Follow the journeys of Michael, Ryan, and Summer--three young people who are part of the 5.6 million youth in America currently out of work, out of school, and struggling with challenges as extreme as homelessness. As they travel the country in Roadtrip Nation’s green RV, they meet people who’ve been in their shoes—people who show them it’s possible to not only rise above adversity, but harness it for success.

Ready to Rise

INSIGHTS FROM THE FILM

Get Schooled

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Start Somewhere

Schultz Family Foundation

I would just hear him drag my mom down, tear off walls and doors, and it was always a frightening place. I stopped caring about everything and didn't care if I existed. >> Well, I had that antisocial behavior. Just like don't talk to me, don't look at me. If I don't know you I don't wanna know you. >> The worst violence I ever saw was at home. >> I am the offspring of a egg of a felon and the sperm of an adulterer, so I say from conception, my life was meant to be hell. >> I joined a gang and that led me to being stabbed twice in my back. >> I came from my grandma's house where we ate mayonnaise sandwiches. Cockroaches falling off the ceiling, and so it was just like, I'm kinda stuck. >> I stopped going to school to take care of my little sister. So they kicked me out. What am I gonna do? [MUSIC] >> So some people call us at-risk youth, disconnected youth. I don't know about all that. I just feel like we've been dealt a very tough hand, and we're just looking to move forward. >> The plan is to go on this road trip >> We're gonna be interviewing all sorts of people to figure out how they made it through the struggle. >> I thought they were just gonna be interviews, but they turned out to be something more. [MUSIC] >> Are you going to let this life situation stop you from reaching the goals that you want? [MUSIC] >> The most common way that people give up their power is by assuming they have none. >> This issue is way too common. >> You are not just a foster kid, you're not just a drug abuser, you're a human being living your life. And you're gonna make a million mistakes, and a million things are gonna happen to you, and it's not over. >> The main thing I see here is courage. Honestly, I think you have to be a courageous person to ask for that helping hand to change that life. >> We all come from some place that we did not necessarily choose. But we can choose where we're going. [MUSIC] 

Ready to Rise Trailer

This is the street that I grew up in, the block that I grew up in. It's pretty [LAUGH]. This neighborhood did teach me a lot of things. >> Right now we're at my old house. There's good and bad memories in this home. It's like, everything. [LAUGH] >> The situation I was born into was pretty rough. Coming out your door every day, you don't know what you're going to be faced with. [MUSIC] >> I stopped going to school to take care of my little sister, so they kicked me out. What am I gonna do? [MUSIC] The route that I was going, you had to get respect, know what I'm saying, you had to do a few things and join a gang, but that was how you was gonna survive. >> Where I grew up, and as the years went by, things started happening, drugs got into it, a lot of violence got into it And so this is like, I'm kind of stuck. I was running very low on hope, running low on my forgiveness with people, my dreams all starting to shut down myself. >> People in my community was telling me that I wasn't gonna be anything. You're gonna come right back to the block and do the same old same old. You ain't gonna do anything with your life. But I've decided use that as motivation. >> I was like bitter, angry. I was just hating the world. And now, I'm graduating high school today. I got through it. I did it, finally. [APPLAUSE] >> To be graduating is very shocking, cuz I honestly never thought that I was gonna make it there. But now today's the day and I did it. I got where I wanted to go. [MUSIC] >> So for those that's in my shoes, who's currently dealing with the struggle that I've dealt with, the route that you're so used to isn't you're only route. [MUSIC] 

Web Exclusive #1

So some people call us at-risk youth, I don't know about all that. >> The plan is to go on this road trip >> We're gonna be interviewing all sorts of people to figure out how they've made it through their struggles. We're in Chicago getting ready to talk to Chris Gardener, I'm very intrigued to hear what his story's about. I guess I'm currently still dealing with homeless situations. My dad turned into an alcoholic and became abusive. I got kicked out, and I'm just trying to find positivity, and I guess trying to stay happy. On top of everything. I come from Oakland California and. >> Oakland, California. Then you know Oakland well, >> Yeah. >> You know the MacArthur Bart Station? >> Yeah, I stayed down there. >> Yeah, I stayed down there too. [LAUGH] >> Really? [LAUGH] >> When you see the movie again, and you see that scene in the subway, That was the MacArthur bus station. [SOUND] >> Coming from someone that dealt with being homeless, what kind of advice can I have? >> I would never forget being 15 years old, put out of the house butt naked >> Out of a bathtub. At the point of a shotgun, by my stepfather. I made the commitment, this will never happen again to another child. And I will start with this one in my arms, this starts with me. I could have become my stepfather. I could have become another alcoholic, wife beating, child abusing, illiterate loser, and a lot of people would have said, well look where he's from. He didn't have a choice. Well I did have a choice. No I can't go to the party tonight. I got to study. I got to practice. I got a big day tomorrow I got to get some rest. Everybody ain't going to dig it. You're not going to be cool anymore. You don't want to be cool, you want to become employed? You want to be doing what makes you happy. You're on your pursuit. The point is this. We all come from someplace that we did not necessarily choose. But we can choose where we're going. >> So he's hosting an event at his home in Trump Towers. And he invited us over. What is this? My God, this is crazy. >> These guys are on a road trip. >> Folks talk about sometimes skeletons in their closet. Man I got my skeletons on display over my fireplace. >> [LAUGH] >> It's kinda where I want to be some day. The skeletons of alcoholism, domestic violence, all those generational cycles, those bones they sit on the mantle piece over my fireplace, and I look at them every day and I say, no you didn't and no you won't. And you can do the same thing. We're standing in the Trump Tower. I don't know how, I don't know where, I don't wanna question anything. I'm just taking this all in. Just really been grateful, thank you Lord. This is so nice. Thank you. Thank you for all the negativity, this definitely got me here, All their forget you's and F u's and what not, you're never gonna make it. Definitely pushed me to be here, definitely gives me a perspective just to try harder and just keep going on. I'm gonna follow my heart and dream big. I love it. [LAUGH] I'm grateful. [MUSIC] 

Web Exclusive #2

>> The old Mike, I just went with the flow and not thinking of the bigger picture. Just being that dude who's just making an impact on one dot and that's myself. Now I'm seeing things in much larger view. I want to impact a lot more of the people. [MUSIC] >> Being on this road trip has given me new hope. When I go back home, I feel like I'll wake up with a little smile and be like, today is going to be alright, I'm going to get there, its going to be cool. >> When I started hearing all these people tell me and stuff. I started opening up the door of maybe I am something. Maybe I am valuable. I do have a purpose. [MUSIC] 

Where Are They Now?

This summer, three out of work and out of school youth will climb aboard Roadtrip Nation’s RV and travel across the country to interview inspiring individuals who have also struggled with adversity and overcome it to build fulfilling lives and careers. We’ll film the experience and feature it in a documentary to give young people the tools to see—and start pursuing—the possibilities.

Last day on the road.

Taking the L train back to Manhattan.

Arel Moodie of 'Art of Likeability'

Welcome to Niagara Falls!

Up close and personal at Niagara Falls

We did laundry in Lorain, OH

Meeting the man behind "The Pursuit of Happyness"!

Meeting the magical Fatimah Ashgar.

Chris Gardner's view of the city

Three time All Star baseball player, Curtis Granderson!

Visiting The City Museum in St. Louis

Pro Tip from the Road

Great view of the Gateway Arch

Checking out the Saint Louis Zoo

White Water Rafting with City Wild

On top of the RV in Frisco, CO!

Can't get enough of this canyon!

Taking in Bryce Canyon

Our filmers are expert selfie takers.

Fourth of July in Bryce Canyon

A timeless team photo ;)

First interview of the trip with Jill Ippolito of Uprising Yoga

Gary sharing great advice

Father Greg Boyle was awesome!

5.6 million young people are out of work and out of school. We’re giving them a vehicle to explore their potential—pun intended.

Confronting systemic barriers to success

The Opportunity Youth Roadtrip