Full Name

Chadwick Henry Gobar

Rap Name

G.R.I.O.T. is my real rap name and X-pert Artist was generated by the Wu-Tang site.

City of Birth

I was born in Ft. Belvoir, Virgina.

Favorite Food to Cook

My favorite food to cook is Gumbo.

Least Favorite Snack

My least favorite snack is anything high in sugar or salt .

What Were You Like in Middle School?

One of the reasons I'm excited to work with youth is because growing up I dealt with academic & behavioral issues especially in middle school. I was diagnosed with ADHD & put on medication in elementary school, by the time I entered middle school I was began to exhibit a lot of side effects which negatively impacted my educational experience.

In 8th grade I went to military school which forced me to learn discipline and play sports, a decision that would later influence me in a positive way. Much of my middle school experience is a blur due to the medication I was on but I remember middle school being a time of growth.

Name of a Book/Story That Made An Impact On You When You Were Younger

My father gave me his original copy of "Roots" when I was in 4th or 5th grade. Prior to being put on medication I was a bright child who enjoyed reading and read far above my grade level. My father is creole & very fair skinned. He was an officer in the Marine Corps & we lived near very few black people. Until he retired in 2005 I could count the number of my black peers in elementary school on one hand.

"Roots" impacted me because it used one family's story to teach about our origins as a people. I didn't know how to verbalize how I felt or why I was so interested in this book at the time. But as I flipped through the aged pages of a nearly 30 year old copy of Roots & learned the story of Kunta Kinte & his descendants I felt like I belonged. I didn't even get halfway through the book until my brother picked it up and finished it he was & still is a much faster reader than I.

I think people should read this story today to be reminded of our history, roots not only focused on our struggle but our triumphs during a very difficult time in history. I think this story makes the experience of slavery personal.

Freedom Is…

…the ability to pursue your dreams without any hindrance.

What Excites You About Our Freedom School Program?

I am extremely excited to work with the Freedom Schools program because I feel strongly that the legacy of the civil rights movement was left unfinished. There is a war on students of color in many school systems. I was almost a casualty of this war. Many school systems are quick to criminalize children who need extra help. Malcolm X said "Only a fool would allow their children to be taught by their enemy". When the only thing black students are taught about their people is civil rights and slavery, how can we expect them to see a positive future for themselves?

There is an abundance of literature written by our people that speaks to the same struggles we go through today. Why do we read Uncle Tom's Cabin but not Frederick Douglas’ biography in schools? I learned to love reading because I was exposed to picture books on Douglas, Tubman, & Dr. King as a child. I learned a love for poetry by being exposed to Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, & Tupac Shakur.

Our stories & our leaders are American stories they should be taught as such.

I'm excited to have the opportunity to equip the next generation with a love for reading using the stories of those who “Sing America” yet their stories are often overlooked.

If you had a room full of people willing to listen to you, what would you say?

If I had a room full of people willing to listen I’d say: Deep down we all desire the same thing, freedom. Yet we have different ways of trying to achieve it. The noise of our differences drown out how similar we really are. Why not work together to accomplish our similar goals instead of getting caught up in our differences?