Entrepreneurial spirit carries Wysinger from SC State to the MLK Parade Route in Las Vegas

SC State freshman La’Rell Wysinger’s journey of service and enterprise comes full circle as a junior grand marshal

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — When La’Rell Wysinger rode through downtown Las Vegas as a junior grand marshal in the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Parade, the moment felt earned.

“It felt honestly just — it felt good, like a full circle moment,” said Wysinger, a South Carolina State University freshman. “Everything that I’ve done up to this point as far as business, academics, community service and everything – it just felt good.”

The young business owner was one of two junior grand marshals selected for the parade — the largest Martin Luther King Jr. parade west of the Mississippi — an honor he said came as a surprise, even with his long record of community involvement and record in business.

“I remember my mom talking about it briefly,” he said. “There's this MLK Committee, and she was saying they were looking for me to be the junior grand marshal. So, I let that go in one ear and out the other, but then she called me another day. She was like, ‘They really evaluated you and what you’ve done in the community and your attributes. They really want you to be here.’”

Wysinger rode in the parade with the food trailer he started as a preteen, the success of which was among the reasons he was selected as a junior grand marshal.

“The experience was amazing, amazing,” he said. “Honestly, seeing all the people back home and the people from here made the whole thing a lot more memorable. Like I said, it was a full-circle moment seeing people in the community who supported me when I first started my business.”

Early lessons in business and leadership

Born in Pasadena, California, Wysinger moved to Las Vegas during his school years and began building a résumé early.

“I started my food truck actually at 12, so I’ve been a business owner since I was in my preteens,” he said.

The business, Chily Barkers, evolved over time but stayed rooted in its original idea.

“It was a play on words,” Wysinger said. “Originally my food truck was supposed to be a chili corn dog concept, but in our beginning phases, it didn’t actually play out the way we wanted it to.”

The family-run business now serves cornbread pancakes with homemade chili, along with mac and cheese, chicken and collard greens. The oldest of five siblings, Wysinger is a son of Tatiana Easley and Alan Batie, who have supported his entrepreneurship and his HBCU journey on the East Coast.

While Wysinger is in college, his family continues operating the truck. The business also works under a contract with the Las Vegas school district.

“We actually go to the various schools and serve lunch throughout the week,” he said. “That was one of the things that kind of kept us going.”

In high school, Wysinger balanced business ownership with leadership roles, serving as a track captain and staying active in student organizations.

“I just tried to stay as active on campus as possible,” he said. “Much like here at SC State -- I really don’t like to stay in my house or my room.”

Finding a home at SC State and representing the brand

Majoring in computer science, Wysinger said his path to South Carolina State began with an HBCU tour organized by his church.

“They do an HBCU tour every spring break for kids in Las Vegas,” he said. “One of the schools happened to be SC State.”

That first visit left a lasting impression. When it came time to choose a college, Wysinger reached back to that connection — and found support waiting in the SC State Enrollment Management Team and Vice President for Enrollment Management Manicia Finch. Like many students, he affectionately calls her “Mamma Finch.”

“She looked out for me,” Wysinger said. “It made me feel like more than a number. It made me feel like I was actually going to be loved and cared for here.”

Beyond the relationships, the campus environment itself stood out as a break from the fast-paced way of life in Las Vegas.

“It was a slower pace. I actually thought I could catch my breath as far as academics and social life. It actually made me feel like I could adjust,” he said. “I had the need to keep up with the pace, and SC State made me feel like I could take my time.”

After arriving at SC State, Wysinger quickly immersed himself in campus life. He began selling plates of food, works a federal work-study job in human resources and joined the student organization 101 Black Men.

“We stay involved within the community — not just SC State, but the community of Orangeburg,” he said of 101 Black Men.

That commitment to service traces back to his earlier involvement with the National Action Network, founded by the Rev. Al Sharpton.

“It keeps in the spirit of Martin Luther King and his activism,” Wysinger said. “We used to do youth activism, enlightening the youth on why they should still know more about Black history.”

During the parade, Wysinger had an emotional reaction — seeing supporters from home, familiar faces, and even SC State represented. Using the parade as a recruitment opportunity, Finch and the Enrollment Management team rode behind the Chily Barkers food trailer on a Clark County fire engine decked out with SC State banners.

“Turning around, seeing the South Carolina truck with me, throwing necklaces and footballs, I just couldn't feel anything but grateful, you know, other than my cheeks hurting from constantly smiling and waving,” he said. “It was honestly just a massive wave of appreciation.”

The appreciation is mutual.

Finch said that with over 90,000 people along the route and TV networks covering the parade, SC State received widespread recognition. Some Bulldog alumni even flew to Las Vegas to experience the positive impact.

“La’Rell is a stellar scholar. His representation of South Carolina State University and his spirit of academic excellence at the Unity Parade in Las Vegas offered a great example of students having Bulldog pride and tenacity,” Finch said. “Proud is an understatement for the immense gratification we experienced with La’Rell’s representation of the SC State brand.”

His future in mind

Looking ahead, Wysinger plans to merge his entrepreneurial instincts with technology, expanding his food truck concept while applying what he learns in computer science.

“I kind of figured that I've learned so much of business -- already being so young and having all these mentors,” he said. “I kind of feel like if I learned in college, it would be a restart or a step in the corporate direction.

“But I have more of an entrepreneurial sense, so I kind of want to keep that spirit. That’s the reason why I did computer science. I became fascinated with the idea of technology. This world is now turning digital, and I want to make sure I’m not behind the curve,” he said. “So, I want to make sure in any way, I can imply my technological sense and entrepreneurial sense and find something to merge that.”

The Las Vegas pipeline to SC State

Wysinger is among several Las Vegas residents who have joined the Bulldog family in Orangeburg. Having others on campus has given him a touch of home. His best friend at SC State is Juliet Shanett, a Las Vegas resident who works in Enrollment Management.

“We didn't actually know each other much before stepping foot on campus,” he said. “With that back home connection and now going to the same school, we kind of formed a bond. You see us every day together, even when we're back home.”

For other students back home in Las Vegas who are considering the journey east to SC State, Wysinger keeps his advice simple.

“Come for the family,” he said. “You’re at home away from home, and they treat you as family.”