RISING ICON #71: Khalique Rogers
Photographer: Dante’s Craft
What name do you prefer to be called?
Khalique Rogers
What are your pronouns?
He/Him
Where did you grow up?
Southside of Chicago until I was 5?6?) and then moved Saint Paul. What city are you currently based in? Minneapolis but you can catch me on the other side of the river in Saint Paul half of the time.
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
Hey, my name is Khalique ( Pronounced Kah-leek)
[ I may have to pronounce it two or three times. Depending on the person. It's a name you wont forget once you get it down.] I’m in the Diffrence making business ( D.M.B.) working as a Catalyst for Systems Change at a community and legislative level. It's a pleasure to meet you! I’d love to learn about you. What brings you to this space?
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
That I am my ancestors' wildest dreams. I am thankful for the opportunities I am blessed to have and that I get to walk in my life's purpose as a career. Although the journey is tough (Our family experienced homelessness when I was young. I started being a changemaker at 15 years old ) I am reminded that “ turbulence is the price we pay for flying high” . A life goal of mine is to share that message with the next generation. It has made me build my character in ways that I couldn't imagine to be equipped for this work. I want the ones coming up after me to have the tools within their grasp at an early age that I had to search diligently for..
Who do you help?
I help elevate the insights, knowledge, energy and creativity of youth to help make a difference on local, state and national issues.
What are you building now?
As Co-director of Center for School Change ( Soon to be ED) I am rebranding the organization. I have been a pivotal figure in breaking down traditional barriers between education, workforce development, and housing, thereby driving comprehensive systems change. This employs a strategic economic lens to dismantle silos, facilitating a unified approach to success for youth and families.
What were you building ten years ago today?
I was a high school student frustrated with the low expectations of students that looked like me. I chose to exceed the expectations of the education system and challenge myself to take on College courses while in High school through a program called PSEO (Post Secondary Enrollment Options). That decision led me to meeting the man named Joe Nathan who helped write the original legislation and has researched and promoted involvement in the program. He arranged for a grant to encourage inner city schools to promote PSEO and other free college course programs for high school students. I ended up being the only student to take this opportunity. This led him to come to my school personally and interview me about my experience. Little did I know that I was meeting Morpheus from The Matrix. He then offered me the opportunity to advocate for the need of programs like this and encouraged me to think of issues I faced from lived experiences that needed to be addressed as well. Now I co-direct the organization he founded in 1988. My plan to take the torch and light the fire of change makers across the world.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
Becoming an international Catalyst for Systems Change that is committed to a catalytic holistic approach that addresses the interconnected ecosystem of youth and family needs, including education, housing, and workforce development. We will empower all that we come in contact with and to recognize their individual and collective strengths to become changemakers .
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
Minnesota Department of Education reported that as of Oct, 2023, more than 10,000 Minnesota children and youth are experiencing homeless. We helped pass several laws (including one that provides more than $20 million/year for the next five years) to work on this - but all too often these funds have been spent in ways that do not provide any additional permanent housing. That’s what children, young people and families most need. We also helped pass legislation that helps schools create or expand programs in which youth learn construction skills as they build homes for people experiencing homelessness and very low income people.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
I This work empowers people to not sit in the problem statement or be victims of circumstance rather it allows them to focus on their gifts/strengths to craft a plan forward to changing outcomes. Along the way they inadvertently evolve as a person themselves and encourage others who witness the work to do the same.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
I have acquired many mentors along the way, so it's tough to select just one. In the context of what I’ve said in this interview so far I’d have to say Joe Nathan. He’s always said we’ve co-mentored each other over the past 12 years we've known each other. One of the first things he told me was when we first started advocating for change together I was apprehensive to speak up to no being liked by people we were up against ( Especially being black doing this work, I know it’s hard enough finding alleys in the work so i tried to be as liable as I could) He looked at me and told me something I never forgot.
“ if you’re afraid to ruffle some feathers, this might not be the lane of work you want to be involved in”. That taught me to stand on what I believe in and even if it's not the popular choice, always do the right thing, not the one that people will be the most comfortable with. That lens helped me become unapologetically my authentic self. I would be this version of myself that you all are getting to know today if it wasn't for that important message.
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
Recognized by the Twin Cities Business Journal in February 2024 as one of the "50 African American Leaders to Know in the Twin Cities"—and notably the youngest—Rogers employs a strategic economic lens to dismantle silos, facilitating a unified approach to success for youth and families.
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
Forbes 30 under 30
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Denzel Washington , I’ve always admired his life on and off the camera. His poise and how he carries himself as a man with class.
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
Dreams don’t work until you do: An exploration on the conditions that make a dreamer become a achiever
What award would mean the most to win?
Nobel peace prize
What makes zero sense to you?
The American education system
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Success
What game are you changing?
The difference making business. Problems stay in the awareness phase for too long or have bandaid solutions that don’t meet the needs of the people most affected. I’ve to learn/still learning the rules of this game called life so I can change the rules to benefit the community.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
Our next ChangeMakers Forum. Where we engage the community in understanding the legislative process and create a legislative agenda that they can become advocates for and draft bill langue to create solutions
Where can we follow you online?
Linkedin , Instagram
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
The ability to be a lifelong student. In my work I believe that an intergenerational approach is what makes the solutions we develop successful and felt by the community be. We can all learn from each other if we make space and time to put aside our difference
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Khalique, for sharing your story!
LAUREL is a media relations partner for bold leadership. For nearly a decade, we’ve helped leaders build effective strategies for scale and growth specializing in key opinion leadership and go-to-market strategy for emerging brands. To follow along with the RISING ICONS series, nominate a leader or subscribe to our weekly email newsletter. To accelerate your own rise, get our free guide to elevating your leadership profile, FIT(lite). RISING ICONS is made possible by grant funding from Knight Foundation.
“Problems stay in the awareness phase for too long or have bandaid solutions that don’t meet the needs of the people most affected. I’ve to learn/still learning the rules of this game called life so I can change the rules to benefit the community.”
Notice: It’s important for our readers to understand the origin of the interview content. The featured ICON contributed responses that were not edited from the original submission. All claims are made solely by the contributor and do not reflect the views of LAUREL or its partners. Thank you for supporting innovation leaders. We’re convinced, the future is bold.
