Ridwan Lawal’s passion is supporting other people’s growth. He was born in Nigeria and grew up in Prince George’s, Maryland. Ridwan attended Goucher College in Towson, Maryland and received his bachelor’s in economics with a minor in environmental studies. His passion for education started with an internship in high school, where he taught financial literacy. As a First Year Mentor, Ridwan cultivated the growth of others entering college. He moved to Cleveland in 2019 to teach middle school math. Since moving to Cleveland, he has gotten involved in the community through efforts focused on food insecurity, urban agriculture, and education. He started his Freedom Schools journey in East Cleveland as a Servant Leader Intern and is currently a site coordinator with ECNC Freedom Schools. He is a garden co-manager with Collingwood’s Friends Garden. He continues to help organize many food drives to support the Cleveland community’s fight against food insecurity. Ridwan is a Youth Enrichment Specialist with the East Cleveland Neighborhood Center, where he nurtures students’ understanding of themselves through social-emotional work focusing on sixth through eighth graders. He continues his education journey with his work as an Ella Baker Trainer with CDF Freedom Schools. What motivates him is the good that comes out of collective leadership.