CKP Stories | In Their Own Words

“What good is a story if you never tell it?

Somebody needs to hear this.

We all have our own interpretation of what success is and what it looks like, respectfully everybody measures success differently, but descriptively success is the accomplishment of a purpose or the outcome of an undertaking.

With that being said here’s my point of view, firstly I’m surviving life that in itself makes me a success, period. If you knew the experiences I’ve had within living the days of my life, you too would agree with me.

Let me explain… I was born and raised in Camden, NJ as a product of my environment to parents with problems, to a life full of challenges and setbacks, and into a situation with no easy way out. A lot of ppl really thought I would’ve been just another statistic bc of the poverty-stricken society that I grew up in. I wasn’t supposed to make it pass the age of 18 and they thought I’ll be dead or in jail. The latter did happen, I have been in jail, to prison, I gave more than enough of my time to the system.

When I was released from prison in 2013 I made a solid decision that I was not going back and I would do what I had to to make sure that I stood on that decision.

I moved to Pgh with the intention to be a good person and father. I had no friends, family, or any support to rely on, just God and me. I’ve been focused on proving myself right n the naysayers wrong since i moved to Pgh. A good man said to me, more than enough times, you are a success going somewhere to succeed. Tbh, for the longest time, I did not believe in him or that statement bc I did not trust the deliverer of that message. When something is said to you and you feel a tingle in your soul, believe them, that’s God tryna share something.

I’ve heard a lot of good things from the wrong ppl n a lot of good ppl said the wrong things, one thing I came to know is that when you listen to understand, you’ll learn more n when you listen to respond you’ll hear less. It hit different when you understand that. I remember it being said that life is what u make it, not what u were given. Life gave me lemons so I figured out how to make orange juice wit it, metaphorically but more realistically than that.

Understand me when I say, I’ve survived my upbringing, I survived my childhood, I made it out of Camden with mental n physical scars, more importantly I’m living n surviving being a black man in America, that’s a win for me. I’ve survived the trials and tribulations that were designed to defeat me but by the grace and strength of God, I’m undefeated when it comes to surviving my life n bad days.

That same good man (whom is my father but is gone now) also said “I’m not bad as I was and I’m not good as I’m gonna get”, and that’ll be with me forever. I really started from the bottom, literally, and now I’m here, n if nobody else wont acknowledge it, I will, I’m proud of me n see myself as a success. Bc I’ve overcame every obstacle that was put in front of me, I’ve experienced every aspect of life, including death, I got shot along side my brother on May 15th 2007 and this many years later we are still here thriving in our own way of living life. I had a bullet in my leg, a cm away from a main artery but was still able to get my brother to the hospital n save his life. That, the streets, jail, and “not having” definitely was enough to discourage me from focusing in on a specific better lifestyle for myself.

As most outsiders seen it, I wouldn’t be nothing, would not amount to anything more than who they thought I would be. But fortunately enough for me, my determination and my gift has given me the ability to continue prospering thru my experience with life in a different n more creative fashion that’ll make an impact I was not intending to make.

I’ve learned this from my own experiences n also from a scene in a movie that “our deepest fear are not that we’re inadequate, our deepest fear is that we’re powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us… n as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other ppl permission to do the same, as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I must n have to say THANK YOU CHEFS n CKP STAFF you helped me to save my life n realize some things that are very important that I’ve overlooked for some time. It was meant for me to be accepted into your program bc I’ve encountered ppl that were meant for my life n betterment.

Whether it was just for me or ppl for the likes there of, Chef Don and Chef Missy, you were put in that position to impact somebody’s life, one or more, you’re fulfilling your purpose and I gratefully appreciate you. You’ve encouraged me to open something that my blessing has been locked in, n I was today years old when I realized that if you stay inside your box, you’ll never unwrap your gift.

I shared parts of my life to inform you of what roads not to go n give you something to look forward to. CKP opened the door for this success to continue succeeding, if not I’d be on a long road going nowhere fast if it wasn’t for them but with the opportunity they helped me to obtain, I’m progressively n actively moving forward to a goal that I thought was depleted but was actually given a breath of life from a few ppl that believed strongly in me.

Even tho I should feel good n accomplished bc I’m a first generation business owner, yes I did establish something for my kids, my creations, something that my parents did not do for me or my siblings, my kids will have an opportunity to carry on my creations n legacy. I was given the same privilege.

Being able to live, not just survive, n to provide for my kids, I feel like I did some thing great, I feel like I’m winning for them. Nobody is about to take that feeling from me.

I’m gonna share one more statement with you before I go n this one is gonna hit home, whenever life feels like it’s against you, remember that God strength is with you n a focused mind will take you places only faithful eyes can see. Move with efficiency but live with purpose. You were not bright this far just to be here, life is not easy but it’s worth living. You never know who you’ll impact just by living your life, be great in your own right.

The point of my story is to show you what road to not go and give you something to look forward to. My dad passed away a week after my birthday, even tho that really hit me hard, I’ve been determined to be the best version of myself for my kids so they can have what I never did. I’m their Batman they know that I got them.”