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Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, it was still very segregated. When you went to school, you had Blacks over here and whites over there. Even though we were on sports teams together, I never went to a white person’s house. I moved to Santa Cruz in 1990. My dad got a job at Seagate, and he sent for me, my mom, and my sister. We took a bus here, and that was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. It was like there are Latinos, Blacks, Whites, and Asians, all these people in a melting pot that I had never experienced before. I had to catch up very quickly. Going to Santa Cruz High School was great for me because there was a diverse group of people who could talk with each other, share perspectives, and help me grow. The biggest thing for me was going into people’s households. I had Mexican friends who introduced me to new foods and culture. I would go to a white friend’s house, and they would say, “Come on in,” and I would say, “Nope, ask your parents first.” That was a shock to them, but that is how I was raised. Getting on the football team at Santa Cruz High was where I built my first real connections it’s where I met many of my friends even before the school year started. From there, it took off. I went to Cabrillo College, then Rutgers University, and then to the New York Giants and the Nashville Kats before creating the nonprofit. Along the way, I had great mentors. Tony Hill, Geoffrey Dunn, and George Ow were instrumental in my development through their mentorship in life and business. Moving to Santa Cruz put me around great people, but I also saw the differences. In Louisiana, racism was direct. In Santa Cruz, it was more hidden, but still there. It sharpened me. Later, Louie Walters gave me a coaching opportunity at Scotts Valley High School. I was working with young student-athletes for free, and when issues came up, I reflected on my own experiences. That’s when everything clicked, I realized this was my calling. I wasn’t born and raised here, so my ability to come in and build bridges across cultures Black, White, Asian, and Latino communities, has been one of my greatest strengths.

It’s especially important so they can understand who they can become. If you never have the resources or platform, your vision only goes as far as what you see. Growing up, all I saw was a pulpwood truck drive by my house every day. That’s what I thought I was going to be. If we don’t expose kids to different opportunities, they won’t dream bigger. Access is everything. A student’s financial situation should never determine the level of opportunity they receive. At RSF, we bring those worlds together. Our 500+ student-athletes come from Black, Latino, white, Asian, and multicultural backgrounds, working and growing side by side.

It’s important, especially in the work that I do, to understand a student culturally. You can give a kid the curriculum, but they might not understand it if it doesn’t connect to their background. I feel like sometimes teachers, coaches, and principals need to be more patient. Everything is fast now microwavable. It’s “here it is, go,” instead of really sitting down with kids and understanding where they come from. A student might be one way, but their parents might come from a completely different culture. That student ends up having to explain everything. I was one of those kids. My parents didn’t know what FAFSA was, I had to figure it out myself. Kids need more resources, more patience, and to be heard. That’s why it’s important they see themselves reflected in staff. But if they don’t get it there, they need outside support. That’s where the Reggie Stephens Foundation comes in. We help catch what slips through the cracks and work alongside schools. It takes a village.

Sunday Sessions has been going for about four years. It started when I was coaching at Scotts Valley High, training kids on a small field. Then I had a girl named Citlali Lopez, from Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz High School, who wanted to play tackle football. I taught her everything, Cover 2, Cover 3, backpedaling. She came in as the only girl in a group of 40 boys. Within a month, she was running the sessions. I saw leadership in her right way. As the program grew, it turned into three structured groups in the morning: 7:30 a.m. for high school athletes, 8:30 a.m. for youth, and 9:30 a.m. for girls. We also opened it up to mothers and women who wanted to be part of it. I hand out shirts that say “Seek. Believe. Achieve.” That created its own culture. My Education Director, TaRaya Lundy, connects with parents on the sidelines and helps guide our college and HBCU pathways. Now it’s everything; training, leadership, exposure, and college prep. If you don’t have a place somewhere else, you can come here and become a leader. Sunday Sessions is the backbone of RSF.

I’ve learned how resilient they are and how much they pay attention to detail, especially my female athletes. They care. When you treat them right, they go above and beyond. They can feel your energy without you saying anything. I’ve also learned to listen and give them a voice. When you respect them, they step up.

It starts with listening. Kids can lead more than we think. They understand each other in ways adults sometimes don’t. When you empower them, they can help guide others. Belonging comes from trust and giving them ownership.

Growing up in Santa Cruz, I heard nothing about HBCUs from counselors. That changed when I took students to visit Morgan State University. That experience showed me how powerful exposure is. When students see something for themselves, it becomes real. With the support of our Education Director, TaRaya Lundy, we’ve been able to expand this work, connecting with families, guiding students through the college process, and building stronger educational pathways tied to these tours. Some of the students we took had never even been on an airplane before, and many of them had never truly felt wanted in those spaces. To give them a real college experience, to let them walk a campus and see themselves there meant everything. We expanded the program to include students from diverse backgrounds, including Latino communities. Now we have multiple students attending Morgan State because they were able to see a path they didn’t know existed. I’m also grateful to have received the Vision Award for my nonprofit and community work from Dr. Douglas F. Gwynn. That meant a lot because it reflects the impact of building real opportunities for our youth.

We’re not just a sports program, we’re a community. “Tribe first.” Whether you’re an athlete, artist, or creative, there is a place for you. We started in 2018 with just 46 kids, and today we have grown to serve 500+ student-athletes across our programs. That growth shows the need in the community and the impact we’re making. We also have dedicated support from Zenith Prep Academy, which has helped provide college preparation resources and opportunities for our student-athletes to reach the next level. We support students and families with resources, mentorship, and opportunity.

I embrace the dark times. That’s where growth happens. My leadership style is rooted in servant leadership, putting others first and creating opportunities for others. I have learned there are people who take, and people who give. I’m a giver. I had mentors who showed up for me, and now I’m committed to being that same bridge for the next generation.

It’s everything. Seek the knowledge. Believe in the vision. Achieve the goal. But for me, it’s also about results and impact. It’s about helping student-athletes turn their goals into reality. That looks like helping student-athletes get to college, like Qwentin Brown, who I helped guide to Brown University. He’s just one example of many student-athletes I’ve helped achieve their goals through education and opportunity. “Seek. Believe. Achieve.” isn’t just a slogan, it is a process we live out every day.

We need a multi-sport complex with fields, courts, and cultural spaces to better serve our community. Right now, families are traveling outside the area. We can build that here. This facility would allow us to serve even more student-athletes and become a stronger support system for our local school systems. This isn’t about me; it is about creating something for the next generation.