ABOUT ME

Well before his election victory four years ago, the 38-year-old musician, social activist and founder of local non-profit was well-known and beloved throughout the city.

But the New Jersey’s native’s life could have taken a very different path.

Rodriguez, born into a family torn apart by drug addiction, spent half of his childhood in the juvenile system, living in long-term placement in group homes.

Problems started early for Rodriguez, as his family was sent into a downward spiral after the death of his father and two other family members to drug use when he was 3 years old.

Born in Jersey City, Rodriguez was the youngest of three boys.

“I lost my father to intravenous drug use. He caught AIDS and that one needle killed my uncle and my aunt,” said Rodriguez. “When I lost my dad early, [my mother] spiraled out. It was hard. With the boys and just to maintain. Once again, I’m the baby so this was my observation.”

After the death of his father, Rodriguez suddenly found himself homeless and he and his siblings were separated. During those years, Rodriguez was in survival mode as a young child.

“Well at nine years old there’s no one to take care of you. It’s literally neglect. I remember walking around with a trash bag over my body to stay warm and dry,” he said. “That’s what I faced and that was my reality. Sleeping in alleys, sleeping at whoever’s momma allows you to stay in over the night.”

Rodriguez said he remembered being exposed to hazardous environments for years.

“I’ve seen real horror. I walked into rooms where people still got the needle in their arm passed out. These are things I remember as a child,” said Rodriguez. “Violence, aggression, lies.

“That’s why I build up the confidence where I have to take care of myself because there’s no one coming, literally it’s just me.”

Rodriguez was taken into a group home for homeless young people in Jersey City. He said one of his brothers was adopted, and the other was sent to another group home. Rodriguez described his childhood as being snatched away, forcing him to quickly adapt to his new environment.

“I woke up for many years without a Christmas, without the smell of turkey on the morning of Thanksgiving, I just was without. Without family, without resources,” he said.

“Not to mention I was nine fending with 17 and 18-year-old men. So, it was a weird predicament to be in, but it made me stronger. It made me realize who I had to lean on which was myself and that’s the outlook I had my whole life.”

Rodriguez began visiting his mother when he was 16 years old after discovering that she had relocated to Harrisburg.

“Although my mom was ill, she fell in love and moved to Harrisburg,” said Rodriguez.

After his mother signed placement papers, he spent a year traveling via Greyhound bus to Harrisburg for the holidays and summers then back to the placement facility.

A year later, Rodriguez left the placement facility and moved in with his mother. He attended Harrisburg High School as a junior while also working at UPS to help pay bills for his mother, as she was severely sick with illness not disclosed to Rodriguez.

“I was giving her demerol injections at her bedside. Me, a teenager going to school trying to fend,” said Rodriguez. “So once again, I’m a teenager but I had every man’s responsibility.”

Rodriguez’s mother passed away while sleeping two weeks before he crossed the stage for graduation. After graduation, Rodriguez said he worked odd end jobs while living in his car at 19.

“The first year after high school was really tough, but from there I wanted to keep giving back. I didn’t let anything that happened hold me down or let it determine my success or not,” he said.

Rodriguez began volunteering with the Joshua Group, an organization for at-risk youth, as a mentor for young people interested in music.

After he left, he decided one day he would start his own nonprofit.

“We [my friends] were the catapult to that whole thing launching. I understood what was happening and I wanted to be a part of something positive,” said Rodriguez.

While writing and performing music, Rodriguez created a captivating song with a music video staring his children titled “Obesity.”

The tune was a part of his healthy foods campaign designed to educate Harrisburg children on how to make informed nutritional choices when going to corner stores.

When then Harrisburg mayor, Linda Thompson came across the video, she made Rodriguez the youth ambassador for children in Harrisburg.

“She gave me my first real shot at having a role in the community. That was the time when I was going into schools and do motivational speaking, performing, summer camps, and I really found my niche,” said Rodriguez.

Throughout the years of working with the Thompson administration, Rodriguez always kept his mind in the arts through his passion for music and poetry. He performed at different clubs and arenas as a way to release everything he experienced as a child.

Then, a promoter gave him a shot to use his platform by signing him to a promotional deal that allowed him to travel with top selling hip-hop artists Meek Mill, Wale, 2 Chainz.

“It was amazing. It was the dream,” he said. “That’s how I got my notoriety in the area because we started to bring shows here. But every time I came home, I would see pain.”

Although Rodriguez was gaining experience and exposure, he was unhappy when he came back to Harrisburg because of the drugs, violence, inequities, blight, and lack of affordable housing.

His passion for community service never left his mind, and in 2012 he and his friends began donating clothing and toys from the trunk of their car to Harrisburg residents in need. Soon, residents began to call Rodriguez and his friends the ‘all you can guys.’

“Around 50 to 60 people were on the sidewalk waiting us. It was just amazing,” he said. “I was like ‘I don’t know what just happened whatever that was I want to replicate that every day because it just feels great.’”

Rodriguez and his friends hosted their first Christmas drive in 2012. Quickly, news outlets, businesses, political leaders and others became interested in Rodriguez’s efforts and wanted to get involved.

Harrisburg city councilman Ralph Rodriguez photographed at his childhood home. June 28, 2022. Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

“All You Can Inc.” became a nonprofit in 2019, providing basic needs and emergency resources to at risk families and hosting as many as 30 events every year. This year, the nonprofit will celebrate its 10th annual Christmas drive.

Following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, Rodriguez led the first march against social injustice and gun violence.

Among those who joined the protest were Governor Tom Wolf, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, Dauphin County commissioners, and thousands of concerned residents, demanding justice for Floyd.

Later, Wolf signed (House bills 1841 and 1910) to address police reform in Pennsylvania.

Now the march against social injustice and gun violence is held every year on June 3.

Rodriguez decided to run for Harrisburg City Council in 2021 as a way to grow his efforts to improve the community.

“I believe that the City of Harrisburg has been looking for change and leadership that reflect both the pulse and needs of the city,” he said in a campaign interview. Join Ralph Rodriguez Sr on his way to city council. Together, we're Moving Harrisburg forward.