Theodore was born in Dallas, Texas to Drinkard and Lonnie Timms. He has two older brothers, Michael and Drinkard Jr, and a sister, Tanya. Drinkard Jr. recently passed away. His father was an A.M.E. preacher who was the pastor of several churches throughout the state of Texas which forced him to enroll in several different schools throughout his elementary. This deeply affected him academically. He was always ‘playing catchup’. He finally settled in San Antonio, where he finished middle and high school. He then wanted to attend college, but a few people said he was ‘not college material’. Harsh, but he says that ‘they were partially correct. I graduated from high school in the bottom of my class with a 1.71. I did not tell anyone, not even my parents, because I was embarrassed’. Most people would have given up but with grit and agency he graduated from the University of North Texas with a BS in Education and from Texas A & M University-Commerce with an M.Ed. He went on to receive numerous awards for his teaching, and for the schools at which he taught was a senior manager. He was accepted into the university’s doctoral program but did not finish because he was advised to change his topic - and refused to do so, given the importance of the subject. His dissertation instead evolved into his first book.