We had the good fortune of connecting with Roderick Nelson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Roderick, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I am a gay black man. I am also a man who was born into poverty in a small town known for its poverty and crime levels. When I was growing up as a child it wasn’t uncommon for my friends and me to share similar stories of going without basic necessities or having to “wait until payday” for our parents to take care of an important bill or expense. It was not uncommon for many of us to see our mothers feed us what little food was left in the cabinets while she went to bed hungry. It wasn’t uncommon to come home and see that your basic utilities had been shut off due to your moms’ inability to get another extension. We all can collectively remember missing out on holidays or not being able to afford new clothes for the brand-new school year. These moments, stories, and experiences shape who you are as a person whether you know it or not. How you react to situational and environmental factors that are thrust into your lap gives an extremely vivid preview of your trajectory going forward in life.

I chose to be the change that I wanted to see.

Instead of complaining and finding fault in everyone else, I began trying to see what I could do to help facilitate some of the assistance, growth, and outreach that was so desperately needed. My nonprofit, Our Path Forward, is designed not only as a community resource but also as a political action committee. This distinction allows us to provide basic everyday services but to also educate our clients on their rights, the power they have over their government as well as how they can get involved to change the way our country fundamentally works. We provide food, clothing, social program application assistance, resume-building services, and even discounted haircuts for children. I pride myself on the fact that if I can’t provide something to you, I know where to send you to get it. Many programs specialize in basic food and shelter assistance but living a truly well-rounded life takes more than basic sustenance. We have to address the prosperity of people as a holistic issue rather than an initiative that can be solved by piecemeal actions, marches, legislation, and outreach.

Do you have a budget? How do you think about your personal finances and how do you make lifestyle and spending decisions?

Absolutely. Having a budget is imperative to any type of success. As someone who used to be extremely irresponsible financially, I have quickly learned the importance of budgeting, credit, financial planning and self-esteem.

On the surface, I was bad with money. If there was money in my pocket, then I felt like I could spend it because I would always have another paycheck, grant, loan or advance coming. Money in, money out was my motto. I genuinely had no concept of saving money because all my life before that, there was never even enough money for necessities.

“I had a millionaire pocketbook but a welfare mindset”
– Iyanla Vanzant

Many people are shocked when I bring up the self-esteem part of my reasoning, but it absolutely plays a part in your financial health, especially when you’re someone who has come from poverty. If you have never had money but you live in a society that has always placed value on cars, clothes, homes, jewelry, and other depreciating assets then you more than likely will fall into the same trap that I did. Without a sense of self, I became a slave to material gain and the attention that it granted me from the outside world. I had never been seen, liked, listened to, or respected but once I had money and nice things then I was the man everyone wanted to be around. The problem was that I couldn’t afford the life that I was promoted to the public. I was renting and borrowing things that I couldn’t pay for outright; I was maxing out credit cards and robbing Peter to pay Paul. All in the name of appearances. However, that model is not sustainable and eventually, everything crumbled. When everything crumbled so did all the people who were there for the high life and the party.

So today I make it a point to live within my means. Nobody will pick up the slack when the party is over. Nobody is coming to save you when the eviction notice hits the door, or the car gets repossessed. You have to be smart and put yourself first. Money isn’t everything but, in this society, whether you like it or not, money will either be the thing that brings you some level of peace or it will be the thing that causes you insurmountable stress. It’s your choice.

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?

Without risk, you will never experience the true fullness of life. I am completely risk averse and I do not like change however I have learned that it should never stifle you. Feeling fear is not an inherently bad thing. On the contrary, fear will keep you safe in times of danger, but you must learn when you feel fear due to safety and when you feel fear due to it simply being the unknown.

Taking a risk can quite literally feel like jumping off the side of a cliff. Your brain will start to signal to you “DANGER, DANGER” the closer you get to the edge but if you keep theoretically walking off that cliff you will either fly or fall. Sometimes you’ll fall and must get up and try again but often you will find out that you’re a lot better at flying than you ever thought.

Every single initiative that I have undertaken has terrified me. Whether I felt uneducated, unqualified, or not supported I have always suffered from imposter syndrome; the idea that I have no business dreaming certain dreams or that I have no business trying to lead people out of their problems. But I can without a doubt say that any time I have pulled the pin and given my dreams a try it has always worked out. I have sent children to school with supplies and Christmas gifts while being considered poor myself. I have been able to feed families for major holidays by partnering with local grocery stores and community markets. Being a part of local organizations, that I was afraid to join initially, has allowed me to build coalitions of everyday people together to produce extraordinary results.

When you allow yourself to take calculated risks you will usually find that your fears are either unfounded or blown greatly out of proportion.

Where are you from and how did your background and upbringing impact who you are today?

I am from a small industrial town in south Florida named Riviera Beach. Riviera Beach has a certain feeling to it however, that doesn’t quite feel like anywhere else. Some spaces feel run down like low-income project style housing for the poor with very poorly maintained public areas. In certain areas, it feels like the suburbs with single-family homes lining the streets with manicured lawns. In other parts of the city, it feels like an industrial manufacturing town where you can tell we import and export quite a bit of raw materials and consumer goods. Then lastly, you have the third subtype that feels like a beachside vacation getaway, because hotel rooms are a thousand dollars a night and beachfront homes start at $3 Million. All of this exists in 9 square miles with a population of 37,000.

I used to be confused by how this was possible in such a compact environment, but I realized it’s all very simple.

“Planning, Organizing, Action”

While today Riviera Beach is still considered low income the level of poverty has been greatly reduced… on paper. What has happened is over the years developers, investors, and businesses have come in and, in a sense, gentrified the city. Businesses owned by people outside of the city have come in and set up shop due to our lax laws and low taxes (which in fairness was designed to spur business growth) and they offer low-wage jobs with little hope of advancement. These businesses then take their profits and export their wealth back into their own neighborhood while injecting none of it back into our city or its workforce. Due to the poverty and debt level of many of our residents, we now have investors buying up entire blocks of land and building single-family homes to rent back to us. We are not being put in a position to be self-sufficient because on paper it looks like the city is growing.

My question that I wanted to address is who are the ones experiencing the growth and who are the ones being forced out?

When I really look at the system and follow the money, our residents are not benefitting. Therefore I began working one on one with residents to begin putting some of the power back in their hands in several ways. When it comes to representation, I teach people the power of their local government and elected officials. I encourage civic interest and involvement on every level. I encourage people to attend their city council meetings, register, and vote in every election (not just presidential elections), start community boards and clubs, and write their local, state, and national politicians. When addressing environmental factors within their control, I try to be a liaison and connect people with the proper professionals who can repair their credit, help them further their education, start businesses and increase their overall spending power. Lastly, I put focus on the mental health aspect that many people ignore. When a person feels powerless or mentally worn out by simply trying to survive, they will not thrive the same way as their counterparts who have a sense of power and believe that their goals are possible. When working on someone’s outer world I am adamant about them connecting with therapists, counselors, life coaches, or even support groups. It is their choice what they choose to participate in but I firmly believe that every person needs a sense of clarity, peace, and support to truly thrive.

What is the most important factor behind your success / the success of your brand?

I fear I will sound like a self-proclaimed martyr when I say this but I am being very genuine when I say, compassion and a sense of duty.

When you are working in activism or leadership of any kind I find too many people are doing it to fuel their misguided sense of self. I don’t judge those in this space because I used to be guilty of this as well, but I do realize the danger it poses to your effectiveness as well as the disservice that does to those whom you’ve been trusted to represent.

When someone operates from a place of ego or wants to be seen they will make decisions both consciously and subconsciously that reflect that. More specifically when they are faced with hard choices is when you will see the difference between a representative who is leading out of a sense of compassion and duty versus a representative who is leading out of ego. Anybody can make the ethically right choice when it costs them nothing, but put a price tag on it and you will find that 95% of leaders have ulterior motives for why they occupy the position they are in.

What value or principle matters most to you? Why?

In this life without honesty and integrity, nothing is sustainable. As human beings, we have an innate need to connect, build bridges and form meaningful unions with one another.

As human beings, we also can sense without knowing when someone is being dishonest with us. The minute that silent alarm goes off within a person’s mind there is no longer any hope of a true connection, negotiation, relationship, bond, or even association, and that is because there will forever be a sense of discomfort between you and that individual due to a lack of trust. When you can’t believe in the proclamations and intentions of your associates or even your opponents you instantly lose the most powerful tool attributed to growth, happiness, and common ground. Trust.

Nothing worth doing in this life is possible alone. But, in order to get anything done with others you have to move with integrity, be honest and build a true rapport that is based on trust.

Work life balance: how has your balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?

I am awful at this. Work-life balance is not something I prioritize as a single man with no children. LOL

I used to think that I was lazy because I hated to get up and go to work or school yet when it was time to go out, I had the energy of eighteen toddlers.

What I realized once I started my business however was that I wasn’t lazy at all, I was uninspired. No matter how much money I had I wasn’t happy because the work that I was doing was boring to me. The minute I was able to use my time advocating for everyday citizens in a way that fed my soul I realized I could work twenty-three out of twenty-four hours of the day. I feel happy and honored to do the work that I do. No matter how tired, frustrated, or exhausted I am; when a child smiles up at me over a video game I just handed them or a mother hugs me because I was able to help her get her lights turned back on, work-life balance doesn’t matter all that much to me anymore.

I know what it was like to be these people. I feel truly blessed to be the light for them that someone was once for me.

What’s the end goal? Where do you want to be professionally by the end of your career?

Professionally I plan on running for public office. I have worked on congressional campaigns as a staffer for many years as a way of making things better without being in the glare of the spotlight. What I’ve come to feel, however, is that there is no substitute for putting yourself in the ring if you want to see certain changes. Similarly to the moments when I tell clients that they have to be the change that they want to see, then I need to step up and lead where I feel I can. Instead of being afraid I need to take my own advice, jump off the edge of the cliff and be willing to fail.

So I don’t know whether I will end up as a politician or an activist, but I do know that I am currently exploring a run for US Senate in 2024.

Why did you pursue this career?

I pursued my career because I know what it means to be my client. There is no rule book to leadership or activism, so we all are answering an internal call to action in our own ways. Without making judgments and leveling my opinions against organizations what I tried to do was step in and fill in the gaps where they were unable to provide certain goods and services.

Essentially, I just got tired of everybody blaming everyone else and I stepped up to make it better while encouraging others to do the same.

Complaints without a plan to correct the issues are just hot air.

Tell us about a book you’ve read and why you like it / what impact it had on you.

Michelle Obamas Becoming was extremely impactful for me. As a youg African American in this country, her husband and their family symbolically meant so much more to me than anyone could ever fathom. I was never the child that was popular or athletic. I didn’t have money or parents who could throw me huge parties. I couldn’t shine in the ways many of my classmates could, but I was extremely intelligent, and I leaned into that. For a long time, it seemed like it didn’t matter how smart I was but once Barack Obama was elected it was like my entire world opened mentally. Everybody who told me to “dream of being a Governor because they will never let a black man be President” was wrong. Not only were they wrong but he was black and had a black wife, and black children. These people looked and sounded like me. They had similar interests to mine. They were beautiful and polished, and I was able to see myself walking the halls of the most powerful building on Earth simply because they did it first. With that realization, however, I became a slave to perfection. I became determined to be perfect and successful and carve out my personal slice of the “American Success Pie.” I was overworked, I took way too many college classes at once, I went to entirely too many board meetings, and slept way too little. But I wanted to succeed, and I was killing myself doing it.

So when the Obamas left the White House and I finally read her book I realized I suffered from what she was writing about. I had become a “Box Checker” by nature. Whether I truly enjoyed or felt called to something I would do it just to check the box off as having successfully finished something. What Mrs. Obamas’ book taught me was to relax. We are all in a state of becoming. Putting pressure on your shoulders to cross some imaginary self-imposed finish line is the quickest way to make yourself miserable.

Take your life one day at a time. Do what you know to be right and what moves your soul. When you are in alignment with yourself and whomever you pray to, then you will see the magic of peace and happiness show up in your life. Nothing is a performance piece anymore. You no longer feel inclined to do things that do not serve your highest good. You become more able to express empathy and kindness to those around you because you show those things to yourself. Your entire world changes the moment you recognize that you are never a finished product, but you are now, and always will be, becoming.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the main highlights in Palm Beach County would have to be the beach. We have several to choose from whether we are in Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach or Deerfield. Beyond the beach itself, we have places where you can ride jet skis, go parasailing, kayaking, or even water skiing. Going out on the water when visiting Palm Beach County is a MUST.

We also have a lot of small businesses that people don’t know about where you can get good food, have fun, and even network.

We have Rosemary Square in downtown West Palm Beach where there is a little bit of everything. We can do our shopping at Publix or even get a workout in at the local LA Fitness or take your children to the movies at the AMC Theater. There’s shopping choices for men, women, children, and families, and also restaurants where you can choose to dine inside or out. There is even an entire section where there are bars, restaurants, and clubs further down Clematis Street if you’re looking for more of an adult vibe. If you come to Palm Beach County you have to go by this area at least one day during your visit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank my mother for everything she has done for me.

Like many people, our relationship as mother and child came with its own set of challenges. We didn’t always see eye to eye and sometimes we had flat-out bad moments with each other. But when it came down to it she has never failed me. She has never left me. My mother is the first person to tell me how crazy my dreams are but then remind me that any dream worth having should probably sound a little crazy. Lol. She hears me when nobody else can. She sees me when I’m otherwise invisible. When I have nothing other than myself to offer it is enough for her. Having that level of support, love, and encouragement around me has made me the resilient person I am today. With the blood, we share running through my veins and the way you encourage me to be the highest, truest, and most authentic version of myself… I know nothing is impossible for me.

Thank you for being my mother. I love you.

Website: www.ourpathforwardfl.org

Instagram: roderick.lamar

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