A former garbage collector and now-current law school student received support from Tyler Perry to reach his goal of becoming a lawyer and is now working to inspire other campus service providers to see themselves as students.
The second-year Harvard law student has now started a nonprofit organization to support sanitation engineers, janitors, cafeteria attendees, security guards, operational staffers, or other blue-collar workers to receive need-based grants for higher education.
After mobilizing other students and friends, he has raised $70,000 to support this mission to not only help people get into school but be respected while working on campus.
Rehan Staton says life before he entered academia was very different. He was a sanitation worker in Bladensburg, Maryland. His days consisted of hauling trash in a grueling grind.
However, there were people around him who encouraged him to apply to attend college. With their push, he applied and was accepted to the University of Maryland.
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He continued to work with sanitation while attending college, sometimes creeping into the back of the lecture hall in his yellow uniform after finishing up a long shift. On those days, he said there was no time to shower and plenty of situations could have discouraged him.
Still, he kept on, worked long hours at the job and studying, and graduated with honors.
In 2020, he was accepted to Harvard University, one of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Many were inspired by Staton’s story and donated to support his matriculation at the Ivy League.
Perry heard about his story and stepped in to make sure while he studied at Harvard— finances were not an issue, and he could focus on law.
He had a tough upbringing but worked hard at a tireless job to eventually reach his…
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