"Freeway to Freedom"

       John Boyd is an African Amercian farmer, civil rights activist and the founder of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA).  He owns and operates Boyd Farms, which has 1,500 acres across three farms in Baskerville, Va. where he grows soybean, corn, wheat, and currently raises 150 head of beef cattle.  He was a chicken farmer for 14 years in a breeder program for Perdue Farms.  Mr. Boyd was also a tobacco farmer for many years.  In 1995, John Boyd formed the National Black Farmers Association, a Virginia  based nonprofit organization.  In his role with the National Black Farmers Association, Boyd has worked closely with national leaders in government, agriculture organizations and rural groups nationwide as well as internationally.  Boyd was appointed by then-Virginia Governor-elect Tim Kaine to serve as co-chair of his Policy Committee on Agriculture and Forestry during the transition period.

     In 2000, Boyd was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve on his administration's tobacco commission. Prior to that, he was appointed by then-Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore to serve on the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission. His term lasted from July 1, 1999, until June 30, 2001. He was an early supporter of Senator Barack Obama during the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries and played an important role in organizing African American voters in the critical South Carolina primary. During the primaries, Boyd also organized supporters and spoke at events in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Boyd organized supporters and spoke at events for Obama in important battleground states during the general election including Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia.

          The "Real" Rick Ross is an American author and former drug lord best known for the drug empire he established in Los Angeles, California, in the early to mid 1980s.  He was sentenced to life in prison, though the sentence was shortened on an appeal and Ross was released in 2009.  While incarcerated, Ross did his due diligence while serving his time.  All hope wasn't lost.  He made golden use of his time in a prison library and taught himself to read at age 28. While reading, he discovered a technicality in his case that would allow him to spend less time in prison.  Fast forward, “Freeway” Rick Ross has reinvented himself as an author, actor, prison reform activist, and legal cannabis entrepreneur. He found success publishing his book Freeway Rick Ross: The Untold Autobiography.  He has also diversified his role as an entrepreneur by distributing a variety of products and merchandise. His  multimillionaire mindset clearly reflects the endless possibilities when you focus on a goal.  Despite Ross’ checkered past, he’s also been tapped as a motivational speaker who is relatable in many aspects.  He has not only changed the direction of his life, but also goes around the country, speaking and inspiring others to do the same. He has not only changed the direction of his life, but also goes around the country speaking and motivating others to do the same.