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Q&A With Ras Benzo

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Ras Benzo
Yeoman Second Class, US Navy
Location: Atlanta, GA United States
Joined: Aug 23rd, 2007

About (request update)

Ras Benzo Bio

After graduating from Hampton University in 1996 with a BA in English, Ras Benzo’s professional life has been an adventure of discovery and personal development. Starting with a year of teaching English in Osaka Japan in 1997, Ras has been ambitious about chasing his dreams and living on the backbone of the idea that life is a constant revelation to ourselves of what we think about ourselves.
Returning in 1998, the New York Native settled in Atlanta, GA with his brothers who graduated Morehouse College and undertook the pursuit of a career as a freelance Graphic Artist and spent the next ten years in Atlanta’s legendary Arts & Culture scene providing media solutions in print media and pro-audio recording. His passion for writing blossomed into opportunities to perform in the budding Spoken Word scene and a role in giving artists a platform for showcasing their talent at the award-winning “FreeForum Xchange,” the Sunday night Open Mic at Apache Café. It was here that he built relationships with such great performers as Jon Goode, Dres tha Beatnik, Cola Rum, Amir Suliaman, Shawn Kimani, and so many other prominent figures in the local scene. Wearing multiple hats as a producer, engineer, album cover and flyer designer, Ras got the chance to contribute greatly to the sound and image of the culture – something that reflected his admiration and historical understanding of Jazz.
2005 saw the birth of his daughter, Myoho (which means “the order of the universe”) and the assumption of greater personal responsibility as a father and husband (his marriage to Nicole Benzo wouldn’t be official until 2009). The national economic down-turn of the times slowed down the opportunities for freelance work and Ras expanded his skill-set to include editing and proof-reading for Moore Epics Publishing and contracting as a Production Artist for concerts and live events, setting up lighting and sound for artists like Stevie Wonder, and Willie Nelson, and events like WWE RAW, and The NHL All-Star Game.
It was a conversation with his mother/mentor, Felicia Benzo and the inspiration of then Democratic Candidate for President, Barack Obama, that got Ras thinking about what it means to be a man of distinction, and how what we do in our lives – especially as parents – teaches others what is possible for their own life. He wanted to continue to be the example to his family (wife Nicole, son Pharaoh, and daughter Myoho) of what a man is capable of and what being determined looks like. So in 2008 at the age of 32, he enlisted in the United States Navy.
Because of his professional experience and personal discipline, Ras was able to progress quickly to the rank of Second Class Petty Officer, make an impact in the first four years at his first command, USS JASON DUNHAM (DDG 109), and earn two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. This also gave him the opportunity to learn some new skills and apply old ones. He served as the ship’s Assistant Public Affairs Officer, designing the commissioning book, and publishing a newsletter for the command. He worked as an Assistant Command Fitness Leader, taking responsibility for the workout routines for over 300 sailors. He worked as a stretcher-bearer, a first responder for ship-board emergencies, and he volunteered to be on the Visit Board Search & Seizure team, the ship’s anti-terrorism afloat team. Naval life has allowed him to see the world in a way that few get to experience – through deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and the Horn of Africa – and given him great perspective on the part world that appears so often in today’s headlines.
Currently, Ras Benzo is working at the Marine Corps University in Quantico VA in the department of Student Services, developing a community development program to incorporate the lessons of his experience with the understanding of the needs and challenges faced by so many African American communities and keeping up his writing skills via his blog at www.thicknuss.blogspot.com.

Current Whereabouts:

Atlanta

Education (request update)

Hampton University class of 1996

Undergrad Major: English Literature

Claim To Fame:

Deployed to Mediterranean Sea/Horn of Africa from 2012 to 2013 Awarded Navy And Marine Achievement Award (second award) in June of 2013

Most Memorable Moment:

The pinball machine in the kitchen