About
Building People, Ideas, and Systems That Last
I've spent my whole life navigating complexity adopted and biological families, Black and white cultures, American and international contexts. That's not background. That's my foundation.
My Story
Where This Comes From
"I didn't learn about resilience, openness, and foundation from a workshop. I learned it growing up.
My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gentle, were two selfless human beings who offered over 40 children shelter a home where young children could be cared for when their biological parents couldn't. They opened their arms to a panoply of cultures, even when people disagreed with their decision to foster and care for other children on top of raising their own six biological kids. I am one of four children they adopted, totaling ten.
My adoptive father, Mr. Gentle, passed away in 2020 during COVID—a day I'll never forget. The last thing I remember him saying was to " You’ve got it Big Guy!,Never Give Up." My parents taught me patience, presence, and what unconditional love actually looks like.
I grew up with a brother navigating mental health challenges and a sister with Down syndrome who showed me that strength doesn't always look the way people expect and that support means meeting people where they are, not where you think they should be. I grew up in a blended family with white siblings, biological family, and all the complexity that comes with navigating multiple identities and cultures under one roof. I learned early that wholeness requires access to all parts of who you are, not just the parts that are convenient or comfortable for others.
My biological father, Jerry "Roof" Sweatte, passed away in January 2024. Even though he didn’t raise me, he was still a legend in my eyes. He struggled with addiction and always seemed to find a way to follow-through. He was resilient, determined, special but because of how he showed up when we finally met. Consistently. With integrity. With presence. He taught me what it means to build a legacy that outlasts you.
And now, as a father myself to a mixed-race daughter, I'm fighting for her right to know all of herself Black and white, creative and disciplined, free and grounded. I refuse to let her experience cultural erasure the way too many young people do.
This work IamRoof, the workshops, the keynotes, the book isn't theoretical for me. It's personal. It's generational. It's the fight I've had in my whole life."
What I Do
I'm an educator, speaker, and cultural architect.
"I'm TEFL-certified, hold a Marketing Certification, and am completing my Business English certification. I currently teach ESL while developing workshops and keynotes for schools, organizations, and communities. I specialize in helping young people develop identity, discipline, and purpose through the R.O.O.F. framework—Resilience, Openness, Ownership, Foundation. I also work with educators and youth workers to create the conditions where young people can actually grow, rather than just comply. I wrote Raising the Roof Through Culture, a book exploring how belonging, balance, and discipline create the stability every person needs. And I'm preparing to teach abroad in Colombia, where I'll continue building IamRoof while expanding my understanding of what young people need across borders and cultures. At my core, I'm a builder of people, ideas, and systems that help others discover who they are, what they stand for, and how to contribute with purpose."
Background & Training
TEFL-Certified (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
Marketing Certification
Business English Certified
TEFL, ESP & ESL Instructor | Workshop Facilitator
Founder, IamRoof
Author: Raising Culture Through the R.O.O.F., Mothers Are Always Right, Fathers Are Often Gone, and Home Away From Home.
The Mission
IamRoof exists because too many young people are growing up without the foundation they need. They're navigating identity crises, cultural erasure, and systems that demand resilience without teaching it. My mission is simple: help students, educators, and youth organizations build the roof every life requires—resilience, openness, ownership, and a solid foundation. Not through lectures or empty motivation, but through real frameworks, honest conversations, and presence that refuses to accept mediocrity.
