J. THURMAN
Speaker & Author
A native of Chicago, IL, and former Upward Bounder with the University of Chicago, J. Thurman uses his experience as an educator, author, youth speaker, trainer and facilitator to transforms the ideas of human relationships, which ultimately lead to our success.
He attended Virginia State University his Freshmen year and is a graduate of Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College at Baton Rouge, LA and lives in Atlanta, GA. He is the most sought after speaker in the field of leadership training and professional development.


But the truth will shock you. He is the youngest of two. Born in the Madden Park Holmes (The Projects) on the Southside of Chicago. A product of a single parent home. His mother was able to get a Masters Degree from Northeastern Illinois University while raising two boys in one of the most infamous part of the city, so he knows something about leadership.
J. Thurman is a great asset to any event planner that will hire him. I have personally worked with J. Thurman at two events and the value his presentation gave was incredible.
Derrick Hayes, President W.O.E Enterprises, Columbus, GA
After having a devastating foot injury due to a backyard accident, he fought back to earn a starting spot on his football team (GO Mighty Men!!!!), so he knows something about courage. And if it was not for the Upward Bound Program at the University of Chicago he probably would not have gone to college. It is only because of his high school teammates, friends, parents and coach help navigate my daily gang affiliations and drug wars plaguing my city that he is standing strong to tell the story.

Everybody’s got a story, but he knows your students because he was them. He made the Dean’s List twice and only bought five books my whole time in college because he could not afford them. He had to fight for everything and only got through it because of people like you. He knows what your students are going through and I kinda have a feel about what you are going through. Let him help you achieve your objectives for the year and in the process we can learn, grow, transform and have a little fun in the process.