Rehan Staton

April 2, 2024, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States: Harvard Law School cafeteria staff Brione Merchant receives award at the Reciprocity Effect's ("TRE") Second Annual Award Ceremony. The ceremony to honor Harvard Law School's blue-collar support staff . A recent graduate of Harvard Law School, Rehan Staton, founded the TRE. Before becoming a student at Harvard law school, Staton was a sanitation worker in Maryland, where his coworkers encouraged him to apply to attend college. When Staton arrived at Harvard in the fall of 2022 he made friends with students and teachers as well as custodians, cafeteria workers and security staffers. Staton’s story was told in The Washington Post in 2020 causing large financial support, including from the actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, who covered Staton’s tuition. In 2022, Staton started the Reciprocity Effect, a nonprofit organization to support what he calls the “unsung heroes” who work behind the scenes. The organization offers need-based grants and also recognizes workers. (Photo by Keiko Hiromi/AFLO)