Our guest this week is Jesse White of Chicago, who is the recently retired Illinois Secretary of State, who served in that capacity for 24 years and under five governors.

Prior to serving as Secretary of State, he was the Cook County Recorder of Deeds for seven years and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for 16 years. Prior to his five decades long political career he served as a paratrooper in the US Army and was a member of the 101st Airborne Division and Illinois National Guard.

Jesse was also a Chicago Public School teacher and administrator for 33 years. He also played minor league baseball for the Chicago Cubs after his time in the Army.

Perhaps, most impressively, starting in 1959 he founded the Jesse White Tumblers, which has provided more than 19,000 at-risk youth (girls and boys) with training and guidance to make positive choices and learn important lessons for life. Jesse White Tumbler teams have performed at countless parades, NFL, MLB, and NBA games. They have also performed all over the U.S. and dozens of countries around the world. Amazingly, fewer than two dozen of them have gotten into trouble with the law.

It's an inspirational story about growing up in an era of discrimination, overcoming constant obstacles, striving for success in so many different venues and making a tangible difference in the life of youth through discipline and determination.

Show Notes -
Email – margaretrudd@jessewhitefoundation.net
Website – https://jessewhitetumblingteam.com/
Website - https://www.thejessewhitefoundation.org/
Wikipedia Page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_White_(politician)
New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/us/jesse-white-illinois-secretary-of-state-retire.html

Special Fathers Network -
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SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

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