Kyng Grayson Olison and Marquis Olison
I've decided to leave Los Angeles, my home of 17 years to help Governor Deval Patrick become the 46th President of the United States of America.
My Name is Marquis Leon Olison. My six month old nephew is Kyng Grayson Olison. We are both black men from Chicago raised in poverty by single mothers. As I hold little Kyng in my hands and look into his eyes, I have dreams for him to become a doctor, a lawyer, a computer programmer, maybe even a President. In him, I see a little bundle of limitless potential.
When I look over his head and out into the world we live in, my hope for Kyng's future turns into fear for his life. Statistics show that schools are singling out and punishing little black boys at much higher rates than other children. Every day we see yet another video of a black man either being beaten or killed by rogue law enforcement agents. Our prisons are overcrowded with black and brown bodies serving major time for minor offenses. Black mothers and infants are three times more likely to die versus mothers of other races. At the border, our country putting babies just like Kyng into cages. The 2020 Ladders of Opportunity are starting to look like 1920 Water Fountains with signs saying "For Whites Only."
President Kennedy, quoting Edmund Burke said "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Just like Kyng and I, Governor Patrick is a black man, raised by a single mom in the midwest. Governor Patrick shared a bunk bed with his mother and sister at his grandparents' home on the South Side of Chicago. In eighth grade, Deval Patrick earned a scholarship to a boarding school in Massachusetts which would change his life! He worked hard, got good grades and got into Harvard where he would earn his bachelors and law degree. Governor Patrick would go on to work for the NAACP and then served in the Justice Department in the Civil Rights Division under President Bill Clinton. In 2007, Deval Patrick won a long shot bid to become the Governor of Massachusetts, succeeding Republican Governor Mitt Romney. After his two terms in office, where he implemented one of the most far reaching healthcare programs in the nation, Governor Patrick Became managing director of a Social Impact Fund for Bain Capital. His story could only have happened in America. In one generation, with faith in God, hard work, and imagination, a man could go from the bottom of the 99% to the top of the 1%. Governor Patrick's life IS Dr. King's Dream.
Just like Governor Patrick, I have been blessed with opportunities that most kids from my zipcode aren't afforded. I went to great public schools in the West Suburbs of Chicago (Cossitt Elementary, Garfield Elementary, Washington Elementary, Proviso East and Proviso West High School. I earned a BS from Northwestern University. I've done everything from working as a Math Teacher at Antonio Pantoja High School, an Associate Producer with the Jerry Springer Show, and Regional Manager for Nextdoor.com and Airbnb. More importantly, I've had the opportunity to see several other Democratic Campaigns and their staffs up close and personally.
I am an educated, well-connected black man with extensive experience in elections, fundraising, entertainment, advocacy, and technology. I've inspired thousands of people through words and actions to volunteer and vote for a number of causes and candidates. Since I was a child, my unlikely story has been told in a variety of newspapers and media reports. With my resume and the emphasis on Diversity & Inclusion, I could name my salary for any of the campaigns that have raised millions of dollars and built gigantic organizations.
Instead, I'm choosing to put my blood, sweat, toil, and tears behind the Long Shot Candidate from the South Side of Chicago who is the right person for THIS ELECTION and THIS TIME. Governor Patrick has a history and a lifetime of experience bridging partisan divides, understanding the issues ailing all classes of people, and living his life with a morality and decency that our nation sorely needs.
I'm making this decision, not just for myself, but for little Kyng. I want him to know that it's important to fight on the side of right, no matter the cost or outcome. I want him to know his uncle did all that he could to make the world a better place. In that spirit, Kyng's mom, Danisha Hogan, is one of my first volunteers. While living in Mayor Pete's South Bend Indiana, she's experiencing first hand, the challenges of trying to balance child care and a job. My goal is to help her learn the power of organizing to change a city, to change a country, to change a life's destiny.
The odds are long and the big money is against us. The same thing was said about another Chicagoan running for President in 2008.
That's why we're hosting our first National Volunteer Call this Tuesday, December 3rd with special guest Governor Deval Patrick. Join us at 9PM EST (8PM CST 6PM PST) to hear about the first weeks on the campaign trail and learn from campaign staff and volunteer leaders how you can get involved wherever you are in the country.
RSVP to reserve your spot to this important call.
https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfwNLn-wyO1LP5o37…/viewform
If you want to help or talk hit me up! I leave Los Angeles Tuesday at Midnight!
