Grant poses for the camera as a local print model in San Francisco.

Grant with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee at a recent Charity Event held in the SF. He works closely with the City on various Community Service Programmes.

The Virgin Islander with a few of the gentlemen of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity during a Community Service Event, Graffiti Watch, for which he oversees.

Grant on the set of KART Radio, just before going on air.

These are the bold words from 22 year-old Ronn A. Grant, who hails from Baugher’s Bay, Tortola. This week’s young professional is an Actor, Contemporary Gospel Singer, Model, Broadcast Journalist, Philanthropist, Motivational Speaker and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Distinguished Gentlemen - his own clothing line.

“You can say that I am a jack of all trades,” the Virgin Islander said laughingly, from his home in San Francisco California, where he is ever focused on pursuing a career in Entertainment and is enrolled at the Academy of Art University, as a full time student majoring in Multi-Media Communications with a minor in Motion Pictures and Television.

The multi-talented young professional’s zeal for the performing arts began at a tender age.

“Historically, the BVI is known as “Nature’s Little Secret”, and up until my singing debut solo of Kirk Franklin’s, “My Life is in your Hands” at a school recital at the Enid Scatliffe Pre Primary School, I too was dubbed by my family as an untold Secret of Nature. That all changed 12 hours after the recital; as the local airwaves were flooded with the said performance, at this point, the secret that was Ronn Grant was told,” Grant poetically summed up his singing career.

And while he may have eased off singing to pursue the acting bug in 2010, an illness nearly killed him, prompting Grant to re-focus on his ministry.

“While at University, a few days short of my 21st birthday, I became seriously ill and suffered from un-controllable seizures, as well as other complications. While lying on my hospital bed I thought to myself that it was over, there was no way I could recover from this, plus my doctors told me that I probably wouldn’t make it.” he recalled. “Being as ill as I was thought me the value of life, when you get to the point where you want to give up and you pray to God to take you out of your pain, it’s never a good thing. Physically I was done, and I wanted out. Mentally I had no more fight left; I didn’t think it was humanly possible for someone to experience as much pain as I did. But God kept me and I survived so now it’s time to work, it’s time to make all those pains mean something.”

Though his “plate is full” Grant is aggressively pushing his singing career, and revealed that he’s currently working with his Manager, Producer and Vocal coach on perfecting his talents.

Grant has two new singles he will begin working on shortly, one of which is “You Were There”, which is his love song to God.

“When I didn’t have anything or anyone else, God was there, he was the one that raised me up from my dying bed and gave me a second chance. My second song is ‘Everlasting Portion’ that is basically my declaration to the world, that God is and will always be my everlasting Potion. It’s that simple,” Grant explained. “People always ask me why I chose to sing gospel Music, well it’s a little more than what I choose to do it’s my calling.”

As far as accolades go, throughout his singing career, this week’s professional has received numerous awards including the 2002 Visoneers Youth Expo Award for Outstanding Performance and the 2001 Virgin Islands National Youth Council - “Youth Gospel Artist”.

Although singing is his first love, Grant loves acting and realized this talent when he was casted in a number of school plays at the Althea Scatliffe Primary School.

According to the actor, it all started when he was casted for the, “Wiz” in The Wizard of Oz, which was followed by “Why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears” - the Caribbean folk tale, and finally as “Prince Charming” in Cinderella.

Against this backdrop, Grant has received numerous awards throughout the Caribbean, after representing his church in various Talent competitions in Anguilla, St. Croix and St. Thomas, USVI.

“The fact that I am acting today is all due to my mentor Mrs. Janice George-Harris, she was the one that introduced me to the Performing Arts and for that I will forever be grateful to her,” he added.

Upon graduating from Elmore Stoutt High School in 2007, Grant was also armed with a Grade 1 Certificate in CXC for Theatre Arts. While in pursuit of his career, Ronn happened upon modeling and philanthropy in San Francisco.

“I’ve always had a desire to give back, and serve my community. I am the Grand Scribe and Community Service Chairman of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the Academy, where I work closely with City officials on all Community Service Programmes throughout San Francisco, I have also organized several benefit concerts to assist students with special needs, as well as, I am a motivational speaker to teens, and has become an HIV/AIDS Spokesperson for the BVI HIV/AIDS Foundation,” the young professional divulged.

With regards to journalism, the versatile Virgin Islander revealed that he has a knack for relating to people and has interviewed Lorna Smith OBE, Hon. Eileene Parsons and Foxy Luciana Callwood MBE of the Virgin Islands, as well as Emmy Award Winning Journalist Jan Yanahero of San Francisco, CA.

Describing himself as an ambitious young man, Grant advises his fellow Virgin Islanders that “Self-respect permeates every aspect of one’s life, if you don’t respect yourself, no one else will either, plus it just feels so much better, to step out into the public, looking and feeling your best. My approach to success might seem a bit unorthodox and relentless, but I believe in hard work and I believe that the best is simply yet to come, there is no telling what you can accomplish if you simply, humble yourself and allow God to work in and through you.”

“It is imperative that people understand that the journey thus far has not been easy, but it’s been amazing, I am on the ride of my life. But I didn’t do it all by myself, God is my everything and he continues to sustain me. My Pastors Rev. Edwin H. Watkins of San Francisco, Dr. Job Ward & Pastor Calvin Mills of the Virgin Islands are my backbone, along with my church families who continuously pray for my success, protection and continued healing. I am grateful for my spiritual leaders,” Grant acknowledged.