photo by steed media service

When queried about what drives him, father, student and activist Larry Alford refers to an old adage his grandmother told him when he was younger; “It’s all right to give out, but never give up on anything.” Today, the Meriwether, Ga., native lives and dies by those very words, which have led him on a path to culinary arts, but even more powerful is Alford’s never-ending fight to build a stronger, healthier African American community. This year has already been one to remember for Alford. He is Atlanta Technical College’s “Student of the Year,” and he was recently named “Solo Warrior of the Year” by the Judge Mablean Ephriam Foundation, which is a national honor awarded to a father who demonstrates the best in positive fatherhood. Alford is the adoptive father of 2-year-old Janiyah and 3-year-old Jonathan. The average mortal would be happy to take home such honors, but for Alford, the importance of his actions goes beyond the hardware. “I’ve gotten a lot of praise and a lot of accolades, but the thing is, I’m just doing what I feel is right,” says Alford. “Regardless of how much people may praise you for it, as long as you’ve made the life of someone else a little bit easier — I think that’s my goal [with] every person that I come across.”

Alford’s day usually start at 5 a.m., when he readies his kids for school before heading to his classes at 8 a.m. Alford is also chairman of the Southwest Coalition of Concerned Citizens and is involved in several other community organizations. So after a slew of community meetings and extracurricular activities for school, Alford makes it to his home at about 9 p.m. In December, Alford will receive a degree in culinary arts from Atlanta Technical College along with a degree in computer information systems and accounting from DeVry University. Alford chose culinary arts because he has dreams of opening a restaurant in southwest Atlanta that will offer healthier cuisine than the typical Southern fare. And if all goes according to plan, he will also pursue political aspirations in the city of Atlanta.

“It’s not enough to sit on the sideline and wait for things to happen,” says Alford of why he chooses to gear his talents towards helping the community. “You have to actively engage yourself and be part [of the] change. A lot of times we sit back and wait for another person to do something or initiate, when it only takes the power of one to get things going.” - gavin p. godfrey

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