We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Floyd “Tre” Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Floyd “Tre”, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
As a parent now myself, I learned that my parents really did their best without having any instructions or guidelines. I remember clear when my first son was born, and as I was holding him in my arms, my mother stated to me, ” There is no playbook to be a parent.” Floyd Lee Jr. and Levada Lee did a lot things right but there is one thing that stands out to me the most. My parents were experts at keeping things in a place of discretion so that we could stay in a child’s place. I would never know what they really had financially or not because they did not display it to me and my siblings. We never went without in our home. They made sure that we had all we needed and wanted from head to toe. If there was any issues between them far as their marriage, they kept that information inside like Fort Knox. I share this information because their intentions of being discrete is what allowed us to be able to have some sense of childhood. We had to grow up fast due to uncontrollable reasons but what they could shield us from they would. They knew what this world would offer us on it own and did not want it to be a distraction from us been able to dream as child. Those child hood moments of your life are important. They normalized us being children and with that we were able to dream as big as possible. As a child I felt I could do it all because no matter what was happening in the world around me, my parents created a space for us to be children.
Floyd “Tre”, 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?
My name is Floyd Lee III, but I am also known as Tre Lee. I am a Greenville, MS native that takes a great honor in knowing what I have came from and where God is taking me. I have many hats that I wear and each one of them has meaning to me but the first one is being a husband to Whitney, and Father to King and Kross. They are my peace and humility wrapped in flesh. It is with them I am reminded that my main purpose in life is to be a leader for them. It does not matter how I lead outside of those four walls if my home is not prospering from my gift of leadership. I am a Christian artist and a public speaker as well. God blessed me with the gift of words. In so many ways I like to think that I am poetic but my main goal is to always be illustrated when it comes to presenting music or inspiration to the audience before me. At one time I was immature with my words and was not using them in the purpose that God intended them for. In time God has allowed that gift to evolved into a true weapon of healing and power. My wife and I together are big mental health advocates in our community. We have neglected the mental health side of things so much to now it seems like a fad but the truth is these conversations should have been catered to from the beginning. I have also taken up on a new role of being a Young Adult Pastor and in this role it has challenged me to grow as a leader in my home, job, community, and church. My biggest goal is to use every platform God has blessed me with to bring people to a place of healing and also to know God has a purpose for each of us!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative and artist, is the feeling of seen someone break free from whatever they were struggling with. Through the strength of Christ, he has allowed me to create music and YouTube content that opens the door for hard conversation. My music talks about my journey through mental health and how I have had to maneuver through having a general anxiety disorder. I realized that a lot of people felt the things that I did but they could not express it as colorful as I did. The opportunity that was given to me through my gift helped others here that there can be healing, there can be freedom, and there can be hope in the midst of all of this. If you click on YOUTUBE, and type in YA THINK TANK you will come across a podcast that I was able to create that helps us have hard conversation but with a perspective that points back to Christ. I felt that people of faith sometimes fear having hard conversation but do not understand that God allows us the space to have these discussions. Sometimes we will agree and sometimes we will disagree but that does not mean a solution can not be found through the conversation.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Yes there is a book that had a great impact on my life and how I serve in my purpose. This book is by Rick Warren, and it is called A Purpose of a Driven Life. This book help me stop seeking purpose in my profession and people around me. I literally was able to find my purpose in how God seen me and wanted me to grow. I believe we sometimes over emphasize purpose in a way that if it does not seem big and grand than it can’t be purpose. The truth is your purpose can be in you sparking the one person that will change the world. We play a role in a bigger picture that connects all of us. Never make your purpose small, because your purpose is BIG! It can not be compared to anyone else’s purpose! It plays a significant role and without it the big picture is not complete!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @speaktrelee
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCElTU9m30OjYCvVDTpAHqOA
Image Credits
Camille Leigh Photography