LJ Bryant is a young man of many talents. The plot for his future is not fully written but his life seems certain to have an impact on society.
Bryant is not a one-dimensional figure. When he is not hitting home runs as a standout Rattler on the baseball team, he is dedicating his time toward his passion for human psychology. Bryant, who graduated in August, wants to use his knowledge and experiences to help people who battling various physical and mental health issues.
“The best way to give back to my community is to be a difference-maker in people’s lives,” Bryant said. “I want to use my education from FAMU to help to fight the epidemic of addiction and abuse in my way. I feel as if it’s my calling from God.”
Bryant, who hasn’t given up on his dream of playing professional baseball, hopes to one day open a rehabilitation facility.
“My family’s history dealing with these issues inspires me to be better,” he said. “I want to help the people who might not necessarily be heard. It would mean everything to me if impacted just one life.”
Bryant is confident when talking about the personal nature of his faith.
“If you don’t have faith you have nothing,” he added. “I know that God tooled me with special skills, and it is my duty to be a positive influence in someone’s life. If I focus on my purpose everything else will be taken care of.”
On the baseball field, Bryant is equally equipped. In the 2021 season, he guided the Rattlers to a second-place finish in the conference. Bryant led the team in home runs and batting average and was named to the second-team all-conference.
Former teammate Seyjuan Lawrence admires Bryant.
“LJ is the epitome of a leader,” Lawrence said. “Not only does he work and strive to be the best on and off the field, but he also doesn’t complain about it. He’s more than a teammate to me. He is a brother and life-long friend.”
Along with the focus on his baseball career and his advocacy for mental health, Bryant is a content creator. With his co-creator he began a video-style podcast that addresses issues that intertwine sports and pop culture, as viewed from their perspective. The “Jam and Uncle Lou Experience” has gained a following of more than 1,000 people across several social media apps, mainly Instagram.
“It’s extremely impressive that a young man who has so many avenues of distraction as well as competing priorities has the time to maximize his efforts by inspiring someone via podcast,” Quent McCollum said. “LJ is a special young man whose layers of talent allow him to have the world at his fingertips.”