Jamole Callahan spent six years in foster care living in nine different homes until he was emancipated at age 18. His road into foster care was paved with being the product of an affair, his father’s subsequent abandonment, then his mother’s drug addiction that left him to care for his baby sister at the age of 11. Although he had doting and attentive grandparents the state of Ohio still decided to put Jamole in foster care, while his sister went to live with her father, and his brother ran away and eventually went in to the prison system. He moved from home to home for six years due to abusive situations or the illness or death of his caretakers. Finally, he reached a home that changed his life and attitude, propelling him into building a success. The influence of his foster father planted the seed of Mr. Motivator by the mantra “Recognize no such word as impossible” (Napoleon Hill). He completed his college education, started a family, and saw the opportunity bring foster youth and others to a mindset of possibility.

We have a say over what happens to us.

At 15 years old he saw a major flaw in the system which was a lack of self-advocacy. When people were making decisions on a foster youth’s life, the youth was not a part of the meeting. Mr. Motivator knew that he had to use his most powerful tools to build up those who are affected the most to make changes : his experience and his voice. After creating his own stability, in 2009 a vision for success and change was birthed for empowering foster parents, caseworkers, and foster care youth and alumni.

He began by speaking to small groups in his home state of Ohio which transformed into training sessions through the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program and motivational speaking by 2012. From there his vision for change grew and took him to the steps of Ohio, New Jersery, and Federal legislators to shape policy to better serve alumni and youth who are currently in care.

SPEAKING UP TO EDUCATE, MOTIVATE, AND ELEVATE

It’s not enough to speak and teach, you must also act. Jamole Callahan turned his attention to local organizations, governments, and federal offices to create a new path for foster youth that they do not have to recover from. He lent his voice and ideas to influence laws and initiatives that will change the outcomes for foster youth in America. He has contributed to the following Bills and Organization: Foster Youth to Independence Initiative, Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act 2019, The Ohio Fostering Connections Act, and ACTION Ohio.

From telling his story to inspire to revving up audiences at events and being a voice of reason in a room of those uncertain about the future, people have heard Jamole’s voice at local, national, and international organizations events. His voice has traveled to: Montgomery, AL, Orlando,FL , Atlanta, GA, Indianapolis, IN, Oklahoma City, OK, Sheffield, United Kingdom  and Washington DC. Maryland (Multiple Locations), Ohio (Multiple Locations), Oklahoma City, OK, Pennsylvania (Multiple Locations), and Texas (Multiple locations) .

It is the speaker who motivates and the teacher who changes lives. Jamole Callahan has reinvested in his home state of Ohio to educate Child Welfare professionals on critical components that affect foster youth’s health, education, permanency, and housing. His curriculum has been a part of training sessions with the : Buckeye Ranch, North Central Ohio Regional Training Center, Southeast Ohio Regional Training Center, Southwest Ohio Regional Training Center, and Western Ohio Regional Training Center.

Mr. Motivator’s voice has been heard across the United States and in the United Kingdom through training sessions, conferences, and motivational speeches to encourage people to level up their expectations, dreams, and actions to become who they are meant to be. He has branched into speaking on the radio, through his podcast, Mornings with Mr. Motivator.

Jamole ‘Mr. Motivator’ Callahan is not an exception to the foster care story, he is part of the new foster care story that is a journey to many successes and new levels.