Rudolph Coombs

Coombs went on to attend Payne College in Georgia through a basketball scholarship. During his time at Payne, he became president of the undergraduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, where he fundraised. His time at Payne would be unfortunately cut short when he was wrongfully arrested for assault and robbery. This happened when he was leaving a jewelry store in the Bronx during one of his breaks from school. This would effectively change the trajectory of Coombs’ life. He was tried three times, found guilty two times, but on the third time, he was declared innocent after the victim told the judge that Coombs was not the man who robbed her. With his freedom granted, he realized he wanted to dedicate his life to giving voice to the voiceless, people who are suppressed and cannot defend themselves. After that, he served in the army for two years, during which he met his wife and had a daughter. Back in New York, he helped found 100 Black Men and was the polemarch of Alpha Kappa Psi in 2012. He went on to meet prominent figures, including borough presidents, senators, mayors, and many celebrities. Coombs is a leader of extreme conviction who didn’t let horrible circumstances prevent him from doing what he wanted. His philosophy is a testament to his life story and always resonated with the people he interacted with.