Papa O, was raised in the inner cities of New Jersey, 15 minutes from New York City. Receiving his initiation into the Graxian tradition under the tutelage of High Priestess Dragon Li. Coming from a paternal Slavic family and a maternal Western Kentucky family, he was exposed to the powers of folk magic. In 1996 he went to a forum about social justice presented by people who walked with Dr. King in Selma. He decided at that time social justice is not found by siting on your laurels. So Papa O decided to move to Kentucky to help facilitate social change within the LGBTQIA community as well as the pagan community.
Papa O moved to Kentucky, and attemted Murray State University in Murray, KY. In six years at MSU he achieved, a major in History, Anthropology and Theatre, a Master’s degree in Public/American history while establishing a LGBTQIA student organization and the Student Pagan Associations. He facilitated and helped to build Festival Seasons in both Western Kentucky and Western Tennessee. In 2001 Papa O lost function of both his Kidney’s due to a rare glomuler nephritis. Papa O did not let Dialysis break his spirit, instead he became active in patient advocacy through the Renal Support Network. As a Rootworker Papa O dons on many hats, and likes to interchange them between community activist, teacher, preist and nurturer. He has taught children’s theatre was a Community Center’s program manager, and yes even a burlesque dancer. Papa O currently works as a Rootworker, Podcaster, Public Speaker, Content Creator, Poet, and Mukbanger. Climp Clomping, down the road of life sniffing every flower and looking under every rock. If Papa O could impart any wisdom upon you, take the largest bite out of every moment, and remember to live every moment while you are living it.