We talk to Arshay Cooper, an author, chef, and motivational speaker who has dedicated his life to keeping young people off the street. Cooper grew up on the Westside of Chicago and was raised by a single mother who struggled with a drug addiction. He says his brothers and friends joined gangs and were involved with drugs, but he had a different vision for his future. In 1997, he joined the country’s first all-black high school rowing team – an experience that changed his life. It’s the subject of his memoir, Suga Water. Cooper is in Rochester to give a talk and attend the Head of the Genesee Regatta, but first, he’s our guest on Connections.
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