Always Have, Always Will
Discovering Life in the Piney Woods

​    Inspired by actual events, Always Have, Always Will chronicles the lives of two East Texas youth who believed they were brothers before every starting school. A journey of acceptance, understanding, and opposition ensues. This story chronicles the challenges of a community, a world, and the necessity to live with accepted norms.
    Prior to Kindergarten, Jordie and Jer were convinced they're brothers. Jordie, a redheaded spitfire with dreams of being on Broadway, lives in Tate, Texas, and Jer, a poor black kid with aspirations to play professional football, lives across the tracks in ​Lucas. .
    Daily, the boys meet up in the culvert under the train tracks separating the two communities There they experienced  some of the greatest adventures known to man. The boys quickly become known as JJ. ​Jordie’s family owned the lumber mill that was the economic backbone of the community. Many Lucas men worked at the mill. When a larger, more technologically advanced mill opens in nearby Lufkin, the Tate mill closes. That's when Jordie’s mom turns the commissary into a neighborhood grocery. quickly becoming the social hub of the community.

    Shortly before starting school, Jer’s dad takes ill and passes. Needing assistance during the illness and with his two younger sisters, Jer’s mom keeps him home. Jordie, not wanting Jer to get behind the other kids, meets up in the culvert afterschool sharing what he learned in kindergarten. Throughout their elementary ​years, the boy’s bond grows. When Jer’s house was destroyed by a hurricane, Jordie begs his mom to give them the lodge beneath the store as their new home, becoming the first black family to live on the Tate side of the tracks. The blending of the two families began.
    It's during middle school when Jer’s dreams of playing football comes to light and Jordie’s love for music and theatre ignite. Consequently, they soon  realize they are becoming more than brothers. Their mothers, noticing the affection, encourage them to stay true to who they are.
    High School presents unfounded consequences. Upon entering high school, Jordie’s mom is diagnosed with breast cancer. Jer, always the adult, coupled with his affection for Jordie, promises her she'll see them walk across the stage at graduation. It's during this time they begin to realize how society dictates lifestyles and social norms. They discover a façade they must live if they are to remain true to themselves.
    "Always Have, Always Will" is a complex analysis of one’s growth from adolescence to adulthood and the challenges one ensues in order to live the life they deserve. Subscribing to the mantra, “Be known for the content of your character,” both young men affirm their dreams for a professional football career and on Broadway. It's not until a life pivot do the men find the courage to publicly be who they are.
    Be it religion, social mores, or limiting beliefs, the struggles, hurdles, roadblocks, and victories Jordie and Jer experience are real. They existed in the 1980s, they existed when their careers were beginning, and they remain today. Though Tate, Texas is a fictional town, as are the characters, the journey, the conflicts, and the triumphs are based on actual events on factual dates.

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• WHO IS IN YOUR CORNER? Professional Athletes have it. Entertainers have it.  Entrepreneurs have it. What? A coach, a mentor? Yes, but more. They have someone in their corner. Who is in your Corner?
• BREAKTHROUGH BRANDING. What comes to mind when someone mentions your name is your brand. Own it! This seminar focuses on becoming more than an individual; getting noticed with the power of Personal Branding.
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• SPEAK UP IN PUBLIC. Be Heard! Everyone has the right to be heard, it is the basis of integrity. Not everyone is comfortable in their own voice. This seminar takes a look at how to reimagine oneself for greater strength and results.
• ACTIVE LISTENING. Do you listen with the intent of understanding or to respond? Active Listening encompasses the best of communication, processing information, and responding for clarification or to gain more information.

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