How GWA Entertainment Started
It all started with my mother, a portable reel-to-reel, and a prayer 
Suppose you were to ask, ‘Where did my dream begin?’ It began long before I was born, rooted in the prayers of a remarkable mother who passed down her faith to me. Praying was not an option; it is a necessity for us who believe in God, knowing that He will provide. As the sixth child of nine, I am named after my mother, Floydia, and my name, Floyd. This connection instills a special bond with a sense of responsibility to honor her legacy. My mother was a strong, loving, and wonderful woman. In 1964, tragedy struck my youngest brother, just four months old, who passed away from birth complications, followed by the loss of my father a few months later, leaving her to nurture eight children alone. Prayer and God kept us strong. Yet, amidst this adversity, two pivotal events ignited my spirit with a sense of purpose, providing direction in my life.
My first event questioning the purpose of life came after an extraordinary turn of events, which I call the Reel-To-Reel.
Reel To Reel
This is where it all began. I was no more than ten years old, and I had eagerly begged my mother for a portable reel-to-reel tape recorder for months. She always told me that extra money was scarce, reminding me of the daily expenses of living, such as paying bills, keeping food on the table, and saving for school clothes. Coming from a large family of seven brothers and one sister, my oldest brother had gotten married and moved. Still a large family, my mother’s unwavering dedication as a single parent was admirable; she worked tirelessly for 40 years without missing a day, all for our sake, so that we could have.
Looking back, I was so determined to have that reel-to-reel. With relentless persistence, I would ask almost daily, believing it would bring me joy. Only to be reminded of the daily sacrifices of having a large family. I was so disrespectful. This went on for months, me being young and selfish, thinking only of myself. Then, one day, my mother surprised me with a brand-new portable reel-to-reel. I was so excited, I knew no bounds, playing with it as much as I could, learning everything about it. I will never forget her words: “God must have wanted you to have this, given how you’ve continued to ask.”
The love my mother had for her family was unmatched, yet she reminded me that life teaches us to live without certain things. In my youthful excitement, I wasn’t trying to hear that, and I had overlooked her wisdom, focusing solely on the recorder.
Sadly, after a few weeks, my interest waned, and the excitement was gone, leaving me feeling hurt and ashamed for having begged my mother for something I no longer cared about. Then it hit me —the only thing I could think about was the sacrifice she made for me to have that reel-to-reel, and the sacrifices she made daily for us. I was mentally hurt, mad at myself, and tears started streaming down my face as I ran to my room, and I knelt in prayer.
I was filled with anger, confusion, and hurt as I began to pray. I asked God why, why, lord, why was I ever born? What is my purpose of being here on earth? Why did my mother have to have me? Why couldn’t she stop at five? Why, God, why? Immediately in that moment, the presence of God surrounded me, and he spoke to me, showing me images of different animals and how their young were taught to survive. He also revealed that my purpose was to give back and help make the next generation better than before, passing down wisdom and knowledge. One message that stood out deeply, which I couldn’t understand at that time, was that the next generation would be lost. I couldn’t understand what he meant by that. But I learned that understanding comes in its own time—the wisdom of God unfolds in ways we may not yet comprehend. It wasn’t the time for me to understand.
The second time I was reminded of my purpose came to me in the form of a powerful vision. At nineteen, my second year of the military, I was deployed to Korea, Camp Red Cloud, located right outside the city of Uijeongbu, Korea. Almost every night that I could, I hung out in the ville partying. This went on for months until I met a fellow soldier who invited me to a church revival. We went, and during a moment of prayer, God gave me an incredible vision. I saw myself on my way to heaven. As I looked back, I saw souls crying out, saying they didn’t know God was real; some said they knew but didn’t believe; others noted that the ways of the world had them consumed to the point where they couldn’t let go. There were so many people with so many different excuses. The one that stood out the most to me was that no one had ever tried to help them. Feeling lost and without direction. I looked towards heaven and back towards the dying souls. Then I remember what God had told me years earlier, when I was younger, that my purpose was to give back and to help make the next generation better than before, passing down wisdom and knowledge. One message that stood out, which I couldn’t understand at that time, was that the next generation would be lost.
My journey wasn’t finished yet; it was just beginning. In my vision, I realized I had to return; it wasn’t my time. The fear of coming back overwhelmed me. I was scared because, upon returning to Earth, I had to live among the very souls I wanted to help save. I didn’t know if I’d be able to make it out. Knowing what I had to face, the reality of struggling with the daily temptation of sin, which includes drugs, lust, hate, to name a few. Fast forward to all of these years later, and I have come to realize that God gives people messages to deliver. But in my case, I had to live the message to be able to reach out to help others.
Strangely, my disappointment with that reel-to-reel as a kid fueled my passion for sound and recording. It began with that portable Reel-To-Reel, evolving through 8 Track Tape and Cassettes, leading me to become a Dj. Feeling that I needed and wanted to gain more knowledge of live sound, I enrolled in the Detroit Institute of Recording. It’s incredible how life’s journey unfolds! I received not just one, but two certificates in recording engineering, first in 1988 and then again in 2004. Although it took years before I had the chance to work in the field, I never lost faith that the opportunity would come. Come it did, in a way I would never have expected. In a place I would never have dreamed of, Phoenix, Arizona, with Joe Soulman Valiente, the Owner of ShowBoss AV & Event Management, allowing me to work as a stagehand at three different events, bringing all of the knowledge I learned from years past back to the forefront, and I am so grateful. Life challenges can sometimes take you off course, and sometimes they can take you to dark places. Regardless of how bad it may seem, don’t ever lose faith —never give up on your dreams.
Once I was able to give up the life of self-distrution to let go and let God, yes, at the time it was mentally and physically challenging. I had to put in the work, and I thank God for giving me the strength not only to recover but also to create my first company, Grinding With Attitude LLC, and, a few years after that, my nonprofit organization, Grinding With Attitude For Change Inc. The first two companies set me up for what I believe will be my most outstanding achievement to date. GWA Entertainment LLC. I am fully committed to pouring my heart and soul into this venture. My extensive skills and experiences, including leadership, organization, communication, and recording engineering, will be instrumental in making this company a success. I am confident that this opportunity will lead me to the path that God has intended for me, and I am ready to overcome any fear, doubt, or uncertainty. I have never been more certain and clear about my purpose, and I trust in God, who has always been my guiding force. I do not play any type of instrument., I believe that God will lead me in a way that, through music, we will be able to give back to the next generation. I am ready to do my part.
My story is being written daily by the decisions I make and the people I meet. Remembering to trust in God with all thine heart, and recognizing the person I was named after —my Mother —she didn’t make sacrifices for our family; she was the sacrifice. Like many mothers of her era, she was the sacrificial lamb for the whole family and generations to come.
