Starting From the Middle

Welcome to my corner of the internet.

I’m J.R. a 33-year-old half African American, half Native American man who grew up on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. Middle child of 11. Track runner. Competitive swimmer. Former near-death survivor. Business grad. And someone who’s had to start over more than once, but always found a way forward.

This blog is a space for real talk, reflection, and weekly advice for folks who, like me, are navigating the complexities of identity, ambition, and healing while carrying the weight of where they come from. I’ll be sharing lessons from my own life, growing up in a crowded house full of love and chaos, feeling invisible in classrooms that only saw my skin, and surviving a chapter where I wasn’t sure I’d Walk again.

I graduated high school ranked 11th in my class, not because life made it easy, but because I kept showing up. I earned my degree from Baldwin Wallace in Business Management with a minor in Psychology because I’ve always been curious about how we work, and how we hurt. And when I thought I was at the end of my story, stuck in a bed after a near-death experience in Florida, I chose to restart from the beginning: lifeguarding and teaching kids how to swim, just like I did as a teenager.

Each week, I’ll share something personal, something useful, and something honest. Whether you’re a middle child, a misunderstood student, a survivor, or someone trying to make peace with your roots, I see you. You’re not alone.

Let’s build something together.