Roy Castro

STRIVE Alumnus, STRIVE Board Co-Chairman, CEO, D.M. Ice Cream Corporation

What Does It Mean to Be A STRIVE Man/Dad? My Personal STRIVE Journey is a coming-of-age story, How I went to strive as a Grown Man but thinking like an adolescent. When I Graduated STRIVE, I walked away knowing what I had to do to be a good man & one day a great father. It was those lessons I learned at STRIVE that paved the way for the Man that I am today & the good father I will continue to be for my kids. Click here to hear what Roy has to say.

Tyrone Jones

Post Employment Case Manager – FOCUS Program

My partnership with STRIVE relies a great deal on masculinity. Being a STRIVE Man encapsulates my motivation and drive to accentuate freedom, and my determination to break down obstacles. When I started working at STRIVE on 4/4/2018, it was a milestone with incredible challenges and strengths. These challenges and strengths amplified my desire to give back. The definition of a STRIVE man centers on providing and protecting interests while serving as an example to assist impressionable clients with freedom, happiness, and prosperity.

Case management connects with STRIVE's mission of equity for all. Transitioning from the Fatherhood program to FOCUS [reentry] consists of developing holistic client centered frameworks to meet where the client is currently at. It consists of being cognizant of the biopsychosocial underpinnings with each client to provide appropriate resources and establish independence. 3 years of experience with STRIVE taught me how equity works to make sure individuals get a chance to pursue their dreams. My passion integrates with STRIVE's mission based on the fundamental teachings of "love thy neighbor" and "take in a stranger" to alleviate hopelessness and suffering to direct clients towards a thriving future.

I came in with internal resilience from being a male person of color from the inner city where poverty is a norm. All I knew was to pick myself by the bootstraps for survival. I had to make personal strides independently to succeed. What the male STRIVE graduates taught me is its okay to ask for help. The lesson of interdependence made sense; it’s a human instinct to reach out. In return, I made certain to assist the male STRIVE graduates with the question of “where you are going?" Making logical decisions with reason and allowing passion to become a motivator is the paramount definition of a STRIVE MAN. Together, the male STRIVE graduates and I will make steps towars our goal: BROTHERHOOD!

Randy Zeno

STRIVE Board member, CEO, Urban Therapy/Twisted Sista

What does it mean to be a STRIVE Man? A few words come to mind: strong, intentional, ambitious, authentic, doing the right thing, everybody is somebody, and knowing someone has your back.

When I first engaged with STRIVE, my spirit was lifted and full of hope after attending a graduation. I am in awe of the many STRIVE men who step up, take responsibility, and work on improving themselves endlessly. More importantly, your “can do,” never give up attitude is a source of inspiration to me.

As a man, a father, and a board member, I support our relentless efforts to knock down the barriers that prevent men from reaching economic self-sufficiency. Our families and communities work better when that happens too. I am honored to be a part of the family. Our work is far from done but today, men, I celebrate YOU!

Kerron Henry

STRIVE Graduate

BE YOURSELF

One of the biggest lessons that I learned at STRIVE was embracing other cultural differences and working together for a greater purpose. When I first started at STRIVE, I had just lost my job as a manager, so I had the attitude of such. My trainer, Mr. Hill, broke things down to me and made me humble myself throughout my time there. He opened my eyes and made me realize that it was about more than myself. He showed me that collectively listening to others and working together will have a greater impact. Coming to America when I was young and experiencing an unfamiliar environment made me realize that it was all about diversity.

My current job title is working as a Technical Expert/Advisor at Apple Inc. I provide strong customer relationships and deliver customer centric-solutions. I also cultivate innovative approaches for the organization to be successful. In my spare time, I run/own a small company I created called RockHenry Studios. I produce professional content in photography and videography. I have always been a consistent dreamer, authentic, and direct when it comes to my passion, capturing moments and transforming them into “Memories that can last a lifetime”- Credo. No matter how diverse we are, we often draw strength from each other’s perspectives.

Being a STRIVE Dad means making necessary changes for what’s right, igniting others’ life ambitions, and maintaining purpose. But the best thing of all is having a voice and knowing you never have to do anything alone. Being a dad means to continue to be determined and never give up no matter how hard it may be. Making challenging decisions and sacrificing despite the hardships you will experience in life, will only prepare you for your future with purpose.

It was an honor and a privilege to be able to share my thoughts in this manner. We STRIVE for the best in all we do.