htothejizones

Today’s feature is a man named Jeremial Rife. Jeremial is a person that has been in my life for a very long time. When I first began lifeguarding in 1998 at the Riverfront YMCA, in Des Moines, Iowa, Jeremial was there. He was a lifeguard at the time, just like me, but over the next six years he came to be the Youth Director at Riverfront. He inspired many kids from all over the community and was always quick to give a listening ear. He was also the person who sparked my ‘get fit’ journey that led me to a 60 pound (27.3 kg) weight loss in 2010. This is his story:



Birth Place - Des Moines, Iowa
Birth Date - June 2, 1975
High School - DSM Hoover
College - Graceland University
Post Grad Work - William Penn University

Born in Des Moines, Iowa Jeremial (JT) Rife has been somewhat of an
accomplished person. Voted in High school to be the least likely to
succeed, I have done many things since graduating high school. First, I
have actually sung on national television. In 1994, a friend and I were working the telephone bank for the Jerry Lewis telethon, and the host, Mike Pace, asked the volunteers if they had any special talents to share with the late night audience. My friend and I said that we would sing "Amazing Grace" and after a quick audition, the host allowed us, two Graceland University students, to sing "Amazing Grace."

Also, I have been an accomplished servant to the community by serving on
many active boards including the Inner City Urban Development League and the John R Grubb YMCA, to which I have been the chair of both.

For the past 15 years, I have been a licensed minister; serving as a youth
pastor/leader in several churches in the Des Moines area.

I currently work at the Principal Financial Group in the Specialty
Benefits Division, am married to my wife, Jayne, and have a handsome baby boy named
Xavier.



I think Black History Month is important because it gives us, as black people,
an opportunity to reflect on where we have been and where we came from. As I
am witnessing in my own inner circle, if you do not make Black History
important, others will not either. Most white people do not understand why
Black History is so important. What most white people fail to realize is
that without this annual recognition, most black people would not have any
real exposure to their sense of culture or pride in what we, as black people,
have actually accomplished.