Frederick Edwards Jr // Co-founder of Umoja Leadership Exploration and Creator of FredsDissonance

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Fred is a recent graduate from North Dakota State University. He recently received his master’s degree in Education. He is the co-owner of Umoja Leadership Exploration and creator of FredsDissonance. Fred is a community engagement specialist, motivational speaker, community educator , program coordinator, and spoken word artist from North Minneapolis.

The things he has seen speak through him with the energy he provides. He is passionate about helping others find their inner greatness and potential. He currently does writing workshops with hundreds of college, high school, and middle school students. Fred provides testimonies and stories of struggle and resiliency. With nine brothers and sisters, Fred is the tenth and last child.

Before he was born, his mother had her tubes tied—she had a .0001% chance of becoming pregnant after her last child. Fred was that .0001%.

In this episode, Fred embodies his dream to celebrate and uplift culture of the African Diaspora and other underrepresented cultures, especially in Fargo, ND, how he leads with vulnerability as a “real model” not a “role model”, his incredible experiences of meeting spoken word, and inspiration for his dream for a world that is inclusive for everyone.

This conversation is a true invitation to join Fred and Heather as they go from a brief encounter at a TEDx event in July 2021, to this conversation of trust and belief in a better world. This won’t be the last!

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Follow Heather on Instagram.

Heather's personal website.

Learn about Causeartist here.

Check out more Causeartist podcasts here.