Young child with short hair wearing a yellow shirt, holding a panda stuffed animal, and looking at the camera.

A young boy lying on a bed with a colorful blanket, holding a juice box and drinking from a straw, wearing a gray jacket.

A young child being held by an adult with glasses and another indidvidual, with a man wearing a blue beanie and a varsity jacket smiling in the background.

A young boy and a woman smiling and embracing each other indoors with tiled walls in the background.

Smiling woman with dark hair and a young boy with short hair in a blue shirt, both smiling.

A baby wearing a blue hoodie with white stripes, sitting on a bed or couch, with someone holding their hands.

A young boy holding a small fishing pole and smiling outdoors near a body of water with a grassy area and trees in the background. He is wearing a black and white sports jersey with the number one on it.

Every Bright Beginning Starts With A Spark.

This is Mine.

People smiling and posing for a photo at an indoor event. The man on the left is wearing glasses and a white polo shirt, and the woman on the right is wearing clear glasses, a white dress with puffed sleeves, and a name tag.

Three young children smiling and posing together, with the youngest making a pouty face, indoors with balloons in the background.

An African American smiling and holding a young child on lap, in a park with fallen autumn leaves. The is wearing sunglasses, a purple jacket, and is holding a rake. The child, dressed in a school uniform with shorts, a blue shirt, and sneakers, is sitting on her lap.

Two people in a room with a large crisscross word puzzle on the wall and filming equipment set up. One woman is sitting at a table with a tablet, smiling, and the other woman is standing behind a camera, adjusting it.

Close-up of a brown dog with amber eyes and a black nose, wearing a collar with a tag.

Children and adults celebrating outdoors, with a young boy swinging a yellow bat at a piñata shaped like a bird, and others watching and taking photos.

A woman and a young boy sitting at a table in a kitchen, smiling and looking at the camera.

A young child with dark hair smiling, wearing a red long-sleeve shirt and dark pants, standing on a carpeted floor and looking up at the camera.

A fluffy, black and white cute puppy with merle patterned fur sitting on a concrete sidewalk, tongue out. In the background, there is a small decorative orange and white toy and some green foliage.

A young boy with crossed arms, looking to the side, standing in front of a large green leafy plant, wearing a white sweatshirt with colorful graphics and blue jeans.

A man and a young child sitting at a dining table in a kitchen. The man is wearing a white Detroit basketball sweatshirt and the child is wearing a dark patterned sweater. The table has a floral tablecloth and items such as a sippy cup, a tissue box, and condiment bottles. The kitchen background includes green tiled walls, a white stove, and various appliances.

The Light I Come From

Before I ever held a title or launched a brand, I was just a kid from Detroit trying to make sense of the world around me. My story doesn’t start in a boardroom or on a campaign shoot. It begins in a house where the rhythm of resilience played daily—where love, laughter, and hard-earned wisdom echoed through every room.

They gave me structure and softness, push and pause. And in a world that often demands Black boys grow up too fast, they gave me time.

My dad, Ken Daniel Sr., always knew how to pull joy out of heavy moments. He’s never tried to be perfect—he’s just always been himself. He taught me through his journey, wins and stumbles, and he wanted me to learn from both. He showed me that love isn’t about getting everything right but showing up, being honest, and doing your best. Having my Black father in my life has meant everything to me. That consistent presence has helped shape how I love, lead, and live through the highs and lows.

My mom, Brenda Ross-Daniel, is my anchor—steady, nurturing, and the quiet storm behind everything I’ve become. She never let me forget that I mattered. That I was made with purpose. Her love isn’t loud, but it’s unmistakable. It’s in the way she shows up, the way she sacrifices, the way she makes grace look effortless. Her quiet strength didn’t just shape how I move through the world—it taught me that love can be soft and still be powerful. She is, and always will be, my world. She would always tell me, "Just keep being you." That sentence carried me through storms I didn’t know I could survive. It’s more than advice—it’s the blueprint I live by.

Together, they taught me how to be both tender and tough. They were my first North Stars. And being their son—being a Junior—means everything to me.

It’s not just a name—it’s a legacy I carry with honor and heart.

Three people dressed in formal attire posing for a photo against a gray studio backdrop.

Child hitting a piñata during a celebration, with adults sitting and standing nearby, some taking photos.

Two people wearing matching yellow Michigan Wolverines shirts, smiling and standing close together indoors.

Two smiling men taking a selfie together outdoors at night, with illuminated buildings and a grassy area in the background.

Two people happily hugging each other indoors, with a flower arrangement and television in the background.

"Legacy doesn’t just start with those who came before us. It’s built every time we choose to carry their lessons forward."

Legacy on the Line

A man in a police uniform holding a young child, with another man standing beside them. The man in uniform is wearing glasses and a police hat, and they are indoors.

A man and a young boy sitting at a kitchen table. The man is wearing a Detroit Pistons sweatshirt, and the boy is wearing a dark sweater. The kitchen has green tiled walls, a small stove, and various kitchen items on the counter. The table is covered with a cloth featuring a leaf pattern.

Man with a mustache and glasses sitting at a dining table, cutting a birthday cake. The cake has red writing saying 'Retirement 30 Years'. The table has food and drinks, including a pizza.

My career didn’t begin in a vacuum—it was built on the backs of giants who came before me. Like many Black families who migrated north for opportunity, the automotive industry shaped my family's story.

My grandfather, John Robert Ross Sr., born November 2, 1926, worked at the Chrysler plant for decades. My grandpa wasn’t just a man who supported the automotive industry — he was my “main man.” That was his nickname for me, and one of the last things he said before he passed on October 31, 2008. I still hear it in his voice, just like I can still hear my grandmother, Eloise Rozetta Ross (McClure)—born April 3, 1929, passed April 10, 2013—whisper, “I love you too, baby” whenever we hang up the phone. That echo hasn’t left me. Their love was quiet but unwavering. And though their roots were in Georgia, their lives in Detroit built my foundation.

On my father’s side, the story is less about the memories we shared and more about the foundation they laid. My grandfather, Clifford Daniel Sr., born August 14, 1916, gave nearly 30 years of his life to General Motors. He passed on September 7, 2002. His wife—my grandmother, Lillie Pearl Daniel, born in 1920 and gone too soon by 1981- was someone I never truly got to know. But even in that distance, their legacy pulses through me. I didn’t grow up swapping stories with them at the kitchen table. But I grew up walking the streets they helped build, dreaming of the city they helped sustain. Their presence wasn’t loud—but it was lasting. Even in the silence, they speak through me. And in every room I step into, they walk with me still.

When I stepped into the automotive ecosystem as a digital marketing intern, I wasn’t just accepting a role. I was continuing a lineage—modernizing, translating, and honoring it. Their world was mechanical, mine was digital—but the mission was the same: build with purpose. Leave something behind that matters.

A group of people indoors, engaged in a discussion. A woman with glasses and a beige jacket appears to be speaking, while another woman with long braids listens. A man with a camera is taking photos, and others are observing or listening.

Group of eight young adults and one young girl standing in a large conference hall, holding awards or plaques, dressed in formal attire.

Group of six diverse professional individuals standing in a conference room, dressed in business attire, smiling at the camera.

Three people standing together at an indoor event, two men and one woman, smiling and dressed in formal attire.

A group of eight young adults wearing conference badges and medals standing in front of a Davenport University sign at an event or conference.

Two men dressed in business attire standing in a conference room with empty chairs, holding an award plaque. They are smiling and have their arms around each other.

A young man and a woman standing side by side, posing for a photo indoors. The young man is wearing glasses, a black shirt, khaki pants, and a light-colored tie, while the woman is dressed in a red blazer, black dress, and a patterned scarf, accessor

Collage of four images from an award ceremony for Kenneth Daniel, a Detroit Public Schools student. The top left shows Kenneth with a woman in a leopard print outfit. The top right shows Kenneth with three other people at a table with a plaque and gl

Two people smiling, wearing turquoise outfits decorated with bright autumn leaves, with a woman wearing a hat made of fall leaves, standing indoors in a tiled room.

A young man in graduation cap and gown holding a diploma, standing between two adults, a man and a woman, all smiling outside a building during a graduation ceremony.

Detroit Built Me, Cass Polished Me

A group of five women and one man, dressed in graduation cap and gown, standing in a tunnel-like area, with some smiling at the camera.

A person wearing sunglasses, a black jacket, and blue jeans is loading or unloading a large pile of cardboard boxes at a recycling or waste disposal site outdoors on a partly cloudy day.

A person in a graduation gown and bowtie holding a diploma stands next to a man with sunglasses, and they are outdoors in front of a stadium with banners that say Toledo and Detroit. The person is smiling and the man has his arm around their shoulder.

My “Initial Spark” started in the halls of Commonwealth Community Development Academy—my elementary and middle school—where my Aunt Jack worked. Family, education, and community were the same there. I wasn’t just a student there; I was part of the village. I helped teachers, assisted with school events, and learned that every role—no matter how small—mattered. That’s where I first felt what it meant to belong.

That sense of rootedness carried me into Cass Technical High School, a Detroit landmark in its own right. For those who know, Cass isn’t just a school—it’s a proving ground. A city within a city, pulsing with brilliance, competition, and an unspoken pride. I was immersed in the Marketing & Entrepreneurship curriculum, where the textbooks were thick, but the lessons were real. It was there I began to see the outlines of my future. The way I think, plan, and create today was forged in those classrooms and sharpened by that environment.

While at Cass, I wasn’t just doing homework—I was also doing college work. Through a dual enrollment program at Wayne County Community College, I earned my associate degree in general studies by the time I graduated high school. That was about more than grades. It was a testament to my commitment—to myself, to education, and to using every opportunity to its fullest.

By 2013, I was in high school and walking through the doors of the Skillman Foundation as an operations intern—a role I took on through a co-op program that felt more like a calling. Under the leadership of Danielle Motley-Lewis and alongside an inspiring team, I supported operations, but I also stepped into meetings, shaping citywide initiatives. I saw firsthand what it meant for philanthropy, nonprofits, and government to move in harmony.

I supported landmark initiatives like My Brother’s Keeper, joined community grant efforts, and even marched in the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade for several years—beaming with pride for a city I love deeply. But Skillman wasn’t just a job. It was a masterclass in impact, integrity, and innovation. It showed me how systems work—and how they can be changed. It proved that real change starts with listening, showing up, and doing the work day after day. That’s where the seed of community-rooted strategy took hold.

Person dressed in a pumpkin costume standing in front of a food truck with colorful fruit-themed decorations and a sign for The Skillman Foundation.

“Detroit taught me how to move, Cass gave me direction, But purpose gave me the reason to keep going.”

Purpose as a Compass

Young man in formal attire with a yellow sash, sitting on a bench, holding a graduation cap, smiling, with colorful smoke in the background.

A man in sunglasses wearing a white T-shirt and plaid shorts standing in front of the University of Michigan stadium entrance.

A person wearing a yellow Michigan Wolverines T-shirt and white pants standing outdoors, smiling and making a gesture with their hands, indicating the letter 'M'. They are wearing sunglasses and a smartwatch, with a background of a chain-link fence and colorful panels.

A woman and a man standing on a grassy area, smiling, dressed in formal attire. The woman is wearing a white dress with black stripes and a navy blazer, and the man is wearing a black suit with a light blue shirt and a black tie.

Before I ever walked across the Diag with a Michigan hoodie on, my purpose and legacy were pulling me forward. I stepped onto the University of Michigan’s campus in the summer of 2015 as a Summer Bridge scholar—a first-generation college student with an associate degree already in hand but still learning how to navigate an institution that wasn’t built with me in mind.

Bridge wasn’t just a program—it was a lifeline. A launchpad. It taught me how to study, advocate for myself, and find community in unfamiliar places. I failed my first exam. I questioned if I belonged. And every time I doubted myself, that circle—my Bridge cohort—reminded me I was never in this alone.

In the fall of 2015, I was moved into West Quad and became involved in a lifelong learning community that supports students like me entering Michigan Ross, Preparation Initiative (PI). PI gave me community under Dr. Frank Yates's leadership, mentor, advisor, and faculty support like Rhonda Todd, Amber McLean, Dwana Jones, Cheri Alexander, Dr. Marcus Collins, and others. It gave me language. It gave me responsibility. I became a peer advisor and mentor, not because I had it all figured out, but because I knew what it felt like to need a hand and not know who to ask. We held each other accountable—checking in on grades, goals, and wellness. PI wasn’t just a network. It is a family.

In the Summer of 2016, I joined the Semester in Detroit program and interned with Detroit Public Schools under Interim Superintendent Alycia Meriweather. I wasn’t just making copies—I was sitting at the table, absorbing what leadership meant in real-time. I saw the inner workings of public education and began to understand the intersection of policy, community, and narrative. That summer also sparked something else: my first entrepreneurial leap. I launched the D&R Marketing Agency, blending marketing strategy and community storytelling in ways that reflected who I was becoming.

Four young adults standing together on stage, with the word 'NOIR' projected behind them. They are dressed stylishly and posing confidently.

Group of eight diverse young adults posing together in a classroom or lecture hall with desks and chairs, smiling at the camera.

A group of professionally dressed young adults walking outdoors on a city sidewalk, with office buildings and leafless trees in the background.

Fall 2017 marked my entrance into the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Walking into those classrooms, I felt like I was walking into a different world. I didn’t always see myself reflected in the case studies or the people presenting them. But I brought Detroit with me. I brought the brilliance, the heart, and the hustle. And when the environment got hard—and it did—I returned to my PI roots.

Between internships, mentorships, and midnight case study sessions, I built something more profound than a résumé—I built clarity. I studied abroad in Cuba in 2019, expanding my worldview and planting seeds for the cultural lens I bring to everything today. My two internships with Stellantis (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) weren’t just résumé builders—they were blueprints. My first, in 2018, took me from Michigan to New Jersey. It was a whirlwind that sharpened my strategy and stretched my independence. My second, in 2019, included designing a national pilot social media strategy—an idea that went from concept to execution and still lives in Stellantis’s marketing playbook.

In 2020, I graduated with my Bachelor of Business Administration from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and minors in Social Work and Creative Writing during a global pandemic—but I left with more than a degree. I left with direction.

A person in a graduation cap and gown with a colorful stole is celebrating on a balcony outside a modern building, throwing their cap in the air.

Inside a video production studio, a green Jeep with a blue screen backdrop is being filmed. Crew members and equipment are visible, including cameras, monitors, and lighting.

Black Wagoneer SUV parked on a city street with modern red and glass buildings in the background, trees, and a clear blue sky.

Indoor car dealership with various cars, a large red sign, and signage for fire safety and a subway station in the background.

Red Alfa Romeo parked on city street in front of modern brick and glass building with trees and streetlamps.

Two men smiling and giving thumbs up in front of a tall building with a large advertisement for RAM trucks, featuring images of a red truck and an SUV, with the text "WIN-WIN" and "MADE POSSIBLE BY THE EMPLOYEES OF FCA."

A man in a light purple suit stands outside next to a black Grand Wagoneer vehicle on a grassy field. He's wearing white sneakers and has sunglasses on, with a cloudy sky and some event lighting structures in the background.

Detroit Tigers stadium entrance with large lion statues, a black SUV parked in front, and a baseball bat sculpture.

Indoor car showroom with various new cars, including a bright yellow Jeep with open hood, and a gray Jeep, with some signs and a person walking.

A man with glasses and a beard smiling in front of a large Dodge II advertisement at an auto show, featuring a stylized depiction of a race track with red and white lighting effects.

A gold-colored Alfa Romeo SUV parked on a rooftop parking lot with a cityscape in the background, including a brick building with a triangular roof and a modern glass building under a blue sky with a few clouds.

Young, Queer, and Making Space Anyway

A smiling woman wearing glasses, a blue blazer, and a light patterned shirt taking a selfie in front of a white RAM truck at an indoor car show.

Two women smiling for a photo inside a stadium. The woman on the left has light skin, long light brown hair, and is wearing a white eyelet top. The woman on the right has dark skin, short curly hair, glasses, and is wearing a colorful, tropical shirt. In the background, a man with glasses and a maroon polo shirt is talking to someone, with a television displaying a baseball game behind him.

Three smiling people standing behind a table at a career event, with a check-in sign and QR codes, inside a spacious and well-lit conference center.

Graduating in the spring of 2020, amid the chaos of a global pandemic, wasn’t the capstone I had envisioned—but it was the catalyst for everything that followed. That June, I entered my full-time role at Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), a company whose roots ran deeper than just a job title. This was legacy work—my maternal grandfather spent decades at Chrysler, and my paternal grandfather did the same at General Motors. The industry had shaped my family’s path; now, I was stepping into it purposefully.

By September, I was promoted and relocated to New Haven, Connecticut, as an Area Sales Manager—my first time living (full-time) outside of Michigan, charting new territory in every sense. I managed a dynamic portfolio of dealerships across the state, diving deep into inventory allocation, sales performance, and real-time operations. The work was intense and immediate, a boot camp in leadership, agility, and resilience.

It was also during this period—December 2021—that I embraced sobriety. Not as a quiet declaration but as a radical act of preservation. Sobriety wasn’t just about quitting something; it was about stepping into everything I was meant to be. That clarity helped me find my North Star.

In early 2022, a new chapter opened. I was promoted to Regional Head of Digital Marketing (at 24 years old, I was one of the youngest in Stellantis history) and moved to Baltimore, Maryland. In this role, I managed over $20 million in Tier 2 and Tier 2.5 digital advertising strategy, supporting over 250 dealerships across the Mid-Atlantic region.

My work centered on measurable impact: transforming dealer websites, pioneering audience segmentation models, and architecting full-funnel marketing strategies. I was on the ground, training teams, refining performance, and building the frameworks that would later scale nationally. During this time, I also earned my Digital Marketing Strategy Certification from George Washington University's School of Business, further sharpening my strategic acumen.

Two individuals standing in front of a large screen displaying a close-up portrait of a young man named Kenneth Daniel Jr. The background of the screen shows a modern, minimalistic interior with orange seating and green plants.

Two men dressed in suits standing in front of a black SUV at an outdoor event, with a white fence and other people in the background.

Beyond campaigns, I was also investing in people. As Stellantis’ lead recruiter for the University of Michigan, I championed diverse pipelines and mentorship for students—many of whom reminded me of myself. I helped steward the company's "Conscious Conversations" initiative, a platform for healing, dialogue, and equity across teams.

In 2023, I was promoted once more to National Multicultural Marketing Manager under the profound leadership of Kim Adams House. I led culture-first campaigns for some of the world’s most iconic brands—Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo—embedding identity and intention at every touchpoint. This role demanded fluency in cultural nuance, executive storytelling, and strategic leadership. I built bridges between the brand and the audience—ensuring every ad wasn’t just heard but felt.

What made the work matter wasn’t the title. It was the truth. Every campaign, deck, and conversation was a chance to ensure underrepresented voices weren’t just included and centered.

However, in September 2024, I decided to step away—not because I was disillusioned, but because I had grown into something greater. I entered the industry to honor my grandfathers’ legacies, and I left it to build my own.

Behind the scenes of a video shoot with a person sitting in a black pickup truck, multiple cameras and lighting equipment set up around the truck, and crew members working on the set in a large indoor studio facility.

Three women smiling at a conference or event with colorful displays and people in the background.

Three women standing behind a table at an outdoor event booth labeled 'WAGONER', with flower pots and green bushes surrounding them.

Indoor car exhibition with various vehicles on display, including a yellow Jeep with its hood open, a gray Jeep, and other cars, under bright overhead lighting.

"I didn’t leave because I was lost, I had found something greater—myself."

And Then, Northstar Rises

A smiling man with curly hair wearing sunglasses, a checkered blazer, and a white turtleneck shirt, standing outdoors with a cityscape in the background.

Two men in formal attire standing in front of a white background with black and purple text.

Two women in a room with a Scrabble board, one sitting at a table with a laptop and the other standing with a camera. The woman at the table is smiling and wearing a yellow sweatshirt, while the woman with the camera is smiling and wearing a black sweater with white patterns. There are studio lights illuminating the scene.

Young woman in a blue suit smiling at a professional event, standing in front of a dark backdrop with logos and text.

By the time I stepped away from Stellantis, I wasn’t just dreaming—I was building something rooted in clarity, culture, and conviction. On September 16th, Northstar Network emerged as a consultancy and a compass—crafted to help brands, organizations, and visionary leaders find their way back to purpose.

Northstar is the intersection of strategy and soul. It’s where consumer insights meet cultural fluency, where innovation is measured by ROI and relevance. This wasn’t just about business development but building bridges between intention and execution.

I wanted to create something that centered on people, not products, stories, not slogans, and impact, not impressions.

This idea didn’t come out of thin air—it had been simmering for years. My lived experiences and professional evolution weren’t separate chapters—they were the “Blackprint”. The friction points, questions, and moments of clarity lit the path toward Northstar.

Alongside that, I launched the ReBox Foundation. While Northstar builds systems, ReBox builds homes. It’s rooted in dignity, design, and community. While its origin traces back to my Honey’s Home Foundation concept during my undergrad experience at the University of Michigan, ReBox is the rooted version of that seed—designed for impact, backed by data, and driven by heart.

Still, this chapter belongs to Northstar. Because here, I get to lead from every version of myself—the marketer, the mentor, the creative, and the connector. Northstar is my proof that strategy can be sacred. And that legacy isn’t just what you leave behind—it’s what you live every day.

Everything I create is a constellation of the people who poured into me—and Northstar is the brightest point in that constellation so far.

This Is Only the Beginning…

I still call my mom when doubt creeps in and my dad when I need grounding. I still smile—and sometimes tear up—when I think of Coffee, our family dog, and my childhood best friend, who grew up alongside me from when I was eight until her passing in December 2020; now, there’s Jerry—our new family dog, full of joy and chaos, keeping the rhythm of love alive in our home.

I carry Detroit with me—its soul, its heartbeat—and, most importantly, the community that built me, especially as I build my life in Baltimore. My parents, siblings - sister Nicole and brother Adrian, uncles, aunts, cousins, and a chosen family remind me to breathe, return to the center, and keep my light steady. I think of Tracy King and Dr. Dara King, founders of Girl Talk with Dr. King, who have built a DMV-rooted community of Black excellence and legacy.

Even as a child, I was rehearsing for this moment—pacing around a track with my Aunt Joan, clutching a plastic toy phone, taking fake business calls like I had a company to run. It’s always been in me. I’ve just had to grow into it.

Since then, I’ve launched brands. Through an intentional recruitment strategy, I’ve increased multicultural internship applications at Michigan by 75%. I’ve led Black History Month campaigns across the world’s most iconic automotive brands. I’ve sat on academic and professional advisory boards, shifted conversations, and mentored brilliant minds who will one day eclipse my own—that’s the point.

And the vision isn’t just to build for me. It’s to build ecosystems that outlive me. That nourishes those coming behind me. That turns the page for the next kid with a spark in their eye and a story to write.

Why, it’s simple:

My compass? Still steady.

My North Star? Still rising.

My light? Brighter than ever.

And as a reminder from one of my favorite Michgian Ross Professors, Cheri Alexander: If Not You, Then Who? If Not Now, Then When?