Dreams Deferred: Recession, Struggle, and the Quest for a Better World

by Brandolon Barnett

"Dreams Deferred is an important read about the experiences of a Black man working in the social sector. Brandolon's poignant and often humorous stories illustrate the tensions held by many people of color in that sector and serve as a reminder that real social progress requires unique perspectives that can only be achieved through diverse leadership."― Edgar Villanueva, author, activist, and philanthropist"San Francisco appeared to me as a gorgeous construct of wide avenues and interesting alleyways. One of those alleyways might even serve as my bed that evening. My ride to and from the city for my unpaid internship cost fourteen dollars. I'd stood at the fare machine in the chill morning hours, trying again and again to pay, my debit card repeatedly rejected. $9 of the $14 meant to get me to and from work that day had gone to a Netflix account I was certain I'd canceled. I backed away from the machine to let others have their go. I was at a fork in the road, and I had a choice to make. The story of my life." ~ Brandolon Barnett"Would you ever think that someone you see sleeping on the streets would one day become an angel investor, a philanthropist? That's exactly the case with Brandolon Barnett, who from 2008 through 2013 was hit hard by the Great Recession, struggled to find work, and was forced to search the streets of San Francisco for a place to sleep. Today he is head of corporate social responsibility industry solutions in Salesforce.org's philanthropy cloud, and leader of the Democratize Ventures investing and advisory institute. He is the epitome of that age-old Don't ever give up." ~ Bob Gatty in the "Homeless to Don't Ever Give Up" interview."Looking for Cultural & Regional Biographies to read or books on Personal Growth, and Personal Transformation Self-Help, then read this book. This is a must-read! You will not be able to put it down. I highly recommend this book." ~ S.C.For the generation of young people who came of age during the Great Recession of 2007-2009 (and those who will come of age during recessions that are sure to follow) making one's way into the labor force could be a daunting challenge. That's especially true for a generation raised and schooled to believe that success in life comes from finding work that reflects their talents and interests. In such circumstances, having to take on work that doesn't fit either one's abilities or one's deepest sense of meaning and purpose can be enough to crush any spirit that strives for something more.Dreams Recession, Struggle, and the Quest for a Better World bears witness to the struggle of a deep-thinking, curious, and intelligent young Black man from Dallas, Texas, who grew up as the only child of a loving mother in a stable yet poor household. Author Brandolon Barnett offers readers a candid and moving account of his personal journey from entering the workforce to establishing himself as a leader in the non-profit arena. Dreams Deferred confronts head on the tension between the author's hopes, ambitions, and sense of humor and the harsh realities of a world that at every turn seems determined to quash them. Barnett's story offers a heaping dose of inspiration for anyone trying to find their way in the world without giving up on their dreams.

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 4, 2021

Reviews

[Prescott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brandolon is a good friend of mine, but I only barely noticed he was going through the things he was going through. I had my own struggles and deferred dreams going on to notice other people's. He chased his dreams, and his work, harder than I did and he wrote his story really well, even to where I almost teared up at a point. He also did something about it all, and I'm proud of him achieving what he did. I'm hoping he writes another book in the future. Good read that you can use to imagine things, from people, places, things, work and dreams.

[Kevin Schraith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this quite a bit, and it was a special treat knowing the author!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by a friend - an inspiring story about perseverance and making your passions and dreams into your whole life.