QB The Don: Climbing to a Crescendo
By Brianna Peters
Many years ago, a friend told me that careers are often not linear, but more like a jungle gym. After earning our college diplomas, we ambitiously climb the ladder of upward mobility to our entry-level jobs. As we climb upwards, we may make a lateral move or step back to gain a better footing. Even when we feel like we’re about to fall, it’s often a part of a greater crescendo - each step building towards something higher. As we continue to move forward, we might find that pivoting and taking a step back have helped us climb even higher than before.
QB The Don is the pivot poster child. As a 2020 graduate of Florida A&M University (FAMU), he was forced to pivot as a college student. Like most 2020 college graduates, the pandemic cancelled his graduation. Upon receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology (IT), he anticipated moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, and working as a Product Support Expert at Wells Fargo. However, the pandemic cut the number of seats in his class in half, and the opportunity was not long-lasting. When it fell through, he became a Product Support Specialist for Bank America - a remote position that took him back to his childhood home.
Like many college graduates, QB did not want to go back home to his childhood home in Jacksonville, Florida - a place that often made him feel emotionally unsafe at times. He didn’t feel like he could be his authentic self and dealt with depression. Growing up, his family struggled financially, and he often felt that he couldn’t express his feelings because he was told that kids shouldn’t have feelings. He felt caged in and retreated to his room, while staying in his box. One way he would express himself was through his music. As a young child, he played the violin. However, his dad didn’t want him to play because he didn’t want him to be around “gay people”, a stereotype he imposed on violinists. Ironically, QB now identifies as a gay man. Despite his childhood experience with music, QB circled back to it during his free time as an adult, often showcasing it online, specifically on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
While working remotely at Bank of America, he pivoted again. This time, applying for teacher positions for the Atlanta School District. After submitting his application, he heard back a few days later, receiving an offer for a position. Looking back on the experience, he feels like the quick turnaround was a small red flag. Since he wasn’t prepared to move to Atlanta, he moved in with a cousin to start his new life out there.
As a teacher, he advocated for students who struggled behaviorally. As a K-12 student, he excelled academically, often getting in trouble for talking back, getting into fights, and being “disrespectful” in some people’s eyes. He wanted to provide a space for students that he never had growing up. Ultimately, he didn’t want to prejudge them and advocated for students who behaved this way too. His parents often joked with him and said, “he’s getting his get back as a kid”.
During his first couple of years of teaching, he taught 7th and 8th grade. Many of his students told him that he was the first male teacher they ever had, let alone a Black male teacher. He knew that there was an impact and responsibility that he had as a male teacher, especially since Black boys don’t always see themselves in educational spaces. Some students would tell him, “I only go to school to see you”. This truly resonated with him because when he didn’t feel like being in the classroom, he knew Black students wanted to see him.
Although he enjoyed being in the classroom, he often felt that he was not just teaching anymore. It became all encompassing - being a counselor, social work, and behavioral manager. Many mornings, he would record videos and feel that he was dragging himself out the door. He knew that this wasn’t a good place professionally. So he decided to pivot again - this time betting on himself and creating his own thing.
Through his experience posting his own music on TikTok, he began posting his classroom videos on Instagram and then to TikTok. He left his laptop up in his classroom and it became organic. He made his followers aware of what was actually happening in classrooms. After posting his first TikTok, he got 100K views on his first day. With this reaction, he knew that he was on to something. This led to him monetizing, gaining traction, and getting onto platforms such as Dr. Phil, CNN, and Revolt TV. Although he is a one person team, he wants to provide future opportunities for other people to work with him as his business grows. As his business continues to grow, it has been up and down, but he’s making enough to support himself. One of his latest projects has been his winter pack, where he is considering working with brand deals. Ultimately, he wants deals that resonate and align with him.
What’s in the future for QB? “I want to be known as one of those people who bridged educational gaps at home”, he said. He wants to make learning easier and more accessible for parents and wants to be a major creator of textbooks one day. He also thinks that the school days should be shorter, possibly only 4 - 5 hours, since students have a difficult time focusing and sitting still. He wants to leave the remaining hours of the day to extracurricular activities. And his relationship with his parents? It has definitely improved, and they are very proud of him, especially his mom, who often tells him how proud she is of him whenever they talk on the phone.
Just like jungle gyms, QB’s dedication helps children develop strength, coordination, and agility as they learn to climb in their educational journey and ultimately in their future careers. QB is just getting started, and its work will continue to build and increase in volume online and in educational spaces around the world.
