Pulling up to Cedar Grove Middle School in DeKalb County was more than just another speaking engagement. It was a moment filled with purpose, urgency, and love for young people navigating environments that too often try to define their future before they even get a chance to choose it for themselves. Inside the school walls, the energy was real. Students were present, engaged, and open. But behind that energy was a deeper reality that cannot be ignored. Many of these young people are growing...

We pulled up to our third stop on the Next Level Students Tour in Atlanta, and this one hit different. Salem Middle School. You could feel the weight before we even walked in. Many of these students are facing real challenges. Poverty. Violence. Uncertainty. And yet, they still show up. Every single day. The teachers and staff show up too, doing everything they can to support them. That matters more than words can explain. When I stepped in front of those students, I did not just see what...

Every time I walk into a school, I'm reminded of exactly why I do this work. On the second stop of the Next Level Student Tour, I had the privilege of standing in front of some of the most resilient young people I've ever encountered. These kids are navigating realities that most adults couldn't fathom homelessness, gang activity, trauma that follows them through the school doors every single morning. And yet, when I looked out into that auditorium, I didn't see defeat. I saw potential...