My greatest mentors are my two older brothers and my parents. My family invested in me mentally, spiritually, and financially, which I believe has led to all of the successes I have had in my life. I am proud of the fact that I have used my voice to speak on behalf of those who society ignores and for not being fearful of anything or anyone. This has allowed me to be successful in standing up for the rights of others.

Ironically I use a wheelchair. I have a saying, “When it’s right, even I stand.” I am most proud of my wife, Andrea Joyner. Somehow my wife believes in me as much as I believe in myself and has loved me in the face of tragedy. Andrea is genuinely selfless. If I could invite one person to dinner with my family, it would be James Baldwin. One of my greatest mentors, Jon Paul Sydnor, once said to me, “Torrey, some people are just not smart.” Baldwin once stated, “It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” I truly have never had a bad day, and I question whether this is plausible for everyone. When I am not at Fathers’ UpLift, I am at home thinking, not concerning myself with the fact that things ARE the way they are, but with WHY things are the way they are. I find joy in exploring life’s most profound questions.