We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful De’fron Fobb. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with De’fron below.
De’fron, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
My parents (May they both rest in peace) My grandparents, and My aunt. Even though my mom was murdered when she I was just 6 , I remember my mother working 2 jobs and never complaining and always manage to be there for me and my brother and my father was the same way. He never took no for an answer and he never allowed my brother and I to see him complain nor quit. After my mom pass my father tried his best to raise my brother and I but at times it was hard so I went to live with my grandmother and my brother went to live with my aunt.
My grandparents took me in and provided me with everything I needed and did not allow me to go without. While my father lived down the street from my grandparents and still was involved in my brother and I lives the day to day operations was provided by my grandparents. They both taught me the value of HARD WORK. My grandmother worked for the catholic diocese and my grandfather worked at a funeral home. Every morning I had to wake up at 6AM for school and on the weekends I could not sleep pass 10AM and all chores had to be completed before I could go outside or do anything with my friends. Church was a must every sunday and good grades in school was not an option. Being raised by my grandparents prepared me for adulthood and watching them work extra hard to take care of me made me want to work even harder.
My aunt who help raise my brother was also instrumental to my resilience. Glenda Colbert was the first black female to open her own school with no financial backing from the state at the time she open her school doors over 30 years ago and it still remains open today. Facing obstacle after obstacle she never gave up and always put others first. Having three daughters of her own she still raised my brother as if he was her’s. She is one fearless women and watching her as I grew up and watching her to this day is truly an inspiration to me.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a high school special education teacher at Pebblebrook High School located in Mableton, GA. I teach Special Education and also the boys basketball varsity assistant coach. When I am not teaching and/or coaching I am running my HBCU licensed apparel company, The Anthony Lawrence Collection. The Anthony Lawrence Collection is a licensed NCAA apparel company that specializes in exclusive high-quality HBCU apparel. The Anthony Lawrence Collection has unique designs with premium lifestyle products for HBCU alum, students, friends, and/or family. The Anthony Lawrence Collection specializes in premium HBCU products from t-shirts, sweaters, shorts and varsity letterman jackets. We are known for our high-quality products and unique designs. The Anthony Lawrence Collection will be opening a new store front in Baton Rouge, La in the summer of 2023 and in Atlanta, GA in summer of 2024. You can currently purchase my apparel online through my website. www.anthonylawrencecollection.com
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Keeping God first, building positive relationships, and believing in myself. Nothing I have accomplished will be in existence without God. I am a strong believer in my faith and I know without him nothing that I’ve experience in education, business, and/or in my personal life would be possible. Building positive relationships has also been my key on this journey. The saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” has been key on my journey. The relationships that I have made and build has allowed me to do things that I would have been difficult to do or get accomplished if not for some of those relationships. Believing in myself was key as a person that battles depression and anxiety I knew I had to believe in me and I knew that if I did not believe in me who else would so that was and had been very important on this journey.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
Battling depression and winning the fight. The past 12 months I have seen myself grow and deal with the situation in a more positive and calm way. I’ve learned how to control my breathing when I feel myself going into a dark place and just being able to journal what I am feeling at the moment to help me get a clear picture of what it is that has me depressed during the time. It is a constant battle but the improvement in the past we months I have been amazing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anthonylawrencecollection.com
- Instagram: thenewhbcuflava
- Facebook: Anthony Lawrence Collection
- Twitter: alcollection
