About Stephen
Biography
Biography
Joining the military in 2001 and being in basic training during 9/11, Stephen developed a passion for volunteering in the community throughout his military service. This allowed him to remain connected to the people who he swore to give his life, if necessary. In 2011 before his deployment to Afghanistan he was the defensive coach for the Hopewell youth auxiliary football team, Hopewell Blue Devils. That year the team won the championship as Stephen found unique ways to mentor the boys. This passion for mentoring the next generation has been a key driver in his roles leading soldiers, his son’s youth mentoring club and his scholars at Virginia State University.
Upon his return from Afghanistan, he continued his commitment to community service and was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service by President Barack Obama. Unfortunately, the traumas of war led to Stephen being forced to medically retire from the Army in 2015. He faced difficult times during his transition, which led to his advocacy for resources and better services for veterans.
This ignited a fire for his political pursuits, which led to a brief stint in law school before he ultimately became the Senior Legislative Assistant for a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. In this role, the Commonwealth of Virginia historically passed Medicaid expansion and other necessary policy changes for the betterment of Virginians everywhere in 2018.
Stephen is an alumnus of the 2018 cohort of the Minority Political Leadership Institute (MPLI) at the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University. The MPLI program is an intensive eight-month experience designed to promote leadership development for individuals interested in issues important to minority communities including; community economics, political climate, civic engagement, and equity.
The research he and his group members conducted was eventually published in the Journal of Public Management & Social Policy: Vol.27 : No.1, Article 4. The group assessed the Racial Equity Impact of Legislation to Establish a Virginia Grocery Investment Program & Fund to address food insecurity in the Commonwealth.
In 2019, Stephen obtained his Master of Public Administration at Regent University after previously obtaining his Bachelors from Chaminade University of Honolulu. Stephen is a first generation college graduate and understands the importance of access to education and how it can help those who have come from humble beginnings, of being on government assistance, to being a homeowner and small business owner.
Stephen’s small business seeks to help businesses with strategic planning and government relations. Through this work he looks to empower everyday individuals with enough information to prosper and protect their business through strategy, innovation, processes and technology.
Stephen seeks to provide the best opportunities and access to resources to ALL the constituents of District 75.
Military days
Caption: Stephen at Fort Greg Adams (Formerly Fort Lee), Advanced Individual Training.
Use of military rank, titles, or photographs in uniform do not imply endorsement by the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.
Military days
Caption: Deployment Iraq 2004-2005.
Use of military rank, titles, or photographs in uniform do not imply endorsement by the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.
Educator / Facilitator
Caption: John Langston Murser Institute Facilitator for VSU Cohort 2.
VSU photos are not an endorsement from Virginia State University.
Stephen is the Social Action Coordinator for his fraternity Phi Beta Sigma in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Caption: John Lewis Foundation Inaugural Gala (Pictured with Senator Warnock, and Former Mayor of Springlake, North Carolina) .
Photos with Fraternity members and Elected Officials are not endorsements.
Caption: D9 Legislative Day on Capitol Hill (Congresswoman Nikema Williams).
Photos with Fraternity members and Elected Officials are not endorsements.
Stephen looks to bridge the gaps of generations to move society to work together.
Community Activist
Stephen looks to bridge the gaps of generations to move society to work together.
Caption: Historical signing with SBA, Biden administration, and the D9 Fraternity and Sororities.
“This photo is special because I took it. I’m not really an in front of the camera person. These are three of the collegians I advised and I encouraged them to attend this event together. When Congressman John Lewis was finished speaking I wanted them to get the picture more than myself. Being an educator the “Good Trouble” my dear fraternity brother got into all those years ago are my reasons for fighting to today. Carrying the mantle forward as he said historically on the House floor “When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something, to do something,” This campaign is me doing something!” – Stephen