TRÜ HOPE
WE ARE A TEAM
Dealers
The
The TRÜ HOPE Dealers are the super-talent Jeremy enlists to bring more "sizzle and substance to any program; including world-renown artists, world-class spoken word poets, Grammy-nominated recording artists, professional dancers, world-champion parkour athletes and martial artists, x-games athletes, Hollywood stuntmen and women, and American Ninja Warriors.
Scroll below to see a partial talent list of our TRÜ HOPE DEALERS
JEREMY BATES
CEO / O.G. TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Based on his charisma and natural sense of humor, some might say Jeremy was born to do this. But he'd argue he's been building his whole life for the moments he walks into as The Hope Dealer.
Jeremy learned the importance of hope, resiliency, and humor, overcoming a dysfunctional family fueled by addiction, infidelity and abandonment. His addiction to the stage was cemented when he played his saxophone at Carnegie Hall in NYC at the age of 14.
In addition to performing, his love for inspiring people to become addicted to potential was forged as a successful high school baseball and basketball coach, where at 24 years old, Jeremy became the youngest varsity basketball coach to ever win the Los Padres League Coach of the Year award, as well the school's first LPAL league championship in 23 years. These two passions came together in his work as a Hope Dealer.
His life perspective is as wide as his travel list is long. Not only has Jeremy's professional travel taken him around the world, he's also lived and studied in Cuernavaca, Mexico for a quarter while attending Cal Poly State University, and, most recently in 2013, sold his house and traveled around the world for two years with his wife, Shannon, homeschooling their boys as they followed Jeremy's schedule, documenting life as they whittled back down to what is most important, investing time in what they love.
His 23 years of professional experience in youth development, mental health advocacy, and drug and alcohol prevention, in addition to the thousands of presentations he's given, from prisons to prestigious universities, provide Jeremy with the kind of knowledge-base and real-world experience you want to entrust your audience with.
FLIP RODRIGUEZ
AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR /
HOLLYWOOD STUNTMAN
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
To say Flip Rodriguez is an American Ninja Warrior fan favorite is an understatement. He’s a fan inspiration. Flip has been competing on the show since season three and during that time, the audience has watched Flip grow and change. He was once known as the man in the mask who had a love for break-neck speed on the course; but as time has gone on, he’s learned to lean into his skills, becoming slightly slower but earning repeated places in the National Finals.
In season seven, Flip removed the mask. In season eight, he was ready to share the reason why with the audience. As a survivor of sexual abuse, Flip had used the mask to help himself feel safe. Taking it off was his way of saying he was ready to share his story. Since then, Flip has become a motivational speaker, traveling to share his experiences with others.
On the Los Angeles course for season 10, Flip was wearing a shirt that said “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” It’s become somewhat of a motto of his, as it addresses both finding the strength to discuss painful topics as well as pushing himself in physical training.
EDDIE 'RAZA' BARAZZA
HIP HOP ARTIST / PRODUCER
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
RAZA is an independent Hip Hop artist whose music comes from his life experiences with fatherlessness, abuse, homelessness, and addiction. As a young boy, he was removed from his parents due to their drug abuse and incarceration. Unfortunately the family that adopted him was abusive too. Raza ran away and was emancipated at 15 years old.
Not having anyone to call family, and not knowing any other way, he too fell into addiction himself, which led him to a hospital bed fighting for his life. It was at that moment that RAZA found hope in the darkest place inside him. Now he uses his passion for music to perform, and speak at juvenile halls letting everyone know that HOPE is always there even when you can’t see it.
BLAIR RUSIN
HGTV RISKY BUILDER STAR / RENOWN ARTIST
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Blair Rusin’s artistic talent has been fueled by the beauty found in the mountains as a professional snowboarder, in the oceans as an avid surfer, and in old world cultures, even studying art in Florence, Italy. And what the world hasn't shown him, he's filled in the missing pieces with his lofty dreams.
Most recently, those dreams landed him his own television show, starring as the artistic designer of HGTV's reality show Risky Business. 'The Blair effect" is real, the wild imagination that creates amazing transformations on the show, is the same imagination that allows him to create such amazing art in an hour, Before HGTV, Blair's art was commissioned for some of the biggest brands, including Burton Snowboards, S-one, Sk8 Mafia, Onboard Magazine, Transworld Snowboarding Magazine, Volcom, Arnette, Reef, and MTV,
GREG GARMAN
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD / SELENA GOMEZ DRUMMER
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Greg Garman decided to make drumming his career at the age of 12. After high school, he enrolled at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, where he studied with world-renowned teachers like Fred Dinkins, Rob Carson, and Chuck Silverman. He won a second place prize in the 2007 Stanley Clark Scholarship -- as a result, his band was included in an episode of the ABC television program, Lincoln Heights. Graduating from MI with an Associates of Arts in Contemporary Drumming, Greg set out on a three-month tour, performing 80 shows across 33 states in 100 days as part of the VHI Save the Music Foundation. Currently, Greg plays drums for Selena Gomez, and with his band The Scene. He has performed on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, Dancing With The Stars, Dick Clark's New Years Rock'n Eve and Teleton in Mexico.
DESIREÉ DALLAGIACOMO
POET / TEACHER / YOUTH ADVOCATE
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Desireé Dallagiacomo is a poet, performer, and educator from rural California. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee and has been a finalist at every major national poetry slam. Her poems have been featured widely in such places as Bustle Magazine, The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Everyday Feminism, and the New Orleans Fringe Festival. A collection of her work has been adapted for the Vagina Monologues at Tulane University. She has taught & performed extensively across the USA, Canada, & Australia— being a guest speaker, teacher, and performer at more than 70 universities worldwide. Videos of her performances have over 6 million views on YouTube, and she is the co-host of a Southern Poetry podcast, Drawl. Desireé believes deeply in community education, and in 2016 she founded an annual writing retreat in rural New Mexico for young writers. Her first full-length collection of poetry is forthcoming from Button Poetry, Spring 2019.
HEATH HENSLEY
NASHVILLE RECORDING ARTIST /
HOLLYWOOD STUNTMAN
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Heath Hensley has been a multi sport all-state athlete, an all-state choir member, a collegiate rugby player, a crew member on a ship, a bartender, a server, an interim youth minister, the top male studio vocalist in Nashville, a professional country music recording artist, a professional stuntman, and Trü Hope Dealer. He has also been someone that falls into deep depression, has bad anxiety, and struggles with inner body images. But, he goes where the wind blows. He is not afraid of change. He knows there is always hope to shine light on his darkest days. He loves traveling around and inspiring young people to be resilient and realize that change is not always a bad thing. You will try, you will fail; But, it’s how you take that failure and move forward that helps define your character.
GABE 'JAYWKLR' NUNEZ
FREERUNNING LEGEND / HOLLYWOOD STUNTMAN / RHYME SAYER / ENTREPRENUER
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Gabe began discovering his passions in high school, shortly after he was placed in the alternative program. His parents enrolled him in a martial arts class in hopes to keep him busy. It did more than just that, as Gabe embraced interests and surrounded himself with passionate people that had a bigger plan for their lives. “Somehow I realized early on that when I was doing the wrong thing or in the wrong environment it kept me from doing the things that brought me joy,” he explains.
Today, Gabe holds the title of first ever World Freerun Champion, acts as a stunt double for Taylor Lautner, and runs an action sports company—Tempest Freerunning—that he founded with his friends. At Tempest, Gabe and his friends work to support the sport that fuels their passion, and share it with the world through their teaching academies, Freerun fashion Apparel line, and by ultimately living by their slogan of TRÜ FREEDOM.
SYDNEY OLSON
TOP AMERICAN FEMALE FREERUNNER IN THE WORLD / HOLLYWOOD STUNTWOMAN
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Sydney Olson can easily land 360 backflips as she moves from surface to surface and rail to rail. But, the 21-year-old gymnast turned freerunner—recently crowned second place in the Red Bull Art of Motion World Championship— still faces fear just like the rest of us.
As Sydney continues to train as a freerunner and a stuntwoman, she approaches fear rationally and makes sure to always ask herself why she’s feeling this way. “Sometimes fear can be a liar. You have to realize what’s protecting you and what’s holding you back.” Looking back, Sydney says focusing less on drama and more on your passions in high school is key. “There’s a lot of negative people out there, and you don’t have to hang out with them. It’s okay to not be friends with toxic people that bring you down. Be friends with people that have the same interests as you!” When working toward a goal, Sydney says it’s helpful to make a list and keep a self-inventory. “Read over it every day or week and track your progress. It will help you to always keep your eye on the prize! Enjoy every moment of doing what you love. It brings so much happiness.” If you’re not quite sure of what you’re into yet, that’s OK! Put yourself out there and explore until you find something.
CORBIN REINHARDT
PROFESSIONAL MOTOCROSS RIDER/ RACE CAR DRIVER / FREERUNNER
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
Corbin Reinhardt is a professional parkour athlete on team Tempest. As a young child, he jumped off of everything, from walls and trees to rooftops and cliffs. He has trained constantly for 8 years and is now known as one of the best up-and-comers in the world. Parkour has even taken him all over the world with competition and jobs alike.
In July of 2018 while on a parkour tour of America, Corbin was involved in a life-threatening accident while attempting a move on a bar. As he was falling from the bar, he hit his head on a wall, causing his skull to fracture. Corbin was rushed to the hospital where doctors found that there was swelling, and blood bleeding into his brain. After being in the hospital for a little over a week, doctors had stopped the bleeding and swelling, and allowed him to go home. However, the struggle of recovery was just starting. Corbin had to learn how to read and write again. He also still struggles with speech and some motor skills due to the accident. Corbin is currently working on his reading, writing, speech, and physical therapy in the hopes of getting back to 100%, and retaining his Badass reputation in the parkour and freerunning world.
MAURICE 'MOE' AGER
NBA FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK /
GRAMMY NOMINATED PRODUCER
and TRÜ HOPE DEALER
BIO
As a kid growing up in all kinds of struggle in the inner-city of Detroit, Moe became a master of cultivating dreams and making them happen. As a star basketball player at Michigan State, he led his team to a final four appearance, before losing to the eventual champion, North Carolina. His success in college led to him being a 1st round draft pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, being selected 28th overall by the Dallas Mavericks. After spending 5 years playing professional basketball, Moe realized that his purpose wasn't tied only to a court.
In 2011, he left the game to pursue his other passion, being a music producer. Moe's musical talent is becoming ever increasingly known and recognized. In 2013, he was nominated for Producer of the Year at the EOTM Awards in Los Angeles. Moe also received a ballot nomination for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for his single, "Far From Home." He has produced for not only himself but artists such as Royce Da 5'9, E-40, Lazy Bone, Major Williams, Yukmouf, Rashaun Will, and B-Real of Cypress Hill.
