Being Chosen to Strive: A Reflection on Purpose, Passion, and Persistence
By Christopher Tru Hood
Some people are hired. Others are called.
I’ve come to realize—I’m the latter. Called to serve. Called to create. Called to lead. Called to build.
Last week, someone asked me if I could run a photography workshop.
I said, without hesitation: Yes.
This week, they came back and asked if I could lead not one, but two podcasting workshops. Again, I said: Yes.
Because this is what I was made for. This is what I’ve been waiting for. And honestly? This is what I’ve been fighting for.
Faith Over Fear, Purpose Over Pressure
I’ve been grinding with my head held high and my faith locked in the same word that’s carried me through every storm: God.
Every time I’ve been doubted, overlooked, misunderstood, or underestimated, I’ve turned inward—and upward. I’ve stayed persistent. I’ve stayed obedient. And now, step by step, those doors I used to pray about?
They’re opening.
Not all at once. But faithfully. Intentionally. Purposefully.
And now I’ve been offered roles to teach after-school. To lead summer school. To step up as a guide, an instructor, a mentor—not just a man with skills, but a man with vision.
It’s not about being flashy. It’s about being faithful.
The Workshop: A Moment Bigger Than Me
This week’s podcast workshop wasn’t just a session. It was a moment.
A room full of Black and Brown youth—some guarded, some wide-eyed, some unsure—sat down in front of microphones.
And then… they opened up.
Some were quiet at first.
Some were vulnerable.
Some shared things I know took courage to say out loud.
But all of them brought power to the table.
Even the ones I didn’t expect to talk? They did.
Even the ones who said “Nah, I ain’t doing all that”? They did.
They showed up.
They let go.
They shared real-life stuff.
And I gave them 110% of my attention, because I saw myself in them.
I missed the awards that day, but it was worth it.
Because I was giving the next generation everything I had.
Creative Mind, Creative Mission
I want to thank every single staff member, teacher, and leader at Hirsch who’s opened space for me to do what I do best.
To the principal, the assistant principal, and the support team who believed in my skills across media, tech, and mentorship—thank you.
I was honored to receive the “Creative Mind” award. I haven’t even had a chance to sit and fully take it in yet, but I feel it. I feel the weight of being seen.
It means something when your ideas aren’t just heard—but valued.
When your voice is respected not just as an artist—but as a teacher, a visionary, and a vessel.
What They Learned (And What I Learned Too)
I taught these students about podcasting equipment—
🎙️ That not all microphones are the same.
🎧 That dynamic mics serve different purposes than condenser ones.
🎚️ That mixers bring it all together, but passion brings it to life.
I broke down the importance of target audiences.
I reminded them: “You can’t reach everyone, but you better learn to understand someone.”
And they got it.
Some were just amazed by the gear alone.
Some didn’t want to participate at first, but ended up taking the mic and dropping gems.
Some were Spanish-speaking students I wished I could connect with more directly—but even they watched closely, and I saw curiosity in their eyes.
A Legacy in Motion
This isn’t just about workshops.
This is about legacy.
About giving what I didn’t always get.
About pouring into kids who might be hurting but still show up.
About being present even when life is pulling me a hundred different ways.
See, I know what it feels like to be the student who had potential—but not the outlet.
Now I am the outlet.
I told them: “You can build. You can grow. You can elevate.”
Even if you’re starting from zero.
Even if nobody around you understands the vision.
Even if you’re scared.
I’m Just Getting Started
People don’t know—I’m in school right now working on my Master’s in New Media Journalism at Full Sail University.
And everything I’m doing in these classrooms, these workshops, these sessions—it’s all tied to my growth as a journalist, creative, and servant to the community.
These past two workshops were more than just opportunities.
They were affirmations.
They confirmed I’m on the right path.
They reminded me that I am chosen to strive.
To Every Student in That Room…
To the young man in the back who raised his hand when nobody else did—
To the girl who grabbed the mic and said something she’d never told anyone—
To the students who showed up and sat quietly but left changed—
To the ones who felt seen for the first time—
You matter.
You are not invisible.
Your voice is a seed. Plant it. Speak it.
Watch it grow.
Final Words
So today, I sign off full of gratitude.
Grateful to teach.
Grateful to serve.
Grateful to strive.
I’ve given my knowledge. I’ve opened my heart.
And I’ve trusted the process—never knowing exactly where it’ll lead, but knowing God’s hand is over it.
So if you’re reading this, let it be known:
I’m not giving up.
I’m not backing down.
And I’m not slowing up.
Because I’m chosen to strive.
And I’m walking boldly into that calling, one workshop, one mic, one miracle at a time.
🖤
—Christopher Tru Hood
Tru Hood Studio LLC
Photographer. Storyteller. Mentor. Messenger.