Today we’d like to introduce you to Alphonso Faltz Jr..
Hi Alphonso, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hello, my name is Alphonso Faltz Jr and I am 21 years old. I was born and raised in Aberdeen, Maryland. I am a senior at Towson University studying Psychology and Family Science in hopes of becoming a psychologist who provides mental health services to adolescents, young adults, and athletes as well.
These particular focal groups have a special place in my heart because I believe my life changed the most throughout these times of my life. During my adolescent stage, I lost my two best friends and saw the dynamics of my world change. During my young adult stage, I developed into my true authentic self and discovered the complexity of relationships. During my time of being an athlete, I got hurt and saw the mental and physical toll it takes on the mind and body.
Now you may ask, “Why do you want to be a psychologist?” “What sparked your interest in wanting to help others?” Well, I have had my own personal mental health struggles over the years. I grew up with grief being very prevalent in my life, losing loved ones, but there were two people who passed away that altered the trajectory of my life. I lost my grandmother and brother when I was 14 and 15 years old, which changed my perspective on life. I lost my grandmother in a car accident hours before my 8th-grade graduation. My brother went missing 7 months later and was found 77 days later in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. My grandmother and brother have been “MY WHY”. The reason I try so hard to make life better for the people around me, to make a positive impact on the people I encounter, because that is exactly what they did. This is when I discovered that I wanted to pursue Psychology. I not only wanted to help people, but I was curious about the motives of people’s actions and the reasoning behind them. This is when I discovered my purpose in life. I wanted to make life better for the people around me.
I like to break down my 3 passions into the three F’s. Faith, Fitness and Fine Arts. Faith, I was born and raised in the church. I sang in the choir, went to Sunday school, and was an acolyte throughout my years. It has been the foundation of my upbringing and a main pillar of how I live my life. I rededicated my life to Christ and took the initiative to fully embody my relationship with Jesus Christ for myself last year and it has been a game-changer.
Fitness, I have been an active kid all my life participating in sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball and track. In high school, I went into “retirement” and started to focus more on lifting weights. I have been in the gym ever since and it is a great way for me to relieve stress and build mental toughness. However, I have played flag football since I started college which is always a good time.
Fine Arts, I have been a performer for the majority of my life. I participated in tap dance in my younger years. When middle school came, I participated in theatre and fell in love with it. I did plays and musical theatre up until my senior year of high school, where I performed my last show as Donkey in Shrek. I am now on the Rhythm Step Team and serve as the Co-President at Towson University. I have a sincere love for stepping and being on stage.
I also am a writer. I started writing poetry last October as a way for me to express how I was feeling. It has been a year since I wrote my first poem and it is crazy to believe that now I am a published author. I published my first book on September 12th, 2025, called What They Don’t Tell You Volume 1, which is also on Amazon! My goal of the book is to remind people that they can overcome and persevere through trials and tribulations. This book is meant to encourage and inspire people, so when they are having a rough day, they can read a poem in the book and feel energized, ready to take care of business! Words have power and have the ability to uplift people’s spirits, which is a beautiful thing. There is no age limit for this book. It does not matter how old you are or where you come from; there is a poem for everyone. I hope that every person who reads What They Don’t Tell You is able to receive something to make them feel seen, validated, but most importantly, loved.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Grief. Losing my two best friends definitely changed my life and family dynamic. It taught me a lot about what grief can do to a person and a family. Grief can either bring a family closer together or break it apart. Grief comes and goes in waves. There are days when it is really hard and I do not want to get up in the morning, then there are other days when I feel like I can conquer the world. In this season that I am in right now, I struggled because there is so much going on in my life that I wish my relatives were here to see it for themselves. I know they are here in spirit, but I wish they were able to be physically here. For me to get through those phases, I have to allow myself to feel my feelings. Giving myself the space to acknowledge and embrace whatever it is I am feeling. Suppressing or ignoring those feelings can do more harm than good and cause some serious damage long-term.
Self-esteem was a struggle of mine growing up. I had a speech impediment and used to get made fun of for how I spoke. At one point, I actually did not want to talk around people because of the fear of being criticized. It took years to start becoming more comfortable with my speaking ability. It’s funny now, because the same thing that people used to make fun of me for is the very thing that is transforming lives – my voice.
This life has been far from a smooth road. If it were a smooth road, I would not be where I am today. I am grateful for the experiences that have taken place in my life because it is what makes me – ME.
Romans 8:28 “All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been given the gift of words. With this gift, I love to speak life into people whether it is through writing poetry, speaking in a classroom, or having a conversation with someone. I am known for being someone who has a lot of energy, someone who likes to make people smile. As someone who loves to be involved on campus, I have been blessed to be a student brand ambassador for the university where I represented the student body in professional photoshoots and undergraduate campaign videos to showcase the student experience. I am known for being an author, a poet, a Residential Assistant, Mr. 1908 for the Lambda Beta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated for the 2025-2026 academic school year, being the Co-President of the Rhythm Step Team and leaving an impact on those I come in contact with. Being involved in these organizations and having titles is a blessing to have, but that is not something I try to idolize. I learned not to put all your focus on the titles and status, but more so on the impact and giving back to the community you serve. I am most proud of the growth I have seen within myself. I am not the same person I was 6 months ago, a year ago, and I am extremely proud of the person I am becoming.
I believe the thing that sets me apart from others is being my most authentic self. Understanding that there is nobody on this earth like me and my story. I believe that there is one of everyone in the world and there is no one else like you. You are unique in your own special way and that is what sets you apart from everyone else.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
One of the things I wish I had paid more attention to was the consistency aspect of your craft. Remaining consistent and not taking your foot off the gas. When I first started my poetry journey and sharing it with the media, I did not post consistently as I should have. I cannot stress enough the importance of being a student of the game and preparation. It is important to become a student in the industry that you want to be a part of before fully diving in. Now, you will learn as you go, but the more studying you do early on, the farther along you will be.
Consistency + Discipline + Patience = Success
This right here is something I created in high school that has really given me perspective on everything I do. This formula is the game-changer. You have to stay consistent, keep grinding, keep going even when it gets hard. By you stopping, you will not be able to see if it is possible. Don’t give up today when tomorrow may be the day you win. This is when discipline comes in. There are days you will not want to, but you have to because it is up to you to make the decision if you want to be successful (whatever that may look like). Patience, well, all good things come to those who wait. You have to be patient because sometimes the results won’t come instantly. The instant gratification is not always going to be there, and you have to be okay with that. You stay consistent, stay disciplined and be patient – your time will come.
One of the things I share with people is to PLEASE REMAIN HUMBLE. You are not bigger than the program. Do not idolize the blessing and forget about the blesser. I like to tell people that my gift is not my own; it was given to me. God is working in and through me. I am just the vessel. What God gave you, He can easily take away so please remember to remain humble and give back because ultimately that is what this life is all about.
Pricing:
- $12.99 for What They Don’t Tell You Volume 1: Real Talk, No Filter
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.versesbyzo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/versesbyzo/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alphonso-faltz-jr/
