About Us
{L}earning {I}s {V}iable {E}xcellence {L}ifting {I}gnorance {F}rom {E}veryone (L.I.V.E. L.I.F.E.) the Evolution is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to empowering underprivileged African American high schoolers who are deprived of educational resources and distracted by the pursuit of their basic life necessities. This organization was founded by James Gathings, a generous investor who went above and beyond to achieve his dreams and support his family. Our founder and board of directors have lived with, dealt with, and overcame different obstacles to get to the point in their lives where they can help and inspire others. We live and lead with three fundamental principles: Honesty, Integrity, and Accountability, which drive our organization’s success.
L.I.V.E. L.I.F.E. the Evolution is an organization where worthy students will be given an opportunity to succeed in their educational careers without having to worry about college debt fees. Our work is inspired by the “Thug Life” of Tupac Shakur; Tupac Shakur was a talented rapper who embraced gang culture due to not having educational opportunities because of the lack of stability and structure in his life as a youth. He turned to Rap and Hip Hop to escape poverty and be a voice for the voiceless, but he was gunned down before he could evolve. Live Life the Evolution is passionate about advocating for the rights of African American children who grow up in environments similar to Tupac so that they can avoid a demise similar to him and other Rap stars. That is why we encourage our scholars to seek careers in the arts and humanities so that they can develop an intercultural understanding and share their stories to inspire and educate others creatively.
L.L.t.E’s charity platform is aimed to collect funds for scholarships and provide them to parentless youth who are bright and deserving. We seek out scholars who have the zeal to build thriving careers but lack the resources to do so. Moreover, we also help those same students apply for available grants to help further their educational pursuits. Our help and resources allow them to break generational curses and build wealth and resilience in their communities. By 2025-2030 we plan to expand further and help parentless children throughout America. Our efforts and resources help students achieve milestones despite their difficult beginnings.
Knowing, James Gathings, our Founder as a Man and Father:
At 13, James Gathings’ mother and father divorced, which devastated his family. Our founder had to grow up fast and do his best to influence his younger brother positively. The struggle of balancing high school and being the man of his household initially led him down a dark path. At fifteen, he was expelled from his high school and had to time serve time at his local juvenile dentition center. Fortunately, after a series of appeals, he could attend his city’s local alternative school, where he learned and experienced firsthand how the educational system fails young African Americans who don’t have fathers, especially young males.
Trouble still seemed to follow James after completing his time in an alternative school and integrating back into his public high school. Though, this didn’t deter James or cause him to get into any more trouble. But just when he assumed things were getting better, and he kept overcoming any challenges that would disrupt his progress and passions, his father lost his life. It was the beginning of James’ senior year in high school, and he had just celebrated his seventeenth birthday a couple of months ago. After the death of his father, James thought his life was over. Things started spiraling back out of control as his father’s mother got sicker because of the loss of James’ father, her son. James stepped up even more and started helping to provide for his grandmother and relatives on his father’s side, but his father’s mother passed away close to a year after his father. She stayed strong for as long as she could, but she was never able to recover from losing her son. After years of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder from maneuvering through the streets of Northeast Mississippi to provide for his family, James moved to Atlanta, GA. He then decided to pursue his dream of being a writer, entrepreneur, and attaining a college degree.
James Gathings soon enrolled in Clayton State University in Morrow, GA, to pursue a health and fitness management degree with minors in business and English. During his sophomore year of college, James and his longtime girlfriend had their son, which further pushed them to strive harder and invest in multiple businesses for their son’s future. Through his journey, he decided to fulfill his lifelong passions for entrepreneurship, writing, and technology, so he changed his major to Integrative Studies and successfully graduated from CSU. Watching his father die in poverty and alone in government housing motivated James to chase his dreams and ensure the success of his legacy. Whenever it is his time to ascend amongst his ancestors, he wants to make sure that he leaves literature and gifts that will inspire and encourage generations after him.
L.I.V.E. L.I.F.E. stands by the motto that “learning is viable excellence lifting ignorance from everyone,” and it’s a way of thinking that James had to evolve into. His passion, dedication, and advocacy for helping others who have gone through similar circumstances speak volumes through his actions and commitment to his community.
