Tyler Perry paid for his law degree. Now this former sanitation worker pays it forward.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email
• Copy Link

  Link Copied

Sasha Rionda: Talk about paying it forward! Atlanta media mogul Tyler Perry is known for his acts of generosity, but one of his recipients is doubling down on what he was given. Near the end of May, Rehan Staton will graduate from Harvard Law School, paid for by Perry.

Sasha Rionda: Staton put himself through college at the University of Maryland by working alongside his brother and father as a sanitation worker, getting up at 4 a.m. each day to clean dumpsters and ride on the back of a garbage truck. Once he got his degree, he decided to dream even bigger and applied to Harvard Law School, and he got accepted!

Sasha Rionda: Perry heard about it and called Staton offering to foot the bill. Now, Staton has started a nonprofit in partnership with Harvard called “The Reciprocity Effect.” So far, the organization has raised $70,000 and has another $100,000 pledged to support janitors and other college support staff that need financial assistance.

Staton hopes to expand the nonprofit to partner with other schools and their janitorial staff. Professionally, Staton has been interning at the World Boxing Corporation and after he graduates he hopes to become a corporate attorney with a focus in Sports Law.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today!