I’ve always believed that your current circumstances are not your final destination. My journey hasn't been a straight line to success; it has been a series of transitions—some chosen, some forced—that ultimately revealed my true calling: empowering others to see their own worth.

The Moment Everything Changed

Born in Oakland to a laborer and a cook, I learned the value of hard work early on. By 1987, I felt I had "arrived." I had broken a major barrier, becoming the first African American to hold a front-office position with the San Francisco Giants.

But life has a way of testing your resolve. Just one year later, I found myself far from the bright lights of the stadium, working as a gas station attendant. That fall from prestige to low-wage labor was devastating, but it was also my greatest teacher. I saw firsthand the systemic cycle of unemployment and the "poverty of spirit" that comes from low self-esteem. I realized then that while a paycheck is important, education and self-worth are the only real keys to breaking the cycle.

A Radical Vision: Project Transition

I spent the next decade preparing. I earned my MBA and pursued doctoral work in Public Policy, all while watching traditional welfare programs fail my community. They were training people for the "floor" when they should have been aiming for the "ceiling."

In 1997, I founded Project Transition Inc. with a radical idea: instead of training the "working poor" for low-wage, blue-collar jobs, we would help them leapfrog into corporate, white-collar careers.

We didn't just change resumes; we changed environments.

• The "Driver’s Seat" Philosophy: Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I believed that if you place someone in a high-quality, corporate-style environment—with leather chairs and state-of-the-art tech—they begin to visualize a different future for themselves.
• Quality Without Compromise: When we started in a neglected basement, my family and I hand-decorated it to ensure it felt like a Fortune 500 office. We refused the "non-profit means low-quality" stereotype.

The Impact

The results spoke for themselves. Over five years, we secured over $3 million in funding and transformed more than 1,000 lives.



• 80% Job Placement Rate: Our graduates weren't just finding jobs; they were finding careers.
• 80% Retention: Our alumni stayed employed, earning average salaries that far exceeded the standard for welfare-to-work programs.
• National Recognition: Our model caught the attention of Essence Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, and even received a letter of encouragement from the White House.
  

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