We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brandon Randall. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brandon below.

Brandon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

In 2013, Indianapolis started to see an increase in homicides and several of the people who lost their lives were former students of mine. I increasingly became frustrated with the local media outlets’ portrayal of young people who were victims of violence. One day, I posted a “community ask” on Facebook, looking for people to recognize young people who were doing great things in their community. I ended up with my first 10 students who were being acknowledged for their leadership and commitment to making a positive impact. The goal was to highlight the “true colors” of youth leadership and impact, which led me to naming the movement “TRU Colors”. Fast forward, in 2017, I collaborated with some friends/community leaders on hosting a youth-led platform that we named TRU Dialogue. A few years later, I filed paperwork to create TRU Colors Consulting, LLC and that became an active organization in 2023. The name of my organization and the entire mission that I operate on is being intentional on creating platforms for young people to have their voices centered, lifted, and affirmed.

Brandon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I began my career as a youth worker as a Youth Manager at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center in 2007. I served in a variety of roles in my time there up until my departure in 2012. From there, I started to do some work in the non-profit and education arenas, including some time as a Program Manager for Public Allies and a Parent Involvement Educator for Indianapolis Public Schools. From there, I was hired to supervise a Day Reporting program for VOICES Corp, where we worked with young men who were involved with Juvenile court and who were disconnected from traditional school environments. I later transitioned to their Director of Engagement, where I was responsible for supervising school and community-based leadership development programs, building external partnerships around youth advocacy and enrichment, and increasing the organization’s visibility in the community. I left that role in January of 2023 and immediately transitioned into my current role as the founder of Tru Colors Consulting, LLC as an independent consultant and contractor. Now, my time is split between school and community-based leadership program coordination and providing professional development services. Operating under my own LLC for the last year, I have had the opportunity to facilitate dozens of workshops, participate in a variety of conferences, serve as a keynote speaker in Las Vegas, and successfully facilitate various youth leadership cohorts within several school districts and community organizations. When I look at the work I get to do, I am most proud of the young people who I have worked with and who are now serving as leaders and changemakers in the community. There are a handful of students that began their leadership work in programs I facilitated who are now serving as peer mentors, program leads, and community advocates and it makes me so proud to have had a role in their growth and development.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I have been blessed to have built a solid reputation close to two decades of youth work. For me, it has been important to become an expert in this specific field and to be the best advocate I can be. The moment that made of all this surreal was back in to 2009 when I was assaulted by a student in my unit at the juvenile center. After the assault, the student responsible had written me a letter explaining that just prior to him hitting me, he was in a meeting with his foster parents and they rescinded their adoption agreement, leaving him to be sent back as a ward of the state. He explained that not a single adult had stopped him to ask if he was okay, if he needed to talk, or if he was okay. Subsequently, he projected his pain onto me and honestly, I couldn’t blame him. From that date forward, I have tried to not only be the best advocate, but being the most consistent and visible advocate, centering the voices and lived experiences of the young people I work with and stories from across the country. Social Media has been my main form of advocacy, but also in-person networking and relationship building. I share as much as I can and create opportunities for the young people to speak and advocate for themselves. The goal has been to be authentic, real, transparent, and vulnerable. I am not perfect and I don’t always “get it right” and this work isn’t always smiles and sunshines. I try to share all perspectives and invite people along on this journey of the work that is being done. My following has certainly grown over the years and I have been deemed an expert in this field, which lends to my credibility both on social media and in person. I encourge anyone doing this work or any kind of work honestly, just to be consistent, don’t be detracted from the haters or opposition and embrace your truth…because our TRU COLORS always shine through.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn the expectation that you have to work with everyone. That is simpy not true. I have been doing this for awhile and have seen people jump on the bandwagon of youth work and youth voice, typically in alignment with funding cycles and popularity. There have been times where people have suggested I collaborate with certain people and when I first started, I would explore those potential partnerships. Now, almost 20 years in, I rely on my discernment and my brand’s reputation to support the decisions to either collaborate or not. I don’t compromise my values around equity and inclusion and refuse to work with anyone who doesn’t share similar beliefs or practices. This has typically shown up around supporting the LGBTQ community. Youth work, specifically mentoring, can often be founded upon concepts of toxic masculinity and those spaces aren’t always the most inclusive. I reject that. As an openly gay person, I strive to make sure ALL youth feel protected in my programs and in my space. I very much believe in affirming the identities and experiences of young people, as that is how audacious connections are formed and sustained. Even in 2024, I still battle homophobia and transphobia in the youth working space; however, I am consistent in my mission, my practices, and my beliefs and the students who work with me know I will stand ten toes for them…regardless of how they live or who they love.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.trucolorsindy.org
• Instagram: @trucolorsindy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.randall2
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-randall-7683905b/