Dr. Todd's grandfather, "Reverend John Todd" was a founding Baptist Church minister and owner of a dry-cleaning business in Mobile, Alabama, which set the tone for a legacy of service and entrepreneurship. His father, a deacon in the church, embarked on a journey to California in the 1960s, driven by a vision of a better life. The specter of racial segregation cast a long shadow even in the west. Dr. Todd’s father worked multiple jobs, from janitorial work at Shell Oil company, able building & maintenance (ABM), and finally finding a place at the US Post Office. His mother, an assistant schoolteacher, and his father were staunch "Union Supporters", and their commitment to solidarity and justice would be imprinted on Dr. Todd’s character.