In Making of an Activist, a three-part companion podcast, we go behind the scenes with DeRay Mckesson, charting his early years in activism and his journey to the internationally recognised civil rights figure of today. In episode one we explore his early years in Baltimore, growing up with two parents struggling with addiction. However, with the assistance of a broader support system, DeRay manages not just to survive, but to thrive. At a young age, he was already campaigning and organizing. We explore the nature and nurture circumstances of DeRay’s activism. In episode two we dive into DeRay’s college years where he was the first and only class and student body president at Bowdoin, DeRay was the centre of civic life on campus. Mentored by Geoffrey Canada, DeRay decides to teach after graduation. We explore the formative experiences on and off campus, what drew him to the classroom, and revisit what key people in his life at that time remember about DeRay the student, leader, and teacher. In episode three we discover that after stints in Baltimore and Harlem Children’s Zone, DeRay heads to Minneapolis to lead the human capital department for Minneapolis Public Schools. In the safety and security of a career-defining role, DeRay watches the immediate aftermath of Mike Brown’s brutal murder in Ferguson and simply cannot sit still. There was no going back for DeRay, we discover what sparked his drive down to Ferguson, and how life changed forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
