Author Archives: Richard Guzman

Dempsey J. Travis: Refusing to Learn to Fail

Born in Chicago in 1920, Dempsey J. Travis became a self-made millionaire, one of the country’s most successful black entrepreneurs.  He was president and CEO of Travis Realty Co., but his many interests and his intense commitment to the community took him … Continue reading

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“Why Sinatra Grows on You”

                I like my pop drivel laced with rancor and acid and the raw sugar of curled- lipped youth peeling down the road, flying from syrupy old fogies who didn’t have the guts to just … Continue reading

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Climbing Bryan’s Mountain, 2008 — Part 1

This post is part of a series consisting of excerpts from a journal I keep reflecting on loss, healing, change, and other adventures, usually during the few summer weeks I spend in Sedona, AZ.  Links to the LEAD POST and to Emmanuel House—an organization founded by … Continue reading

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