Hello, my name is Roderick J. Parker. I am a loving husband to my wife Georgina F. Parker and proud dad to my two children Taylor (14) and Roderick J. Parker Jr. (11). Sometimes in life you have to go through some things in order to figure out your purpose. At the age of 39, I realized that one of the best investments a person can make is investing in the youth.
Growing up in the inner city of Fort Lauderdale, I was blessed to have many outstanding teachers, coaches, family members and friends instill in me the importance of giving back and helping others. Growing up in what we call the 33311 helped make me the man I am today. It prepared me for life and taught me the importance of Uplift. I went off to college in Iowa to the University of Dubuque to play the game of football I love and was able to come back home with a degree in Education. The train didn’t stop there. I came back to Fort Lauderdale and started my teaching career at Sunland Park Elementary where I attended as a youth. See how God works! A couple years later, I continued my education, obtaining a Masters in Ed. Leadership. This all started with a public school student coming back to
the same community and serving as an educator. I was also blessed to join one of the Best Fraternities in the world “Omega Psi Phi. “ Omega helped me understand fully the principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift. Years later, I’m now the Instructional Facilitator of the Old Dillard Museum, infusing education through the sunshine standards at Walker Elementary School. In conclusion, giving back is all I know. So when people ask, Mr. Parker, when did you fall in love with hip-hop, I tell them I fell in love with the 33311 zip
