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

Dee, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

I grew up as a child in the foster care system. Statistics for kids like me, my color, my gender, and my circumstances, look very grim. Growing up, there weren’t many programs, resources, or very much awareness around growing up in foster care and the challenges that come along with it. After emancipating from the system and graduating college, I wanted to leave it all behind. However, while making my plans, I felt as if God was telling me that I had work to do! The man I call “Dad” now, told me that if I could take my talent and my story and put those together, I could impact a lot of lives. Especially, those that have gone or are going through the system.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I see myself as a regular person who lived an interesting life that loves to share it with other people. I’m a nerd at heart. I geek out over Pokemon Cards and superhero movies. The thought of becoming an inspirational speaker never crossed my mind. I actually went to school to become a lawyer. My Dad, Richard Parkhouse, who was an educator for a long time, turned speaker, recongized my talent for speaking from my days as a yell leader in high school. After hearing about how I grew up, he encouraged me to start telling my story. He opened up tons of doors for me and put me on a few different stages. The more I spoke, the more the more people began to tell me how much I inspired them and gave them hope to get though their tough situations. Then the word “Resilience” started to permiate within me. I had to sit down and ask myself, what am I really doing for people? It turned out, I was helping them activate their reselience. Resilience became my brand.

The problem I’m solving for my clients is hopelessness. Helping them see that life is going to throw curveballs but that doesn’t mean its the end. I’ve had students rip up suicide notes, repair relationships with their parents, go from failing all their classes to passing all their classes, you name it.

What sets me apart from others is the authenticity. I keep it real. I don’t sugarcoat it. I understand that students and adults are going through REAL situations with REAL emotions. That’s what I bring to the table. When you hear my story and the way it is delivered, you laugh real laughs and you cry real tears.

I’m most proud of the progress people make after they hear my story. The relationships that are rebuilt, the goals that are set and accomplished, and the life changing the decions that are made.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I spent 18 years of my life in foster care. I was in 12 different foster homes and 2 different group homes by the time I was 12 years old. I never met my biological father before in my life. My biological mom past away in 2018. Statistically, I shouldn’t be here. 50% of kids with these type of circumstances drop out of high school. We’re 10x more likely to end up in prision than go to college.

Despite having every excuse to fail, I choose to surround myself with people who cared about me and wouldn’t let me fail. I graduated at the top of my class (ish). I went straight to California State University: Long Beach and graduated with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. The same story that I thought would break me and send me to the streets, is the same story that has allowed me to own my own business and inspire thousands of people every year.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The one lesson I had to unlearn is traditional education is the only way to make a living. I grew up in a time where your degree was the key to finicial freedom. What I’ve learned is, although you need some sort of fundamental education, finding out what your talents and gifts are, and honing in on those skills is the real key.  

Contact Info:

• Website: www.DeeHankins.com
• Instagram: IamDeeHankins
• Facebook: /DeeHankins
• Linkedin: DeeHankins
• Twitter: IamDeeHankins
• Youtube: /DeeHankins

Image Credits
Jesyka Hankins Terrance Thomas