Name: Jason Frank

Social Media Handle/Username: Conservative559

Introduce Yourself/Tell About Yourself: Born in Lusaka Zambia during the Rhodesian war where we lived in a house with 14 foot high walls covered in broken glass and razor wire. Dad worked for Bank of America and the CIA. Mom was a farm girl from Iowa. Mom and Dad split, Dad remarried a woman from England and my sister and mom moved to LA. Left Africa at age 5 for Grand Cayman, where my Dad attacked money laundering. Lived right on 7-mile beach swimming, boating, diving, and fishing. After 5 years there moved to Concord California with a British accent not knowing anything about the US. This led to me hanging with the wrong kids, so teenage years were spent homeless on the streets hustling and being a burden on society. Got arrested and sent to rehab at 17 – got out – got into bad things again and went to another rehab this time for 3 years. Got out, got married, had a baby, divorced, joined the Navy, and ended up in Virginia Beach. Deployed twice – once to the Persian Gulf – Once to Afghanistan. We were actually the carrier that protected New York after the towers fell launching planes to patrol the sky. Got out and had issues readjusting to society – but got that under control- went back to school and then after a year got a call at work that both my kids had died in my backyard. Dealt with that loss and chose to start pushing myself – earned 2 associates degrees- Bachelors – Masters – and now finishing up my PhD. Was able to adopt a child and he just turned 5.

What Inspires You Every day? : my children who passed inspire me to do more everyday

What is some words of wisdom you live by?: Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.” – Charles Kettering

What is your ultimate goal in life? : To finish my PhD and know I did this for my kids and have earned my place in academia

How have you been during the pandemic and how has it affected you? : I have split my time between Hanford CA and Morgan Hill where I work. I got Covid and I ended up losing 37 lbs in 14 days. Now I am unafraid of the plague as I have beaten it.

What is a message you would like to give others? : nothing can break you if you don’t allow it to and work through things

What else would you like to tell others about you or your life?: too much to say – I have traveled – eaten – hurt – laughed – and through it all I have tried to learn