The Enquirer and the USA TODAY Network are hosting a ‘One Nation’ event Sept. 21 on  “American Rights.”  How have we exercised the rights we are guaranteed as Americans? Here is one story:

Rodney Williams

Resides: Downtown Cincinnati 

Age: 32

Occupation: Entrepreneur, CEO and co-founder of Lisnr

About: As a young professional, Williams moved to Cincinnati and built a multi-million dollar startup company, Lisnr, who’s sound technology rivals Bluetooth services. The Baltimore native has landed on multiple nationwide 40 under 40 lists and his company is now ranked among the top disrupters in the tech industry.

Cincinnati was like an entirely new planet for me.

From the moment I arrived, I recognized how conservative the city is. You immediately understand the communities and neighborhoods, the separation of wealth and the range of assumptions. I like to think from the moment I got to Cincinnati I was trying to figure out how to make it better.

There’s a huge problem with young professionals leaving Cincinnati and there’s an even bigger problem with professional minorities leaving Cincinnati. I remember trying to fix that.

I’m originally from Baltimore, Maryland, which isn’t the most friendly place to grow up, but it’s the place I call home. I went to private school all my life, mainly because the education system in Baltimore wasn’t the best. My parents are blue-collar workers and they definitely sacrificed a lot making sure I always went to the best schools. That paid off really well at a very young age. My classmates and my networks were some of the more affluent business families of the city, which completely changed my perspective. It’s a big part of who I am and who I became.

Read the full story at Cincinnati.com.