Plant-Based Power: An Olympian's Path to Community Advocacy

Kendrick J. Ferris represents the epitome of resilience, transformation, and community advocacy. A three-time Olympian who competed in 2008, 2012, and 2016, Ferris has channeled his athletic prowess into a mission that extends far beyond personal achievements. His story begins not with Olympic glory, but with childhood struggles that shaped his perspective and ultimately informed his life's purpose.

Growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia, Ferris developed unconventional learning strategies out of necessity. He discovered that reading paragraphs from bottom to top helped him process information more effectively. "I would go to the bottom and go backwards and read it, and I picked it up faster," Ferris reveals. This adaptive technique transformed a learning challenge into a unique strength, though not without difficulties along the way. The shame he once felt about reading aloud in class—where classmates would eagerly anticipate mistakes for entertainment—has become a cornerstone of his advocacy work. Today, literacy promotion stands as a fundamental pillar of his youth mentorship programs.

Ferris credits his family for exposing him to diverse experiences during his childhood in Stoner Hill, an intercity neighborhood. His mother, grandmother, aunts, and uncles encouraged participation in activities ranging from karate to softball, planting seeds for his future athletic career. Perhaps more importantly, they helped him understand how to harness his natural intensity—what he describes as having "a fire about me"—through sports and other constructive channels. This lesson in emotional regulation and self-discipline continues to influence his coaching philosophy as he works with young people facing similar challenges.

In 2014, Ferris made a significant lifestyle change by adopting a plant-based diet. This decision came before his third Olympic appearance and raised eyebrows in the strength sports community. "People are like, how you gonna be strong?" he recalls. His dietary transformation wasn't initially motivated by athletic performance but by cultural and ancestral research. Discovering Israelite heritage in his family lineage, Ferris researched traditional eating patterns and decided to apply these principles to his modern life. Ten years later, this plant-based approach remains central to his identity and has positioned him as a natural fit for vegan community events like the one where this interview took place—the first of its kind in Shreveport.

Today, Ferris operates a weightlifting camp that integrates physical training with broader life skills development. The foundation may be "weightlifting and movement and nutrition," but the curriculum extends to literacy advocacy and mentorship. This holistic approach reflects Ferris's understanding that physical strength gains lasting value when paired with intellectual and emotional development. His work represents a full-circle journey: from a child struggling with reading to an Olympic athlete helping young people overcome their own obstacles through sports, literacy, and community connection.