. a real estate investment trust that allows everyone to invest in real estate. Eddie shares his personal story—he lost his father when he was an infant and then also his mother when he was 17. He talks about the personal struggles he overcame …
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054: Carrie Theiss & Chris Chavez: Paying it Forward from Lessons Learned from Grieving the Loss of Their 8-Year-Old Son
Husband and wife Carrie Theiss and Chris Chavez got the worst news in 2014—their eldest child, Eli, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Very sadly, Eli passed away less than two years later from cancer when he was just 8 years old. When Eli was sick, Carrie and Chris say they got assistance not just …
053: Dr. Carmen Roman: How This Immigrant Grew up With No Electricity or Running Water, Fought for her Education, and Got a Doctorate in Psychology and Founded a Non-Profit
Dr. Carmen Roman shares with us today her journey of coming from a poor, but loving family in Mexico where there was no electricity and no running water. When it was time to go to middle school, it was expected she learn a trade to start making a living. However, Carmen secretly applied to attend …
052: Melanie Rodriguez: How This Author Learned to Deal With Reverse Ageism
Author of four books and a contributor to a couple more, Melanie Rodriguez discusses her experience with reverse ageism. You see, Melanie looks much younger than her true age. And, although looking young is great, there are some who have made assumptions about her–and sometimes it’s not always in a positive way. She also talks …
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050: Jacqui Letran: How This Refugee and Teen Mom Became a Mindset Mentor and Award-Winning Author
Author Jacqui Letran shares the story of her and her family narrowly escaping Vietnam amidst gunfire and then running out of drinking water while adrift at sea in their escape boat. She also talks about her struggle between living a traditional culture at home while trying to assimilate to American life as a teenager. And …
043: Michelle Jackson: How This Student Went From Being in Debt, Supporting Two People on $9/Hour to Teaching Others How to Get Out of Their Debt
Today we’re talking with Michelle Jackson. She shares what she calls her “messy money story” of when she found herself supporting her and my mom after her mom lost her job. At that time, Michelle was in graduate school, working at Starbucks earning $9 an hour and got in loads of debt. Now, they both …