Meet Adrian Hargrove of There Is Hope Foster Family Agency in East LA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrian Hargrove.

Adrian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am an avid youth mentor, educational advocate, and motivational speaker who has dedicated my life in service to others. Drawing from my own life experiences, I seek to motivate and inspire youth to recognize their strengths, overcome obstacles in achieving academic success, and reach their dreams and goals.

Growing up, I was not always the best “student” in regards to my academics. Though I was more than capable, my confidence and belief in myself wasn’t always there. I enjoyed going to school and built some amazing relationships, but found myself often doing just enough to get by when it came to the classroom. After graduating from high school, I went on to college but found myself running into some of the same issues…doubting my capabilities.

After transferring a few times, I came to a point where I was ready to give up on school altogether. Wrapping up my junior year in college, I found myself on academic probation and having a professor tell me, “maybe college just isn’t for you”. That summer, I made the decision not to return to school. However, a heart to heart conversation with my 96-year-old great grandmother changed the course of life forever. After expressing my frustrations to her, she shared with me the challenges she faced growing up in Alabama and being black in the South. Going to school was not exactly an option for her during those days. Yet, she never scolded me for my complaining about how “hard” things were for me, but instead she offered comfort, encouragement, and issued a challenge. Her challenge was simple, yet profound. She stated “I learned how to write my name, and have the common sense that God gave me…now it’s up to you to do the rest.” It was clear to me that giving up would be disrespectful to her, and all the other individuals who made sacrifices for me to have the opportunities that I had been taking for granted. On that day, I made a promise to her that I would go as far as I could.

I took on the challenge and ran with it! I returned to school with a completely new focus, confidence, and belief in myself. Motivational Speaker Inky Johnson says, “If you understand where you come from, you have a better understanding of where you’re capable of going.” With my renewed understanding of and pride for where I came from, I vowed to go as far as I could in my educational journey. Though I returned to school, I was not permitted to stay in the dorms as a result of my previous academic issues. However, despite being homeless during the first semester of my senior year of college and living out of my vehicle, I achieved my goal of completing my college degree in Business Administration. I then went on to earn my Master’s Degree in Public Administration and was inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta National Honor Society in Business, Management, and Administration.

Now, I am currently in the dissertation phase of my Doctorate in Education and Organizational Leadership. My ultimate goal is to inspire youth and others to believe in themselves and understand that where they’ve come from, as well as what they’ve gone through, can propel them to where they are capable of going.

Has it been a smooth road?
In school, one of the most difficult challenges was the final year of college. My car broke down in the desert while driving back to California from Alabama. Then once I made it back, I was not allowed to stay in the dorm due to my previous academic and financial issues. Living out of the car and climbing through the gym window each morning to shower in the locker room, my perseverance and commitment to my goal was tested. Each day I was challenged to stay faithful to my purpose and my promise despite the process not looking exactly how I would have liked or expected.  Through it all, I was blessed to meet some amazing individuals who helped guide me through.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am currently the Administrator at There Is Hope Foster Family Agency. The mission of There Is Hope is to make a difference in the lives of children and families by providing specialized training, care, and support for dependent children referred for foster care services. Our vision is to give hope by providing foster youth with a natural and nurturing home environment that matches their individual needs as closely as possible.

The agency is family owned and has been serving the community for over 15 years. I have worked in a number of agencies servicing youth and families, and had both amazing and not so pleasant experiences. What sets this agency apart from any other is that from the top to the bottom, everyone is treated like family. It is common for the owner to come in, tell everyone to stop what they are doing and bring everyone into the conference room to sit down and eat with him. This is the fabric of the environment that is carried out through every fiber of the agency. Spreading hope is the message to the staff, foster parents, and most importantly…to the children in need.

In addition to my administrative responsibilities, I am also a motivational speaker, mentor, and trainer. Over the past year, I have been blessed with opportunities to work with several schools, youth groups and organizations, and individuals focused on making a positive impact in the lives of our youth and communities. Shellie Slack, founder of Be-Transformation; Sommer Bell, founder of Chase Your Throne; Coach Thomas Fleming at Western Christian High School; Teneka Doyle, founder of Chasing 7 Dreams; Thandhi Nguyen and Chet Johnson of Xtreme Unity; Kevin Carrington, founder of the Carrington Coding Camps (C3Expo); and Elexus Hunter, founder of Tragic is Magic are all phenomenal and have been influential in my journey.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Unfortunately, the need for quality foster/resource parents and homes is constant and growing. Each day there are more and more children who find themselves in need of a place to call home, and we are constantly in search of individuals and families who are willing to answer the call.

Contact Info:

• Address: There Is Hope Foster Family Agency
  299 W. Foothill Blvd.
  Upland, CA 91784
• Website: www.thereishopeffa.org
• Phone: 909-982-5050
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @thereishopeffa
• Facebook: There Is Hope FFA
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/adrian_hargrove/?hl=en

Image Credit:
Woodanglephotography; Javon Moore (J_create28) Photography; Benjamin.gene Photography

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