My life has been a rollercoaster of experiences, from The Bronx to Washington, D.C., to Hartford, Connecticut, and Los Angeles, California—first as a seminarian studying to become a priest, then as a local and national community organizer, a radio host and producer, a journalist and producer across radio and television, a government bureaucrat, a youth mentor, and a small business consultant. Beyond those roles, I’ve also tried my hand at being a jewelry vendor, a motorcycle courier, an airport shuttle driver, and a bartender at a German alpine-themed bar. I recently suffered a mild stroke that upended my life and derailed my writing goals. However, anyone who knows me will tell you that life will have to come at me even harder if it thinks it can stop me.