MARCUS BRIDGEWATER

CEO & Founder

I consider myself fortunate that I grew up without any "safe space," leading me to befriend people from multiple circles and walks of life.

You could say I was forced to appreciate varying cultures because of my tumultuous childhood, but I say it was a profound blessing; I got to be a part of several cultures and never completely identify with one label. This led me to find acceptance for my labels without falling victim to the social pressures someone faces after identifying with one group more than another.

Alternatively, I found each circle was not open to stepping outside their comfort zones to appreciate what was around them. When I was a child, an American family in the deep south adopted my immigrant mother and I. I spoke with a Caribbean accent despite having been born in the United States. I was in the gifted classes in school, but I was the only student who looked like me. I was the poor kid in a wealthy school over and over again, and continued faced various challenges as I transitioned from one stage of life to the next.

These experiences taught me how to be resilient, open-minded, articulate, and fearless. With every obstacle, I made the choice to dig, jump, climb, catapult; I never stopped moving forward. Choice Forward is a way for me to share what I have learned about communication, productivity, wellness, and positive thinking.