Today we’d like to introduce you to Keenan Lowery.
Hi Keenan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was raised in North Memphis by my mother and grandmother, alongside my five sisters. It was hard being the only boy in a household full of strong Black women, and I felt it was my responsibility to protect and care for them all. I knew there was a purpose for my life when I survived a very complicated birth that my mother and I almost did not make it out of. My grandmother, an English teacher with Memphis City Schools for over 30 years, significantly shaped my desire to serve a greater purpose. Her influence instilled in me a warrior spirit, motivating me to impact the world positively, particularly in Memphis.
It felt as though I was trying to escape my purpose throughout high school. I made less-than-ideal decisions, placing me in situations I instinctively knew were far from where I should be. I knew I was better than those decisions and situations, but I never truly learned my lesson until it led me to hit rock bottom. I was crushed when they told me I could not walk across the stage and graduate with the friends I had since middle school. Not graduating high school was one of the most difficult, eye-opening experiences, making me feel like I had failed at life and disappointed everyone around me. I was not going to allow this failure to dictate the rest of my life, so I had a decision to make at that moment. My faith became a huge part of my life as I prayed with tears in my eyes, asking God to direct my path. I was reaffirmed then that I had a purpose in this world and was determined to discover it.
One of my proudest moments was when I believed in myself enough to go and get my GED from Messick Adult School before enrolling in Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. My Historical Black College and University (HBCU) became the platform where I unearthed my life purpose—to help others—and I wholeheartedly immersed myself in service and leadership. I became the Student Government Association President, HBCU All-Star for the White House under the Obama Administration, Student Representative on the Board of Trustees, Tennessee Governor’s Volunteer Star, President of the Beta Pi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, and received the Lane College President’s Award for outstanding leadership.
In April 2018, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with honors, and I started working for Choose901/City Leadership three days later. I am currently getting my Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a certification in Local Government Management and serving my community as a mentor, activist, ambassador, public speaker, and political enthusiast. I refused to let my past determine my future, and I know this is only the beginning of the Keenan Lowery story.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
If I had to use a word to describe my journey, smooth would not be it. Each phase of my life came with different challenges, but a couple were extremely difficult for me. At the end of my sophomore year of college, my grandmother passed, and it crushed everything inside of me. She was the person who believed in me and kept me motivated to go so hard, and without her, it felt pointless. I had to take some time to recalibrate my life and rely on my faith to get me to where I needed to be. Walking across the stage to receive my bachelor’s degree felt much more significant because I knew I did that for her.
Experiencing the real world after graduation shocked me because I just knew I had everything about life figured out, but I was wrong. Life humbled me in the most real way it knew how. I was forced to face my biggest fears, battle perfectionism, and even struggle with imposter syndrome. For a considerable time in my adult life, I was unhappy and was trying to stay above water. I realized that I was better than the seasons I was going through, and the challenges I faced were a part of the story to made me the person I needed to be. I was able to build a tribe of people that loved and supported me, which was one of the main things that helped me get through it all.
To be a great leader, you must work on your mental health because pouring from an empty cup is difficult. It is important to share our life experiences because our stories can be the key to unlocking someone else’s prison. I had to accept that the journey has its ups and downs, but I will always win if I do not quit.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work with City Leadership, a non-profit consulting firm established by John Carroll in 2010. Our team recruits, develops, and catalyzes leaders in the city of Memphis.
We want to ensure the organizations impacting the next generation of change agents have the best tools, resources, and talent to operate at their highest capacity. Our recruitment campaign, Choose901, showcases the vibrant aspects of Memphis, including events, new destinations, and the often-overlooked stories unfolding throughout the city. Our other campaigns include the Choose901: Alumni Program, Teach901, Serve901, Lead901, and Give901. Our team believes Memphis is the premier place to live and invest your life, so we work daily to improve it.
I was given an opportunity for a second chance at life, so I wanted to give back to the people who look like me and come from where I come from. I started an initiative using the acronym D.R.E.A.M.S., which stands for diligently recognizing efforts and means to succeed in achieving their wildest dream.
I support young Memphians by hosting fundraisers to give away backpacks every fall, and I adopt 5 students each year to assist in their life journey with a mentor. I also use public speaking to share my story of triumph and resilience to invoke hope and inspire others to pursue their dreams. I aspire to share my story worldwide so young black kids can look at me and know they can do anything they put their minds to if I can do it.
My heart to serve and my commitment to this city are what I want to set me apart. I have had the opportunity to participate in leadership development opportunities such as Leadership Memphis and Memphis Academy of Civic Engagement, allowing me to learn strategies from elite professionals to bring about change. I am currently serving as the ambassador for the Shelby County Mental Health campaign,” Shake the Stigma,” to change the narrative and expose Memphians to mental health resources.
I’m also on the Shelby County Mayor’s Young Professionals Council and was a part of the momentous movement to elect Paul Young to Memphis Mayor. I am most proud of being recently inducted into the Lane College Inaugural 20 Under Forty Society just five years after graduating. To be recognized by my HBCU, who took a chance on me and transformed me into the man I am today, gives me an indescribable feeling.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I learned along my journey was to have faith and know that everything that happens in my life is for my overall good. At one point in my life, I was ashamed to tell my story until I gained the courage to share my testimony in the chapel in front of the entire college. Students, faculty, and even staff approached me afterward to inform me how my story inspired them and never to stop sharing it. Now, I understand the power of sharing my story and that it serves a bigger purpose to help others along their journey.
Faith has allowed me to take a step back to breathe and learn to live in the moment. Rushing life only makes you feel you are further behind, and it continuously moves the goalpost. The journey to living in your purpose is not easy, and it will require everything inside of you, but the thing is, we all have it inside of us to succeed. I have had to face my fears and overcome my mind to pursue peace and live in my faith.
I had to learn that I was enough and deserved to confidently be in the spaces I occupied. I’m telling you now that you will be frustrated, have doubts, shed tears, and ask yourself what you even got yourself into, but I promise it is all worth it. You must continue to find that thing that ignites a fire in your soul, and that is going to be your purpose. Everything you go through will be for your good, so have faith it will all work out, and just breathe.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://choose901.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keenan_no_kell/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/keenanlowery
- Other: https://cityleadership.org/
