Kevin Lee – 20 Under 40

28 | Education: SMU, Paul Quinn College

Kevin Lee has gone from homelessness after a snowstorm while a teenager in Pittsburgh to studying at SMU’s Dedman School of Law.

He graduated valedictorian of his class and was inspired to look into schools in Texas when he and his mom watched The Great Debaters, based on the story of a professor at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, who started a debate team there.

Now, as part of the steering committee of the nonprofit After8toEducate, the SMU law student works to help unsheltered high school students navigate their journeys.

“​​Our mission is to improve life outcomes and promote self-sufficiency by giving unsheltered high school students a safe place to live and offering as a pathway out of homelessness and poverty,” Lee said. “I love this organization because we are helping change the lives of homeless DISD students, giving them hope for the future, and offering them resources and a pathway for success.”

His work with After8toEducate fits into his larger goal of giving others a hand up.

“Whether their need is $100 or $1 million, I want to be a part of their solution. People are told ‘no’ all the time,” he said. “I want others to have a chance.”

Lee serves on the CoAct North Texas steering committee, helping homeless college students share their stories, and as a partner with Social Venture Partners Dallas and advisory board member of OurCommunity USA. He volunteers with Tarrant County schools to help homeless students graduate high school, obtain jobs, and go to college.

As a student ambassador to the White House, he helped develop an initiative to assist college students across the nation experiencing homelessness.

How do you motivate others?

Telling people how I got to where I am today helps me motivate other people who go through struggles, and are going through hard times, such as dealing with the loss of family and friends to the global COVID-19 pandemic. I let people know that it’s not about how you start, but it’s about how you finish. Obstacles will come up all throughout life, and learning how to go through change instead of against change, can help people grow and move forward in life. Ultimately, I want people to look at me and be inspired to do great things in their lives.

What’s on your bucket list?

I’d like to travel to a few more countries. I’d like to become a partner at a law firm. I’d like to be a judge one day. And I’d like to get my mom her dream house so that when I’m gone traveling, I know that she is comfortable.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first job was working at my uncle’s clothing store in Pittsburgh, PA called “Head 2 Toe.” I learned responsibilities, such as: waking up on time for work. I learned the fundamentals of business, how to treat people with respect, and what it means to have integrity, and character.

Where do you see yourself and/or your career 10 years from now?

10 years from now, I will be partner at a law firm. (Having) a book and a movie about my story on the shelves at bookstores and in movie theaters. It’s my goal to get into a position where I can help others who face similar adversities as I did. Whether their need is $100 or $1 million, I want to be a part of their solution. People are told “no” all the time. I want others to have a chance, that’s why I serve on the steering committee for After8toEducate an organization created by Jorge Baldor to assist homeless students, and I serve as a steering committee for CoAct North Texas to help homeless college students share their stories, and I am working with Tarrant County schools to assist homeless students graduate high school, obtain jobs, and go to college.

Which leadership skills were the most challenging for you to develop and why?

Being bold enough to share my story of me losing my house to a flood, and being denied access to school because I did not have a permanent address, even though the McKinney Vento Act allowed for me to have access to school. I learned that being authentic will take you a long way. There are lots of different types of leaders, and ways to lead, so it’s important to understand that you don’t have to fit into a certain mold. I’ve also learned that while developing my leadership skills, it’s important to try different approaches to situations but to always be myself.

If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

The Great Debaters starring Denzel Washington. This movie changed my life. I watched the movie over twenty times with my mom, because that was the only movie that we had at the time. The movie is about a debate team at a small college, that goes on to be the best debate team in the country. The movie inspired me to want to be on the debate team once I got to college, and it inspired me to pursue my goal of becoming a lawyer.

Toughest business/personal challenge?

My toughest personal challenge is dealing with the death of my uncle Mark Williams. He was like a father figure to me. He was murdered three days before I began my first semester in college. The police still have not solved his murder. Knowing that there hasn’t been any justice done, is a daily struggle for me. However, knowing that my uncle wanted me to never give up, and succeed in life, keeps me going and smiling each day because I know the end result will be great.

What is your favorite local store?

Foxtrot. It’s a great place to study, meet with folks for coffee, or just to unwind for the day.

What would you tell an 18-year-old you?

I would tell an 18-year-old me to be patient! Time waits for nobody. Don’t rush. Think positive. Put God first. And as long as you put your best foot forward, you will be successful at achieving your goals. Success doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time, grit, determination, and action. Also, it’s important to be open-minded. There’s never just one way to achieve something, there are always other routes to getting to the place where you want to be.