Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Walker.
Hi Joshua, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I literally started with a dream. A dream to give back, a dream to be remembered and a dream to use the gifts God gave me to show the world a light in me. The road was difficult but has enabled me to become stronger, braver, wiser and even more ambitious. Working with the youth, as it relates to self-esteem building, self-confidence boosting and psychiatric care, I see myself as a positive beacon of light that gives the youth hope for a brighter future, a brighter path and an enabling mindset. I started with working as a modeling/runway coach at three local high schools in Jackson, MS to now working at Canopy Children’s Solutions as a Residential Care Specialist/Trainer. The tools gained at such a young age has given me the necessary guidance to work in a career field that wasn’t even a part of my major I was degreed in. It’s funny that God’s sense of humor amazes me so that I still get anxious every time I walk through the door at my job. It doesn’t feel like work. Having young people look up to me, tell me they admire me, want to be like me and love me shows that I am definitely in the right place at the right time. It warms my heart to know that young men ask me to adopt them and take them into my care because they see something in me that they feel will push them in the right direction. My platform, “ICONIC: Impact, Influence, Inspire,” has pushed me to new heights and allowed me to do just as the platform states: impact, influence and inspire. I’m grateful that the platform gave me a foundation as to how I would like to be perceived, viewed and remembered. I’m even more grateful to see where this road takes me in the future and how I will expand in the months to come!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road has never been smooth but I’d rather hit a few speed bumps on the right path rather then continue along smooth path to nowhere. Throughout my matriculation at Jackson State University, I wrote a book entitled “Becoming I in ICONIC.” The book is an autobiography giving essential occurrences in my life that harmed me, hurt me and/or lost me but helped me to be where I am now all at the same time. Those hardships endured were not hindering me but allowing to visually see the amount of strength I have inside me and around me. Most times, we run away from the incidents we feel are roadblocks and try to picture shortcuts along the way. With me, I’m the complete opposite. I traveled down the path of head bumping, karma, and lesson learning to know what not to do next time, how I can help someone in similar situations and what I can do to prevent those things to happen again. Some struggles included me not wanting to listen to others and follow my own path, being held at gunpoint, almost going to jail and almost dying three times. Life has taught that troubles don’t last always and it’s not about how you got in the predicament you’re currently in but the way you handled getting through it. If you choose to travel down the “smooth” road, you’ll pass me traveling down the road less traveled by.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Residential Care specialist at Canopy Children’s Solutions, a mentor for youth around different states and a modeling coach. My many talents enable me to branch out with different youth around the world and show them positive leadership through the skill of modeling. I chose modeling because many young people today lack self-confidence, self-esteem and overall mannerism due to being consumed by the image of social media. I created my brand, ICONIC, to give the youth a word that actually makes them feel sensational. This word is used to show how I want people to feel on a regular basis, regardless of the negativity, commotion and constant shift of society. I’m known for my sense of creativity and the way I tend to display that creative skill. I’m very eccentric, vibrant and bold. I have no problem stepping outside my comfort zone to help others, show compassion and drop a few gems that I’ve learned along the way. I’m most proud of the impact I am leaving around the world. People know of me in multiple states and can vouch of my creativity, my anxiousness to help the youth and my impressive presentation of it all. I love to hear the youth and their parents tell me how I have impacted their lives and how the parents have seen a total change in their child’s behavior/mindset. It gives me the adrenaline to keep pushing forward. My eager demeanor sets me apart from everyone! People see the passion and I don’t downplay it all. People want what you got so never feel like what you’re doing is not noticed, not appreciated and not long-lasting.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I also am working on a documentary entitled “I’m Coming Home: the ICONIC DocuSeries.” My autobiography I mentioned earlier is still in the works of review/ publication but my docu-series will be the visual representation of my ICONIC brand at large. People really don’t know what ICONIC is, where it came from and how I want it to be viewed. The docu-series will be split into six episodes explaining the process of this brand, start to finish. The series is forthcoming and it will definitely be a must watch!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.jwiconic.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_pasdesoucis/
