Podcast appearances and mentions of urban strategies

Welcome to The Vancouver Life Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the forces shaping the future of Vancouver's real estate market with Josh White, the General Manager of Planning, Urban Design, and Sustainability for the City of Vancouver. Josh brings a wealth of experience from his time as Director of City and Regional Planning and Co-Chief Planner at the City of Calgary, and now leads Vancouver's planning efforts at a time when housing supply, affordability, and urban development are more critical than ever. We discuss the lessons he's learned from his time in Calgary and brought to Vancouver, and how the city is tackling some of its biggest affordability challenges. We dig into the complexities of Vancouver's permitting process, why timelines under the City's ambitious 3-3-3-1 Plan have been difficult to meet, and whether hiring more staff is really the solution. Josh sheds light on the city's plan to streamline over 1,800 pages of policy documents into just 100 pages and what that will mean for builders and homeowners. We also explore upcoming system changes that could cut permit times in half by allowing Development Permits and Building Permits to be processed in parallel. Josh shares his take on Bill 47 and how transit-oriented development is shaping the future. We tackle the long and often frustrating process developers face to rezone and build towers, why Vancouver's city fees are among the highest in Canada, and how Development Cost Levies impact affordability and cash flow. We ask where these funds are being spent, whether there's accountability in how they're used, and discuss the city's evolving stance on banning natural gas in new homes. Josh also weighs in on Bob Rennie's recent proposal to allow foreign buyers to participate in pre-sales with long-term rental commitments, and we talk about changes to REDMA that give developers more breathing room in today's challenging market. Lastly, Josh shares his vision for housing in Vancouver, how builders can help streamline processes at City Hall, the conversations happening around affordability, and how sustainability is built into every decision the city makes for the future. This is an in-depth conversation you won't want to miss if you care about the future of housing in Vancouver.Josh White joined the City of Vancouver in May of 2024, coming from Calgary where most recently he was Director, City and Regional Planning and Co-Chief Planner at the City of Calgary. There, he stewarded the adoption of a new housing strategy in collaboration with partners and led the creation of a simpler and more effective planning policy and regulation. During a period of extraordinary population growth for the city, Josh also oversaw strategic growth, growth funding and financing, and infrastructure planning for the municipality. In his tenure at the City of Calgary, he also initiated and led the significant transformation of the development approvals system, which resulted in improved planning outcomes,benchmarked as among the most efficient in Canada.He holds a master's degree in urban and regional planning from Queen's University, and began his career in the private sector, serving a variety of private and public sector clients as a consultant with Urban Strategies in Toronto. Josh's private sector experience also includes leading planning and approvals for Alpine Park, a progressive n _________________________________ Contact Us To Book Your Private Consultation:

In this episode, host David Ponraj has a no holds barred conversation with Donovan Duncan, Executive Vice President of Urban Strategies, Inc. They discuss USI's place-based initiative that focuses on housing, people, and economic solutions. Donovan shares that having a strong sense of place and belonging is what makes a thriving community; it is the most central part of economic development. “Place is at the epicenter of all things, of all experiences, of transformation and change. It's how people ground themselves in their identity.” He also shares some staggering statistics around homelessness and the wealth gap. Learn more about USI's work in cities like Cleveland, which has a housing-first model with a goal of ending chronic homelessness by the year 2030 using an intentional, grassroots approach. They discuss fallacies around low-income housing, the good and bad of capitalism when it comes to equity, and the limited lens of credit scoring. Donovan also outlines his Big Hairy Audacious Goal for 2024, to incrementally lessen the wealth gap for African American households using a targeted, tracked and very specific method. An ambitious goal that can change the industry framework so that it meets the moment that we are in and creates opportunity for all.Connect with Donovan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovan-duncan-7b5a8356/Email: Donovan.Duncan@usi-inc.orgWebsite: https://urbanstrategiesinc.org/

$340 billion.That figure was the commitment offered by corporations looking to help address historical injustices in American society and help close the racial wealth gap in the wake of the death of George Floyd. This week, Donovan Duncan joins The SCORE to explore where corporations and communities currently stand with regard to making good on that commitment. Mr. Duncan is Executive Vice President at Urban Strategies, Inc., a national non-profit leader in the field of community development. Duncan is also Chairman of the Board at the Credit Builders Alliance and has decades of experience in ensuring communities are able to flourish and grow.Mr. Duncan explores the homeownership gap in communities of color and how lenders can best serve creditworthy borrowers currently excluded from one of the most significant creators of wealth in our economy.  

Nimet, Executive Vice President of Green Garden Bakery and Tiffany Blanford, Family Support Manager of Urban Strategies, Inc. join Megan and Debbie in studio talking about Green Garden Bakery and their role with Urban Strategies.

James DiPaolo, a senior associate at Urban Strategies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's special guest is Pastor Mike McBride, National Director for Urban Strategies at Live Free America, a campaign led by hundreds of faith congregations throughout the United States committed to addressing gun violence and mass incarceration of young people of color.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[00:00:00] Lisa Cummins: I think the question I would ask is what is your employee turnover? And because I have found nonprofits come and go, employee turnover helps me understand what your commitment is to, what your ability is to lead, and what your consistency is with your values.  Because if you're not consistent, employees won't stay long. ++++++++++++++++++++= Tommy Thomas: Today, we're continuing the conversation that we began last week with Lisa Trevino Cummins. Lisa spent the first 12 plus years of her career with Bank of America where she expanded the bank's community development initiative to become one of the first national corporations to partner with faith-based organizations in underserved neighborhoods. From Bank of America, Lisa was called to help launch the White House Community and Faith-Based Initiative. In 2003, she started Urban Strategies where she continues her work to make resources more available to underserved communities.  Since founding Urban Strategies, Lisa has been a catalyst of several initiatives that resulted in almost $40 million of new programming focused in low-income communities.  Let's pick up the conversation when I was asking her about the early days of Urban Strategies.  [00:01:23] Tommy Thomas: You're probably not the first founder I've interviewed but you'd be one of the first.  What was the genesis of Urban Strategies?  [00:01:29] Lisa Cummins: Yeah, I mentioned that I worked for 12 years with Bank of America and about the last five years of that, and again, I had this parallel path of working in the bank and being fairly successful in that. And then the second parallel path to that was working in the church. And really that's where my heart was about year seven or eight into this journey of the bank. I started questioning why those two paths were divergent. Why, if I'm talking about if I'm working in the bank to address communities in need and why is that different? Why is my church life not connected there? I read a book called The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey.   And that really helped highlight the passages in the scripture that, even though I've read the Bible three or four times, I really never saw those passages in Matthew about serving those in need, about loving your neighbor, about justice, about God's heart for the poor. When he talks to the Israelites and judges has some judgment on the Israelites because of how they treated the marginalized. So, I had this, what I call a “holy agitation” and where my spirit was struggling with this, and about that time the Lord, it was the Lord. But the bank asked me to move to St. Louis to help start the community development group I had in Texas, to help start that in a bank that we had purchased in the Midwest. So, I had five states reporting to me. Developing from the ground up. It was a hard move because I was really on the fast track in San Antonio politically and socially. So I ended up moving to the Midwest and it was a hard transition. We didn't know anyone there. That community was not familiar with the culture that I came from. Spaghetti sauce substituted for hot sauce at the time, and that's hard for a Texan. And during that time we ended up at a church that was not part of my tradition. I was from a Pentecostal background. This church was a PCA church. And long story short,  We saw, in action, the answer to that question and that holy agitation I was wrestling with because this congregation was very intentional about reconciling people to God and reconciling people to one another. And so, you had a congregation before multiculturalism became popular. They were really living that out and very intentional about it. And that became a pivotal point for me in terms of recognizing the role, the opportunity, the obligation that the faith community had to serving its neighbors, to loving its neighbors. And one thing led to the other. My pastor in Texas, I had brought him to the Midwest, said, you got to see what I'm talking about. And so he said, he came 24 hours. He said, Lisa, my world's been turned upside down and I'm going to meet with the governor next week. Can I tell him about this? I'm like, sure, you can tell whoever you want to. It happened to be Governor George W. Bush. And so, when they met it wasn't long after that I got a call from the governor's office and said, hey, we want to understand what you're doing and what you're working on because that's something we want to do in Texas.  And so, the governor became president and then they asked, we want help.  We want to develop this faith-based initiative nationally. Can you come to the White House and help us do that? I had three kids under three. The twin boys that were six months and my daughter, who was two and a half and my husband.  We moved to DC and ended up working there for a couple years.  [00:05:23] Tommy Thomas: So, when you finally spun off and went out on your own what was that first year like? [00:05:27] Lisa Cummins: The first year was, when you work in the government, it's illegal to set up your business for when you're going to be, for when or relationships or anything, or when you're going to exit.  I exited because I felt that my calling was to work with the church to love its neighbors.  I had come to the end of what I could do with that internal to the government. And I saw the need and opportunities on the outside of the government to still further move along that calling. And so, I left the government, and I remember driving. I was like, I'm going to do this. I don't know how, I don't know where, but this is the work I have to continue. And so, I let folks know that was happening. And I got a couple of small contracts. I remember that first check, I don't know, it was $10,000 or something. And I was so proud of that because I am entrepreneurial and just that sense of being able to build something and then get paid for it was pretty cool. But it was a time of learning. It was a time of flexibility. It was a time of really trying to find my way. I remember there's a fellow named Gordon Loux, I don't know if you know him. He always said, Lisa, the challenge you're going to have is figuring out where you're going to focus. And he's right.  We do all kinds of work, but the common thread has been low income or it's not low income. The common thread has been working with Latino populations. Why? Because that's what I know best. And working with the church. And today we do that in all 50 states. We do that in Puerto Rico, we do that in Central America and do in all kinds of arenas. I'm sorry, I think I diverted from your original question. I remember Tommy, I will say one vivid recollection I have, it was about August, September of that first year of 2002. This is our 20th anniversary at Urban Strategies. And I remember being really frustrated because I saw the need was so significant in communities and I didn't have any resources. I remember a woman saying, Lisa, I don't think we need federal funds because God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. I'm like, I agree that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but where those resources are, they're not being released to the communities I work in. So where I do have access is federal funding. And I was wrestling with that idea and wrestling with God about why is it so hard to get resources? And I never got an answer on why, but I got the comfort of understanding that if I'm doing God's work, God's going to provide. And so, I was able to let that go. Let that go. And God has.  [00:08:22] Tommy Thomas: So, what counsel would you give an up-and-coming wannabe founder?  [00:08:29] Lisa Cummins: I go back to what that pastor told me 20 something years ago, to make sure it's what you're called to do. The work that is called to do. Two is not make your ownership the goal but make your goal that calling.   That calling can be pursued in a number of different ways. It can be in partnership, it could be like, I was in banking, I was very much an entrepreneur in banking even though I was part of this structured company of 60,000 employees. But I was running my own thing. So, I think it's really important to not think, not to lead with the form or the structure, but lead with the calling and purpose. And I think the form of structure then will come and will be made known. You'll understand what that is. If in fact that means setting up your own organization, I would say keep your costs low. I'm still at the office where, this call is from my home. So, I was doing remote work 20 years ago, before it became popular. Our headquarters folks asked us today, where is your headquarters? I'm here in Arlington and this has been my office for the last 20 years, but we don't have a headquarters because we're based all over the country. I didn't make those big expenses early on and so it gave me some freedom to not have to worry about how I was going to pay for those things. And it allowed me to focus in on again, what my purpose in calling had been.  ++++++++++++++++++++++=   [00:10:00] Tommy Thomas: Another question first. And you may have answered this all along the way, but can you think of a time when you felt like you had found your professional voice that you know, that you were comfortable in your skin? [00:10:13] Lisa Cummins: Yeah. Tommy, that's an interesting question. I think it depends on who is listening to that voice. I think being raised in a community where you're the first or you're the only one has caused me to be hesitant about my voice. Even among people who are well-meaning and I know are great folks, the differences in our upbringing, in our culture, in our understanding and our experiences would cause me to be comfortable in a second seat. Because for me to be comfortable, behind someone in leadership or behind someone that's front stage. I think there's some real benefit to that. Because I think that comes with having a sense of humility that requires me to really focus on what is it that matters to me. Is it that I'm at the front with a microphone or is it that this gets done right? And so, I think there's been a lot of that. Having said that, over time it's funny when people say wow, you're an expert at this. I'm like, I don't feel like it's just because I've lived longer, it's just because I have a few more gray hairs. That I've been able to speak on things. And so, I think in the last 10 years, I think I actually have become more comfortable in my voice. I have, and in some ways that's a sad reality because I think I had a lot to contribute prior to 10 years ago. And having said that, I think that I am not as concerned anymore about what others think, nor as concerned about what others might think. And there's a term that our culture uses today that's called gaslighting. And as I understand it, gaslighting is causing people to believe that it's their failure. That has resulted in x, y, z consequences rather than the person that's doing the gaslighting. And I think in some ways I've allowed myself to be in that place of being the individual, the part of a community that is at fault or is less than or it comes short and hasn't recognized the value that I bring to the table. I think Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book about David and Goliath that's along those lines about, everyone saw David as the minuscule person who's going to be tossed and defeated, etc. But David's experiences brought him some things that really allow, besides the divine, besides God being part of that story. But it allowed David to bring some understanding of resilience, of working under pressure of working with, few less resources, etc. That's what my community has brought to the table, and I think I've, over the last 10 years, I've owned that more than I had in the past.  [00:13:21] Tommy Thomas: Earlier in the conversation you were talking about transparency and maybe you said you might've got hurt a little bit there. This is a quote from Joyce Meyer that I'd like for you to respond to. She writes about what she calls the Judas Kiss Test - The test of being portrayed by friends that we have loved, respected, and trusted. Most people in positions of leadership for any length of time are likely to experience this.  [00:13:48] Lisa Cummins: Unfortunately, if I've experienced that more times than I'd like to, that I'd like to admit, and hopefully I haven't been the perpetrator of that for anyone else. I think when power and greed come to the picture things change and I think all of us are susceptible to that. And I think that I've had some very difficult situations that have been driven at, in hindsight by those two things. And I think for me, the key is what I need, I am always checking myself to make sure that I'm on the right side of that story. And if I'm not to make amends and to identify what there is that I can, that I need to adjust on my end. But yeah, there's been things, and I think any business owner, any leader,you're susceptible to folks who maybe at one time, they were the best of, they were the trusted confidant, but something changed in their environment. Something changed, and those that influenced them, something changed in their circumstances that caused them then to make this Judas kiss. Ironically, we're talking about it this week. But yeah, those are very hurtful and that's probably been the most difficult part of my career is those circumstances and, if I didn't care about folks it wouldn't matter. But the ones that hurt the most are the ones that were people you care about the most. That's where it's going to hurt the most. And it's just part of where we are, part of humanity. And so I try to learn from that. I try to also appreciate, a friend of mine said, Lisa, don't ever trust me without accountability,and she's my most trusted friend. But she said that to me because she loved me, and she knows that all of us have shortcomings. And I think accountability is key. And another friend told me, a banker that's been my friend now for the last 25 years, she's our CFO. She says check what is it, trust and verify. And so I'm learning to do that better. Trust and verify.  +++++++++++++++++   [00:16:04] Tommy Thomas: Let's switch over to board service. Because obviously you report to a board, you serve on several boards. And I just would appreciate some of your input here. So, when did your first board show up?    [00:16:16] Lisa Cummins: So actually Tommy, I'm an LLC so, technically, I don't have a board. Having said that, we do have a couple of projects that require a board. So, we've set up a board for those projects. And I don't have a board, not primarily, just because when I started the organization that was establishing a 501(c) 3 and all the process that goes with that just wouldn't happen fast enough for the kinds of things I was doing. Having said that, I do have people who I trust. And so I hold myself accountable to our CFO, to our employees. I hold myself accountable to, and then I have some outside friends that have been on the journey with me for decades who I hold myself accountable to. So having said that I do serve, I have served on a number of boards. And so, I think there are different kinds of boards. Some are boards where it's as a good friend said, nose in, hands out, and then other boards where it's like, we need you all in. So, it depends on where the organization is. Their life cycle, the maturity of the board organization, the kind of resources they have, etc, that determine then what kind of board you're going to have and what kind of board members that you need.  [00:17:36] Tommy Thomas: You've served on the World Vision Board. That's a big one, obviously.  Maybe you can highlight some differences about the big board like that versus some of the smaller boards you've served on. [00:17:47] Lisa Cummins: Yeah, so I think World Vision, it was a nine-year term, three, three-year terms. It was a great experience. I think I learned a lot and hopefully I was able to contribute from my experience and knowledge with equal value. I think that World Vision is a very large organization, and so the best way to serve them is by asking those tough strategic questions. And by those questions that really are looking at more systems and strategy policy versus. Another board here in my community that I've been part of where I was signing time cards and helping make calls on fundraising and those sorts of things. So, they're very different. I have served on a public board which is Texas Teacher Retirement System. It was only for about a year and a half because I had to withdraw since I was moving to DC, that board was very interesting. It's politically appointed members of the board. And I remember learning that I was approved to serve on that board. It was, at the time it was a 60 billion fund. I don't know what it is today. Probably double that if not more. But I remember I got a call from a gentleman, again, I hadn't been to a board meeting, just got word. And he says, hello, Lisa. This is Bo in his West Texas accent. Welcome to the board. What side are you on? Oh, I said I don't know, the teacher side. And it was a board where there were some issues that there would be sideline meetings on who's going to, who's going to join with who. And alliances met. That was crazy. And I was appointed by Governor Bush. And so, it's interesting and even serving in the Republican administration, I've never been a partisan person. I try to vote and do what I feel like is best according to my biblical perspective, and so folks assume I go this way on one item and another way on another item, and I don't do that. And so I think that on that, even on that board, whether it was talking about how you're going to invest funds, or you're going to, how much are you going to put in versus how much you're going to put in funds. There was political haggling going on. I've just tried to stay true to what my values are, and that's what I bring. I can't bring anything else. And so if that doesn't work, then that's probably not a good place for me.  ++++++++++++++++++   [00:20:35] Tommy Thomas: I've started asking in the last month or so, my Shark Tank question. If you were on a nonprofit version of a Shark Tank, what questions would you need answered before you opened your checkbook?  [00:20:48] Lisa Cummins: I was ready to tell you what my investment opportunity was. I have that one, I have a few of those ready.  I think the question I would ask is what is your employee turnover? Because I have found nonprofits come and go and employee turnover helps me understand what your commitment is to, what your ability is to lead, what your consistency is with your values. Because if you're not consistent, employees won't stay long. Maybe you can explain them once or twice, but if you have an ongoing record of employees that are leaving, then there's a problem there. The other thing I would ask is a lot of nonprofits talk about partners. Let's say, describe the continuum of partnership with these organizations. When you say your partner is this because you dropped off a leaflet at their door sometimes, that's okay. Depends on what the goal is or is this talking about someone who you know their name, right? You know their name and you know their story and so you're trying to get at it in a deeper way. Those kinds of things. Yeah, I think those are a couple of questions I would ask. I would also ask how well, and this is important, not just for, some people will say, this is a political thing and it's not. How well does your organization reflect the communities you're serving? Because if it doesn't, that means that there's probably a sense of a pejorative type of approach that is not going to be that way. What could be, and it'll result in less results than what could be. Does that make sense?  [00:22:43] Tommy Thomas: Yes. If a nonprofit calls you and they're looking for a little consulting and you're going to put together a dashboard of things that you would be looking at a glance to check on their health what would that dashboard look like. [00:22:56] Lisa Cummins:   Yeah, so I think it's who are you partnering with and what are the depths of those partners? Do you know how to partner, can you partner too? What is your employee retention rate? I think the third would be your 30, 60, 90-day accounts payables and 30, 60, 90-day receivables. What does that look like? And accounts payables are very concerning. Obviously if you're 60 days behind in paying, you're like, what's going on here? And how long has this been the case? And so that relates to some of the financials. I would look at the composition of leadership and experiences that they bring. I think I would also look at if, and I get calls all the time, organizations wanting to start something. What have I asked? In looking for resources, I ask, what have you already done with the resources that you have? And so if you're in organizations, I want to start them. I want to work to serve my neighborhood and work with kids. Kids need something. I said okay, what's the name of the school principal in your neighborhood? And they don't know that then that's a sign to me that they haven't done their homework. They haven't done enough work, they haven't been driven enough to do this even without resources. Because I think if you are driven and called, you're going to figure out a way to do it. It may not be all that you want to do, and it may not be, but it says that you're going to do something with the time and the health that you have.  [00:24:27] Tommy Thomas: What do you wish a younger version of yourself had known and acted upon?  [00:24:33] Lisa Cummins: I think my younger self, it would've been good to know that my voice matters and that difference doesn't mean that one is inferior to the other. And that hard work matters, but it's not the only thing that matters. There's a scripture that talks about you can toil all day, but it'd be off or not. And I think that's important. So hard work matters, but the goal, the purpose, the reason that you're doing things you know that you've got to keep that forefront.  ++++++++++++++++++++++++ In Episode 85, we began a conversation with Jerry White that we will conclude next week. If you didn't hear that episode, Jerry is the President Emeritus of The Navigators International. Prior to that, he enjoyed a distinguished career in the United States Air Force - retiring as a two-star general.  One of the reasons I wanted Jerry to be a guest is because of the depth of his nonprofit board service. Among the boards on which he has served are World Vision, The Navigators, Christian Leadership Alliance, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and the Air Force Association.  [00:26:06] Jerry White: In one board that I'm on, we appoint someone every board meeting to be what we call a responsible skeptic. And that person is designated ahead of time. their job in that board meeting is to be a bit skeptical. Now, I think you have to be a little careful about always having a person who's always skeptical. I don't think I want a board member who every time something comes up, they raise their eyebrow, and you wonder what they're thinking. I think everybody ought to be a little skeptical at some time. And the main thing is if they don't understand something they need to ask.   Links and Resources JobfitMatters Website Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas Urban Strategies   Connect Tommy Thomas - tthomas@jobfitmatters.com Tommy's LinkedIn Profile Lisa Trevino Cummin's LinkedIn Profile  

[00:00:00] Lisa Cummins: I'm Hispanic, and so my growing up was in that context, Mexican American context. My church spoke Spanish. That's where I learned to speak Spanish, singing through the hymnals. Spanish was not my first language as it was with my parents because my parents had the experience, that was their first language, but they had the experience of being punished in school for speaking Spanish. So they never taught me Spanish. They wanted to make sure I had English down. Which ironically, now 20 years later, I sent my children to a Spanish immersion school because we recognize the benefit of that. +++++++++++++++++ Tommy Thomas: Today, we're beginning a two-part conversation with Lisa Trevino Cummins. Lisa spent the first 12 plus years of her career with Bank of America, where she expanded the bank's community development initiative to become one of the first national corporations to partner with faith-based organizations in underserved neighborhoods. From Bank of America, Lisa was called to help launch the White House Community and Faith Based Initiative to leverage the strength of community and faith-based organizations to serve children and families in need.  In 2003, she started Urban Strategies where she continues her work to make resources more available to underserved communities.  Since founding Urban Strategies, Lisa has been a catalyst of several initiatives that has resulted in almost $40 million of new programming focused in low-income communities.  [00:01:29] Tommy Thomas: Before we dive too deep into your professional life. Take me back to your childhood and what was growing up like? [00:01:35] Lisa Cummins: I grew up in Houston, Texas and my family, close family ties, my uncles and aunts were there and so when we had Thanksgiving there were about 60 of us on Thanksgiving and on Easter and Christmas. And so very closely knit. Our church was very much a part of who we were. My grandparents were pastors since they had been married and then had subsequent generations who were also in ministry. So the church was very much part of our activities. So we had Easter services and then Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.  And then our family activities revolved around that schedule.  [00:02:32] Tommy Thomas: What would you say is the best gift your parents gave you?  [00:02:35] Lisa Cummins: I think there's a few. One is a reverence for faith, a reverence for God and secondly, I think very much an entrepreneurial perspective. I've been told that some folks have used a slogan for me that says nothing's too complicated. And I think I learned that from my parents. Looking back, I didn't know that we were in poverty. I didn't know that those things didn't come. I wasn't aware of those things. But my father worked long hours and then started a business at home, so another eight hours after his regular job. And mom was able to spend a lot of time with us in between jobs and that sort of thing. But we never noticed. We never missed anything. But I think I always saw them as very entrepreneurial, always serving. That was a big part of what I've learned as well. We always had somebody living with us. There was always a handshake with an offering in it to help someone. So I learned a lot about service.  I learned a lot about resilience. I learned a lot about faith, and I learned a lot about resourcefulness. [00:03:47] Tommy Thomas: Can you think of the first time that entrepreneurship showed up in your activities?  [00:03:52] Lisa Cummins: I think entrepreneurship is the idea of taking initiative.  From just a social perspective, getting engaged in my church and starting things up, and let's do this and let's do that, let's organize around that. That was how it showed up in that way. I think from a business perspective, ironically, the first 12 years of my professional career were in banking. And so, one job banking, and you wouldn't necessarily associate entrepreneurship with those two terms, but I was able to really create my job in banking. And by God's grace, I was able to shape and form something that really was taken from a responsibility that nobody wanted. But the Lord gave me insight in how to do that and what the benefit was. I stayed there 12 years and kept always a dynamic situation.  [00:04:44] Tommy Thomas: So, what was high school like in Houston? [00:04:45] Lisa Cummins: I went to two high schools. I started out in engineering with a path for magnet school in engineering. So, it was an all-black school where this engineering program was on the second floor of the building. I'm Hispanic, and so my growing up was in that context, Mexican American context. My church spoke Spanish. That's where I learned to speak Spanish, singing through the hymnals.  Spanish was not my first language as it was with my parents because my parents had the experience of, that was their first language, but they had the experience of being punished in school for speaking Spanish. So they never taught me Spanish. They wanted to make sure I had English down. Ironically, now 20 years later, I sent my children to a Spanish immersion school because we recognized the benefit of that.  So, I went to an all-black school and it was an amazing experience. I loved it. And I played sports, I played basketball and volleyball. I was the only one on the team that wasn't black. But these girls became my dearest friends. And my parents would always come to my games and these girls would see my parents as their parents because they had no one rooting for them. After my freshman year, I ended up going back to a neighborhood school, which was more mixed white and Hispanic. But when we'd go play the opposing teams, it happened to be that all-black school, and they'd look for my mom first thing, where's your mama? Because they saw that she believed in them. Ironically when I went to this school again, basketball and volleyball. My teammates elected me to be the team captain. I was fairly good, but interestingly my coach would never play me. She favored other girls and even though they all felt like I was a caliber of being on the team. But in high school, I learned through that. I learned about leadership, I learned about friends, friendships, relationships. But I will say that even throughout all of this I was a different one becuase I was very engaged in my church. And because I was Hispanic, most folks thought I was Catholic, while I was Protestant, I wasn't Catholic. So just interesting navigating those things.  My church community was very strong, and had a strong youth group. We'd meet together three times a week. I will say that when I graduated, now, this was 1983, from high school. There was a big deal made of graduating from high school as in most churches. And so you come up to the front and they pray for you. When that happened to me, there's about 20 of us, and I think I'm the only one that finished college. Looking back, wow. But it wasn't because they weren't, they didn't have a capacity to be there were no, there was no access to resources, no access to the information. And with my parents, it was just, there was no discussion of it. We were going to be, we were going to go to college, university. And so that was the case with myself and my three brothers. So it's an interesting background.  [00:07:59] Tommy Thomas:  When you got to college, how did you decide upon a major? [00:08:02] Lisa Cummins: I went to high college and I was going to go into engineering until I realized how much calculus I was going to have to take. So, I decided that I wouldn't do that, that I would do business, and just because that seemed the most practical and actually accounting, which, now I'm going on a podcast saying this. I don't tell many people that I was an accounting major because they're going to expect things of me that I won't deliver. But I did go into accounting and that was an interesting place for me.  I actually ended up at Trinity University in San Antonio, which is considered the Ivy League of the South, if you will. And there were very affluent students, they were very affluent and I lived off campus. I was at school and attended every day. And I can tell you, Tommy, I probably had one friend. And there were many days I'd come home and realize I hadn't said a word. And it just, I didn't feel welcomed. I didn't feel like I fit. Part of that was, I'm sure it was me, right? Not feeling like I'm sufficient enough or good enough to be in the conversations that folks were having. And so, they were having conversations about their summer vacation, going to Greece or somewhere like that. And I was like what job am I going to have this summer? So there was just not an awareness among the differences. My back fall though was going to church. I went to school, and I worked so that I could be involved in the church in activities there. +++++++++++++++++++   [00:09:29] Tommy Thomas:  What's something that most people would be surprised to learn about you? [00:09:33] Lisa Cummins: Probably one that I was an accounting major. Two is that there were actually years in my life where I didn't speak to anyone. And I still play basketball. I play in a women's group on Sunday nights when I'm in town. Because of my church background and my church tradition, I always say that you have to come out singing or playing an instrument. And so I did both of those things and, as initially I was learning while I was playing for the congregation, for our little youth group, and so if you could sing in the Ki Sea, then we were, we had something to go with. [00:10:09] Tommy Thomas: I wasn't aware of your team sports background. What do you think you brought out of team sports that's helped you in life?  [00:10:16] Lisa Cummins: I think it's perseverance. I think it's working hard, preparing and I had fun doing that. And so I think enjoying, having fun building relationships and the people. And I think the other thing is that  it's okay to lose, on some teams we had stellar years and others, it was great if we won one game for the season. But it was okay. It was okay to lose, just keep going on. Which, as I say that to you, it's not something I've ever articulated previously, but I know in this day and age as we work with youth, there's a high level of anxiety that's unhealthy. And I'm just wondering how much that has to do with the culture of striving to win and be the best and not being okay with losing and not being the best.  [00:11:14] Tommy Thomas: I think that's something all of us wrestle with. Yeah. I interviewed one of your peers at some level, Christin McClave a couple weeks ago and she talked about how we were creating a culture of always being evaluated and getting this checklist for getting better and better. And she had an interesting thought that she accredited the venture capital world with experimentation. Maybe not failure but the will to do it, and by definition, experimentation means all of them won't work. [00:11:45] Lisa Cummins: No, I think that's important, obviously there are boundaries on all of that. I think for me, the ability to, the willingness and ability to experiment is really based on trust of relationships. Because character matters. Is it somebody who's going to  just get up and quit? Or is it somebody who's going to stay and work at it? And I think that matters. And I know there's a lot of discussion in our country around race and those sorts of things, and that's not something I focus on often, but it is prevalent, and I think, for example, me growing up where I did, I never heard of InterVarsity until I was 35 years old. I never heard of Young Life until I was 30, until I moved to Washington, right? And so, I did. So that's just an example of the limitation, resources and access. And as a result, relationships that I could trust and would trust me, that would allow me to venture. Wow. That's another podcast by itself, isn't it? [00:12:48] Tommy Thomas: Let's go back to your banking career. What I know about you from just what people that have told me about you, I would never put banking and Lisa in the same and probably not even service in Washington DC relative to the entrepreneurial, but let's go back to your banking days. What do you remember about your first time you had to manage people?  [00:13:10] Lisa Cummins:  It was interesting. I had my role and  that's another whole story by itself, but it was just, there's no question that God had directed my paths, my path into the role that I ended up having. I guess I didn't manage folks until maybe five years into that role. Okay, five to seven years into that role. But I will say prior to that, I wasn't managing folks, but there was a big, large team of people who had an indirect dotted line to me. So, I managed what was called community investment for the bank. And that was the statement underlying that there was an affirmative obligation of the bank to serve the needs of the credit needs of the community. And our bank and other banks during that time, were willing to take deposits from anywhere they would come. Including churches, but they weren't willing to make loans to those same communities or churches. And so there was a law that was enacted in the seventies that said, banks need to do something different about that. And when I came into banking there were a lot of consequences for not doing well in that area. So as a result, the bank had made a commitment that all of the areas of the bank would be more engaged and take more initiative and have affirmative action, if you will, of looking at opportunities for these areas. That previously had been what's called redlined, which was specifically, there were maps on the wall that said that instead of an X, they'd cover it with, surround it with a red line and cover it in and say, no, we're not going there. And so I had the director of mortgage banking, the director of consumer lending, the director of commercial lending, director of real estate, director of HR, part of their performance evaluation included a component of how did you do with community investment? And it gave me a lot of leverage as a 25-year-old going into the bank where everybody else was 10 to 15 years older than me and majority male. And so that was a leadership experience, but different than the traditional people reporting to me. Again, five, seven years later, I did have a team of people reporting to me, and it was interesting as well because I was given this team and within three months found out one of the key leads was becoming inebriated on the job. Another was taking afternoons with a bank credit card and going to a hotel on a daily basis, on a weekly basis. So I had challenges that were given to me. But my approach has always been just to be honest, to be as transparent as I can and to be understanding, to listen but also recognize and communicate their expectations. +++++++++++++++++++   [00:16:05] Tommy Thomas: Successful people are asked all the time, what makes you so successful? I'd like to frame it this way. What's a factor that's helped you succeed that most people on the outside probably wouldn't recognize or realize?  [00:16:19] Lisa Cummins: I'm not sure if it would be recognized or not. But I think early on and particularly when I moved to Washington DC after the banking career a pastor said, Lisa,  make sure that you know that this is what you're supposed to do, that you feel this is what you're supposed to do, because that's what's going to sustain you through the challenges. And I think that has been the case for me, Tom. I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. And so, it's a calling, right? It's a calling. And I think in banking I entered it because I needed a job. But I think it wasn't too long after a couple years where I realized this is where I'm supposed to be. And recognizing that it was part of an orchestrated plan that the Lord had for me that I could not have ever orchestrated. But things came into place, not by coincidence, but by God's hand.  [00:17:15] Tommy Thomas: Going back to that first team, it sounds like you might have had to do some hiring and firing on that inherited team. When you think about hiring today, what's the most important quality you're looking for? [00:17:26] Lisa Cummins: I've evolved in this and maybe to where everybody else is, but I think character is a big piece of everything. Character's going to tell me about the experiences, the skills you say you have are accurate or not. True character's going to tell me how much responsibility I can give to someone. The challenge is character's hard to measure on the application, right? And what we try to do is really make sure that when we're hiring, not make sure, but we try to emphasize hiring among communities that we already know and that already know what we're about. Doesn't always work well, but there's a higher probability that someone's going to be able to fulfill what we're needing, and at the same time fulfill what they're calling and purpose is. We have had to terminate folks. And that's never easy. But what we try to do is be very clear about expectations. We try to give folks an opportunity to remedy whatever is the shortfall. Obviously, that's an issue. Depends on the severity of the situation or the factors that are impacted by underperformance or non-performance or misjudgment, whatever it might be. But we do try to give folks an opportunity to remedy the situation. And we try to provide them with the tools that allow that, in some cases that what works and also let me add, find another position. Particularly if they're a person that is a great character, but just doesn't have the skillset. Is there another way we can work with this individual? So, we try every option we can to allow an individual to flourish and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But that's the hard part and that's the cost of being in.  [00:19:19] Tommy Thomas: Who's been the most influential mentor in your life? [00:19:24] Lisa Cummins: I didn't come from a culture that had one individual or specific individuals that had a designation of mentor. That was not something I understood. But I would say that in different phases of my life, I've had different folks who have influenced me. Obviously, I have my grandparents and my parents who were models of service. When I went to the church that I grew up with, there was, we call them the sisters of the church, who were there faithfully when we needed to do fundraising to send youth to camp. They were making tamales on Friday night, and were bringing their big pots to be able to sell those as a fundraiser. We had men of the church who were hardworking and after their regular day of construction, they'd come and work on the building of the church. Also had the Sunday school teacher who was faithful. I still remember her name, Virginia Faithful, showed up every Sunday morning and cared about us. So that was that phase. I think as I've grown into professional life and ministry and leading an organization; I think there are various people who have had influence in my life. Some of them I know and they're good friends, and some of them I've read about, right? And so, I don't think there's any one source, but I've benefited from multiple sources of folks that I can learn from. [00:20:46] Tommy Thomas: It sounds like you've had both the formal and informal - probably more informal mentoring than classical.  [00:20:51] Lisa Cummins: Yeah. That's right. Again, that wasn't part of my culture, but I remember about 10 years ago, a young woman called me and said, I'd like for you to be my mentor, and I really didn't know her. And I was like, okay. I'm not sure what that looks like. And she said, can we meet next week? Can we meet next month? And kept it on. And I'm like, oh, okay.  I wasn't as forward to be able to do that. And I didn't know what that looked like.  Yeah. So, it was very much informal.  [00:21:21] Tommy Thomas: I want you to think about some of the teams you've led.   What's been the key to successful team leadership?  [00:21:30] Lisa Cummins: At least for me I work really hard to make sure every voice is heard for several reasons. One, I want folks to be able to take ownership of whatever it is that we're working on. I don't want to be the one leader. I think that I am probably too trusting. I know I'm too trusting in some places that has bitten me. But I really try to work at a personal level, building trust, building relationships, having people reminding ourselves that we're on the same team and reminding ourselves of what our common goals are. I try to have fun in the process of that and really celebrate the wins and want to talk about the places where we didn't win, where we didn't achieve what we wanted to. And we've had some folks say let's not talk about the past. No, we've got to talk about the past, because that's how we learn. And so, I think it's a combination of factors. Things aren't always perfect. There are mistakes that are made by me and others, but there's room for that. And let's be honest and sincere with one another and reevaluate. Do we want to stay on this team and are we still committed to the same purpose? And if we are, then we can work things out.  [00:22:43] Tommy Thomas:  You and I come from probably two generations. I finished high school in 68. You finished it sounded like 82, 83. 83. And now you're leading people or bringing people into the workforce that have finished a generation later than you. What are some observations maybe if you think of your parents' generation, your generation, and the people you're seeing now? Can you draw some contrast there?  [00:23:08] Lisa Cummins: Sure. I think one of the biggest ones that we've been thinking about over the last 24 months is this idea of boundaries.  I grew up in a culture where there were no boundaries in terms of work life, that sort of thing. Partly because we were in poverty, so you've got to do whatever you have to do to make ends meet, right? And many people are still in that situation. However, I would say that as folks have a more of a mixture of cultures, the young folks that we've been hiring, they are very intentional about drawing boundaries so that their work doesn't end up being seven days a week, 24 hours a day. We work with a lot of faith-based organizations and we've had many talks with our pastors and some of whom have said, yeah. And some had it as a badge of nobility that they haven't taken a vacation in 20 years. We said that's not actually a good thing. And so, we're learning, my generation, we're learning from the younger generation about what it means to have more balance, what mental health means. That just has not been part of our vocabulary. So I'm thankful for that because I think that is important for sustainability and the important things to practice, important things to teach and learn as well. So I think that's the biggest piece. And the other is that, particularly because a lot of our work requires either understanding of the Hispanic culture, and or speaking Spanish. We've just got some amazing people who are the younger generation who are very interested in issues of helping their neighbor and really, I think not leaving parts of scripture out. Again, we're not faith-based authorization, but we work with ministries and our people have a desire to do that. So we really are, the younger generation is holding us accountable to what we say we believe biblically and are smart about trying to develop long-term solutions. And I think again, holding a line from a perspective of what is for us as individuals and for the communities that we're serving. So, there's a lot to learn there, for sure.  [00:25:39] Tommy Thomas: Yeah. So go back to the team thing for a minute. What's the most ambitious project you've ever tackled and how did you bring the troops to rally?  [00:25:48] Lisa Cummins: Wow. One of the things that we do a lot, we've done a lot of ambitious projects, Tommy, and I think that by God's grace we've been able to see some, see fruit in some cases, it's not all the fruit we'd want to see but I think we also have very high expectations of ourselves. We launched a program in 2014 that was trying to respond to the unaccompanied children who were coming to our border, desperate for help - in desperate need. And we ended up in three months standing up four or five shelters that provided housing for these children, 24/7 care, and hired 200 people in that period of time. And that was in 2014. We were continuing that work and have grown to other projects since. But I think that when you know you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, and that, for me, I know that this is more than just about me. I can have confidence that God's got my back. Yep. God's got my back. Again, I'm sorry. I'm not sure how faith oriented your audience is, but this is hard. It's hard for me not to include faith in my story.  [00:27:14] Tommy Thomas: No, sure. I think a lot of my people, given that's where I've made my living over the past 35 years, I think we do have a probably a primary faith-based group. Okay. But probably not entirely. So you be yourself.  [00:27:28] Lisa Cummins: Thank you. Yeah. And in our work, we try to demonstrate our faith by our actions. And so, I have a project that we're working on now that's going to be a big lift. And I don't often step back and say, oh, out of fear this one has caused me a little trepidation. So I'm having to wrestle with that and figure out what that's about and what's a smart way to go into this. But most of our work, Tommy we're first to do it, and so there's not a lot of, given our circumstances, given the communities we're working with, there's not a lot of track records. We're not duplicating what somebody else is doing. We might be taking parts of what others are doing and replicating that to fit in the context of what we're working in, and the resources that we have or don't have. But yeah, we've done a lot of ambitious things. When I started Urban Strategies, I did not have a goal of growing. I was just trying to do what God called me to do. But I realized that to be a steward, a good steward of what the Lord has, the opportunities the Lord was giving me, we needed to bring other people on the team. So today we have 500 people on the Urban Strategies team. And that's not something I ever planned on. I would probably have been frightened about it had you told me that would be the case – because big is not necessarily better. So that's not what I'm going for.  +++++++++++++++++++++= Join us next week when we continue this conversation with Lisa. In that conversation, we will dig deeper into her work with Urban Strategies. We'll also discuss what she has learned about nonprofit board service by serving on the boards of organizations, such as World Vision, and the Christian community.   Links and Resources JobfitMatters Website Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas Urban Strategies   Connect Tommy Thomas - tthomas@jobfitmatters.com Tommy's LinkedIn Profile Lisa Trevino Cummin's LinkedIn Profile  

[00:00:00] Christin McClave: The boards that I've been on that have been very well-functioning from a nonprofit standpoint, really do have a nice balance of people who are still in industry. People who are very well versed in audit and finance and can pick out what might not look right on the financials or where things are, could potentially go wrong in the future if they're not managed properly. [00:00:27] Tommy Thomas: This week we're continuing the conversation with Christin McClave that we began in Episode 81. In that conversation, Christin shared her leadership journey from Johnson and Johnson to Cardona Industries, an aftermarket business and the automotive sector that her father and grandfather started. Christen has a lot of board governance experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors.  Let's pick up on that conversation.  +++++++++++++++++++ Let's go to board service. You are a busy lady, with a family and a business. When did your first nonprofit board show up? Or maybe, how did it show up?  [00:01:08] Christin McClave: My first nonprofit board experience actually came from an organization I was a part of in my high school years. I was a part of a teen missions organization. I went on a couple missions trips with this organization and then, eventually, I stayed in loose communication with them. And then it was, a friend of a friend. And they really wanted to find someone who had actually participated in some of their programs. And it's just, it's really a word-of-mouth thing at that point, and that was a much smaller nonprofit. And it was a really wonderful organization. I learned a ton and I was able to actually have a few mentors on that board helping me through the process and learning about governance and what needs to be in place, maybe what wasn't in place there. And how to see things in, as a non-profit board member. That was a really awesome learning experience for me. And then subsequently, one of my mentors on that board eventually left, and then he asked me to put my name in the process for the next nonprofit board, which was much larger at that point. And I ended up joining that board. So, it's a cycle and a follow on. If you're doing good things and bringing good value to the board you're on and providing feedback and good support and connections, it'll pay off to the next one and the next one.  [00:02:48] Tommy Thomas:   Peter Drucker has been attributed to have said a lot of things. I'm not sure if we could have talked to Dr. Drucker about what all he did say, but one person said that Dr. Drucker said there's one thing all boards have in common. They do not function. Based on your experience what might make that truth, if it's true?  [00:03:05] Christin McClave: I think it goes back to what we were talking about earlier, these systems that we try to put in place and we expect perfection from them. We're all imperfect people coming to the table. And we're all human and those structures are very rigid and there's a lot of, I'll say literature, books, there's magazines, everything out there. I was just reading the Director and Boards magazine. There's all of these best practices that we're supposed to have in place. And the reality is there's cultural things that happen. There's crises that come into play. There are unforeseen circumstances, if you're working with a global nonprofit board, you have all kinds of economic and cultural factors that you have no control over. And you have these great board agendas and these wonderful committees and you're just constantly trying to make it easy. And at the end of the day there's always something. We live in an imperfect world and we're all imperfect people. And the human dynamics of coming together with a lot and especially now we're also wanting more diversity of, thought and diversity of, race and gender and background coming to the table together. It's going to get even more and more complicated because we're having to come from different perspectives. The discourse has to be more robust about challenging what the agenda is or what's on the table, or what things are important. And then, layer on top of that, you have a management team, right? And you've got these two disparate systems coming together in a collision, at a board meeting, right? And as much as you'd like to think we're partners with the management team and at the same time, that's not always your role. Your role is also to be an oversight to what's happening in the organization. And there is some tension between, if there's tension on the management team, how do they function together?   It's great to have a highly functioning, highly performing executive team, but we all know that doesn't always happen and they're coming into the room and then you have this board who have varying degrees of, you're always rolling people on and off a board. So, it's big. A wonderful and a challenging collision of personalities. And then we have this, like I said, this system and this equation of what, the best practices of boards should and, shouldn't be. I think I agree with Peter Drucker there and that, it'll never be perfect and we'll always have our dysfunction. But we can all come to the table with some type of growth mindset and openness and humility. Then I think we can get a lot of things done.  [00:06:03] Tommy Thomas: I've been in this business a long time and I've worked with probably 300-400 boards, over the last 30 years. And if I look at them, I will say a lot of the time they're, they'd be males a lot of the time.  They might be closer to my age than your age.  And now things are changing. So, what are you seeing, or maybe what are you doing to lower the mean age on a board and to maybe bring more gender and ethnic diversity?  [00:06:32] Christin McClave: So, I think we see a lot of changes in the general demographics, right?  As our society and culture are changing. The positive thing is there's so much more diversity coming up through the leadership ranks. And I think, the traditional way that we've, I'll say we, because I've done it myself as well, when we've needed a new board member on a board I'm on, I instantly think about who have I worked with before? Who's like me, who thinks like me, who would be easy to plug and play into this board that I'm on? And so that's been our traditional way of pipelining onto boards. Let's find people who we know and who we know could be very quickly successful and contribute value to this board. I think what we've learned over the last couple years is that it doesn't necessarily bring diversity to these boards that we are trying to diversify. And we've seen the pressure coming from the public sector the SEC, not quite regulations, but suggestions that we need more, a certain percentage of diversity on the public boards. And there's a lot of pressure in the market for that. And then that has trickled down its way to nonprofits and to the private sector. So, everyone is looking to diversify their boards at this point. And I think, a key piece of the job requirements that we have in the past always assumed on larger boards, I'll say. And most boards in general, everybody's wanted, okay you need to have a CEO or CFO or a C level executive. But preferably a CEO or CFO who's been in the chair before. And I've had people say that to me as well, that's what they're looking for. And I think we know just from sheer data that a lot of women and diverse candidates in general haven't had those opportunities. And in the past, and we are trying, we are definitely developing that pipeline now and being very much more intentional. But I think like through the past few years and now looking at the talent market being as hot as it is and the demand for diverse talent we have, we are at the place we need to take a look at those very narrow criteria that we've, we've said, oh, you have to be a C-level executive to be on a board and to be able to contribute value. And I think, now I've seen a lot more being written, a lot more being talked about a lot more, diversity coming onto boards where I'm reading someone's background and I'm like, wow, that is so cool. Maybe 10 years ago that person wouldn't have been chosen for that very significant board seat. So I think it's really just that we've opened up our criteria and have opened up our thought process and how we see people's experiences. We're looking at people's resumes really differently these days. We even, from an HR perspective internally, when we're screening candidates. We took the requirement of having a college degree off of our requirements, probably, about 10 years ago, which was a little bit ahead of our time, but it just opened up our talent pool and we realized there's a lot of people out there that may not have a bachelor's degree but are way more experienced with their life and work experience that we were not being able to tap into because we had that very strict requirement. So I think we're seeing that across the board at all levels, including at the board level. +++++++++++++++++   [00:10:23] Tommy Thomas: A few episodes back a guy emailed me after the episode and he talked about that he was on a startup nonprofit, and he had some questions. He said, maybe you could do a whole episode on startup nonprofits. And I hadn't done that yet, but I have asked people like you the question. If you were approached by a friend about doing a startup on a nonprofit, what are some questions you would ask? What kind of counsel are you giving that person?  And this may go over to the board piece too, because I think boards are so critical. [00:10:56] Christin McClave: Yeah. That is one of the key questions I would be asking. And maybe it's, at a startup stage, it's not a super formal board. That word board we'll put in air quotes because, it's you're not paying anybody. You're not, and in a nonprofit, you're not paying anybody to be on the board anyway. And you really need maybe more, something more like a sounding board and an advisory, an informal advisory council, if you will, that is able to bring some experience, some strategy, help you see what's down the road. The challenges, help you figure out, really the funding model and you know how you're going to approach that because that is your primary driver in any type of startup nonprofit. You really have to have the ability to raise money in a different sort of a way. It's not the traditional, you get a pitch deck with the in and you go into a Shark Tank environment and you present to all kinds of funding sources. This is a whole different thing because you have this passion, this problem you want to solve, and you're trying to engage people in that mission with you. And then hopefully they're going to commit some donations and fundraising into that process. So I think having that advisory function in some way is really important.  And in more established nonprofits, they're meeting quarterly, but I think in this case you'd probably want to have someone on speed dial for different things, who's your mentor, your coach, and then having some type of advisory, council or loose board that you meet, like probably monthly to help you stay on track, build out your strategy, and support you, even from a, like I said, mentorship and coaching standpoint. [00:12:56] Tommy Thomas: You're probably not old enough to remember the Enron scandal, but I certainly would be and certainly the private sector took a lot of heat and justifiably how do you get your fellow board members to ask tough financial questions? [00:13:07] Christin McClave: Yeah. That is a challenge. In the nonprofit space, it's more of a challenge on those boards because people do come to those boards because of the mission, because of the passion they have for the mission. And if you're on certain boards that you know are, have a Christian focus or some type of religious focus, you want to have some percentage of the board coming from either ministry, and then the other part of the board is coming from the business perspective. That seems to be a really nice balance actually. I've enjoyed being on nonprofit boards who have a good balance of those two things. Everybody needs to be passionate about the mission, but then on the for-profit board side, you tend to get people who are heavily weighted to the financial side. You spend a lot of time with your audit committee chair. You spend time with the auditors, you're spending a higher percentage of time on the financials and the strategy and the metrics and much less time on the culture and the people strategy and which, we can talk another time, about how that's probably, an imbalance and needs to be more balanced on the for-profit side. I think it's really key to have the right balance of people coming from the for-profit sector and also people with good finance background who know how to dig into the numbers and know how to highlight things that could be potential issues going down the road. And the boards that I've been on that have been very well-functioning from a nonprofit standpoint, really do have a nice balance of people who are still in industry. People who are very well versed in audit and finance and can pick out what might not look right on the financials or where things are, could potentially go wrong in the future if they're not managed properly. The for-profit sector doesn't really have, as I haven't experienced that. They tend to have a much deeper focus on the financials and really, that diversity that we talked about earlier is also important, to make sure you don't have a bunch of, a bunch of the same type of people on your board who are not willing to bring up the financial issues that they see and they're willing to speak up and challenge. You want to make sure that diversity of thought is there and the ability to bring things up and not just go into group think on how things are moving.  [00:15:59] Tommy Thomas: I'd like you to respond to this quote: “You need a director on the board who will be a pleasant irritant - someone who will force people to think a little differently.  That's what a good board does”.  [00:16:10] Christin McClave: Yes. Wow. A pleasant irritant. I really like that a lot. And I will aspire to that title because I think sometimes with my age, and I'll say I'm 46, but on a lot of the boards that I'm on, I tend to be on the younger side. It's something that I can fall into, okay, I'm here and I don't have as much to bring to the table that everybody else does, but I really do need to speak up and be that pleasant irritant on the board and ask the questions. They asked me to be on the board because I'm coming from a different perspective. So, I think it's really important. We actually had a role on one of our nonprofit boards. And this came to be after we had experienced a crisis together as a board and got through it and we realized we had gone into that group to the point where we let something occur and we didn't challenge it. We didn't challenge the management team like we should have as a board. So, after that crisis subsided, we came together and said,  Hey, we need a loyal skeptic. Every single board meeting we have, someone who is going to be given the hat of loyal skeptic and, which sounds like, similar words, you said pleasant irritant. So yeah, and that really was an interesting experience. When I had to take on that role you really put that hat on, and it changes your thinking. And we had moments in the board agenda where we would say, okay what does the skeptic have to say about this? And we wanted to make sure we were getting the alternative position to what we were all agreeing to. [00:18:03] Tommy Thomas: I asked Dr. Linda Livingstone, the President at Baylor that question, and I asked her, did you need to appoint one? And she says, probably not. They generally show up.  [00:18:13] Christin McClave: Yeah. I think if you start calling attention to the fact that we want and we celebrate and we need to have some skeptics and some different points of view, we celebrate that. I don't think you necessarily have to put the hat on someone. You just have to keep on a regular basis saying, are we getting, what's the alternative point of view here? What's the skeptic going to say? And I think we can all do that in our board context.  ++++++++++++++++++++   [00:18:42] Tommy Thomas: Let's close out with maybe a couple of comments about the board chair because that's a critical role in nonprofits. So give me some words and phrases that would describe the best board chair or chairs that you've observed in nonprofits.  [00:18:57] Christin McClave: So, composed, I'm thinking of all the board chairs that I've been a part of, I've been a part of composed, professional, empathetic, and humble yet still very organized. And they're the ones that keep us going and keep us on track. And at the same time, they're very savvy with understanding the dynamics of the management team, the CEO, the relationship with the CEO and the relationship to the board. And they are really integral to that working well. They spend time with the CEO offline. They potentially spend time with the leadership team and the CEO. It's an incredibly dedicated role that the chairs that I've been blessed to be under as a board member have been just remarkable in their ability to balance all the stakeholders. The stakeholders in the room balance all of those very complicated systems that we talked about earlier. Bringing them all into one room and being even, you could say it, a conductor of an orchestra in a way. I've seen them and at the same time, the chairs of nonprofits, like I said, really must be committed, passionate about the work that's being done in that nonprofit. I have experienced one board where the chair was really doing it out of, I don't want to say obligation, but it was like, okay I'm trying to help this organization. I'm trying to help this CEO. But maybe that person's personal commitment wasn't really so passionate about the actual work that we were doing and that's needed at some points like that, we needed some structure and some discipline on that board. So that was a good thing for a short time or an interim time. But the ones that I've seen to be very effective have been passionate about the work, really passionate about supporting the CEO and the management team, and giving them the support from the board they need. And then at the same time, like I said, bringing that skeptic voice and making sure that voice is heard in the meetings is really important. So there's a level of humility and then a level of organization and professionalism that has just been really important to see, especially when you have large nonprofit boards. These boards tend to get over 15 people and they get to 20-25, and that's a whole other level of orchestration that a chair has to have to be involved in.  And it's a definite skill. It's really amazing when you see it working.  +++++++++++++++++++++ Our guest next week will be Lisa Trevino Cummings. Lisa started her career with Bank of America and spent 12 years there before leaving to head Hispanic outreach efforts for The White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives. In 2003, she started Urban Strategies – a social enterprise with a mission to connect and resource community and faith-based organizations in hard-to-reach communities.  [00:22:26] Lisa Cummings: I grew up in a culture where there were no boundaries in terms of work life, that sort of thing. Partly because we were in poverty, so you've got to do whatever you got to do to make ends meet, right? And many people are still in that situation. However, I would say that as folks have a more of a mixture of cultures, the young folks that we've been hiring, they are very intentional about drawing boundaries so that their work doesn't end up being, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.   Links and Resources JobfitMatters Website Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas   Connect Tommy Thomas - tthomas@jobfitmatters.com Tommy's LinkedIn Profile Christin McClave's LinkedIn Profile  

On this episode, we sit down with Dra. Liz Rios and Rev. Hiram Rios to discuss the dynamics of raising their special needs child, DJ. We discuss parenting and ministry, the role of humor and joy in a culture of erasure, and a theology of disability. Support the Mestizo Podcast by giving today.Have a question you want answered on the podcast? Leave us a message at 312-725-2995. Leave us a 30 second voicemail with your name, city, y pregunta and we'll discuss it on the last episode of the season. You can also submit a question using the form on this page.Merch: Whether you want a t-shirt, hoodie, baby onesie, journal, mug, or sticker, tenemos un poquito de todo. My favorite is the recently released "Product of Abuela's Prayers" crewneck, celebrating the theology we inherit from nuestras Abuelitas. Check out our New merch store by visiting our store. Courses: Want to take courses that prepare you to face the challenges of doing ministry in the hyphen? Visit learn.worldoutspoken.com today and enroll in one of our newest courses. About the Rios FamilyLiz Rios has been in ministry for over 32 years serving in various capacities in almost every area of the church including Executive Pastor and Co-Lead Pastor alongside her husband Rev. Hiram Rios. Hiram and Liz officially started in ministry in 1990. They pastored together in a local Florida church and eventually went on to plant their own until they stopped pastoring in 2016. Since then, Rev. Hiram has semi-retired to focus on his family, especially as primary caregiver to his special needs son and as a community minister via the Passion Center, where he hosts a monthly comedy show to bring laughter and joy to their South Florida community. Dr. Liz works as a Talent Acquisition Manager for Urban Strategies and as an adjunct professor and also serves as a Consulting Editor for Outreach Magazine, on the board of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. In addition, she is a senior consultant for Freedom Road, LLC which coaches, consults, trains and designs experiences to help groups in multiple sectors do justice in just ways. Dr. Rios also serves on the Send Institute's Missiologists Council. Her work and experiences led her to start her own network Passion2Plant to encourage and support Black/Brown church planters committed to planting justice-oriented churches in urban communities right from the start. Hiram and Liz have two children, Samuel Eliu who recently graduated from Southeastern University and works part-time at Passion2Plant as Operations Assistant and Daniel Jeremiah (DJ) their "silent prophet" and special angel who has a number of ailments including epilepsy, cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus due to medical negligence. They met in church as teens and have been together for 34 years, 32 of them happily married.

Tokyo keeps 3rd place in global city ranking Tokyo ranked third after London and New York in an annual Global Power City Index report released Nov. 24, retaining the position for the sixth consecutive year thanks to greater work flexibility amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The top five cities remained unchanged in the latest report, compiled by the Mori Memorial Foundation's Institute for Urban Strategies, but the pandemic had a significant impact on some indicators, such as tourism and working styles. London finished in the top spot for the 10th straight year, while Paris and Singapore rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth place, respectively.  (The Japan Times) Toyota dethrones GM as US sales leader Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. outsold General Motors Co. in the United States in 2021, marking the first time the Detroit automaker has not led U.S. auto sales for a full year since 1931. Toyota sold 2.332 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2021, compared with 2.218 million for General Motors, the automakers said on Jan. 4. Last year was marred by a shortage of semiconductors used heavily in vehicles, forcing automakers to focus on their most profitable models. GM had been the largest seller of vehicles in the U.S. since 1931, when it surpassed Ford, according to data from industry publication Automotive News. (Reuters) These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.

This is not the day that repeats and to my knowledge there are no important prognostications or forecasts that I am aware of. But this is the first day of the second month of the current year, and there may be sayings that I am not saying, except to say hello and welcome to the February 1 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that does repeat in the sense that it comes out as often as possible. I’m Sean Tubbs, here are the things I have to say: On today’s program:The University of Virginia is in the early stages of creating a new master plan for the future of its land use A bill to extend oyster season is one of several bills that has passed the Virginia Senate, and I have a small rundownThe housing market in the Charlottesville area shows signs of cooling downCamp Albemarle shout-out!Today’s first subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for sixty years been a “wholesome rural, rustic and restful site for youth activities, church groups, civic events and occasional private programs.”Located on 14 acres on the banks of the Moorman’s River near Free Union, Camp Albemarle continues as a legacy of being a Civilian Conservation Corps project that sought to promote the importance of rural activities. Camp Albemarle seeks support for a plan to winterize the Hamner Lodge, a structure built in 1941 by the CCC and used by every 4th and 5th grade student in Charlottesville and Albemarle for the study of ecology for over 20 years. If this campaign is successful, Camp Albemarle could operate year-round. Consider your support by visiting http://campalbemarleva.org/donate. Pandemic updateCOVID’s omicron surge continues to recede, though numbers are still higher than at most points of the pandemic. Today the Virginia Department of Health reports another 6,055 new cases and the seven-day percent positivity dropped to 24.5 percent. The Blue Ridge Health District reports another 130 new cases today and the percent positivity in the district is at 22.4 percent. Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Moderna version of the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been authorized for emergency use since December 18, 2020 and will now be marketed as Spikevax. (release)Black History Month begins todayFebruary 1 marks the beginning of Black History Month, and Governor Glenn Youngkin has issued a proclamation to mark the occasion that cites leadership provided by Black Virginians including former Governor Doug Wilder as well as Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, the first woman of color to be elected to statewide office. The proclamation also recognizes the roles played by Dr. Robert Russa Moton, Maggie Lena Walker, and Dorothy Height. Each of those links goes to Encyclopedia Virginia, where you can learn more. (read the proclamation)CAAR: Residential sales in region beginning to cool The housing market in the Charlottesville area continued to increase in price with constrained inventory, though there are signs of cooling. Sales were down five percent but sales prices were up six percent according to an analysis published this morning by the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors. “There were 436 active listings across the CAAR footprint at the end of the fourth quarter, which is 33 percent fewer listings than this time last year,” reads the report. The report suggests more homes are on the way. Housing construction was up 34 percent in the first eleven months of 2021 compared to the previous year. “Between 2020 and 2021, the number of permits for new single-family homes increased by 15 percent, while the number of permits for multifamily units more than doubled,” the report continues. The report also breaks matters down by jurisdiction. Sales were up 14 percent in Charlottesville in the fourth quarter of 2021 and up 15 percent in Greene County. However, sales were down 14 percent in Fluvanna and 38 percent in Nelson County. The median price in Charlottesville was down was one percent, but was 26 percent higher in Nelson. Check out the report for more information on consumer confidence, mortgage interest rates, employment, and many other economic indicators.General Assembly update: Split Senate votes on law enforcement notification, funding for kidney disease Let’s continue with another quick update on the status of some legislation in the Virginia General Assembly beginning with a bill that has passed the House of Delegates.The House passed a bill 99 to 0 to require companies that charge for services on a continuing basis to notify the consumer at the end of a seven-day trial period. (HB78)The Senate passed a bill 40 to 0 to direct the Department of Education to develop policies to inform coaches, parents, and guardians about the risks of heat-related illness. (SB161)The Senate also passed a bill to direct the State Registrar of Vital Records to update the Department of Elections once a week with names of people who have died. The vote was 32-8. (SB211)The two parties split 21 to 19 on a bill to create the Renal Disease Council and a fund to support people with kidney disease. (SB241)Another party line vote was held on a bill that would require law enforcement officers to tell a motorist why they have been pulled over before identification must be presented. (SB246)A bill that would clarify the definition of composting also passed the Senate on a unanimous vote. (SB248)Food manufacturers that operate in historic buildings would be exempt from certain laws and regulations if SB305 also passed the House of Delegates. The Senate passed this bill from Senator Creigh Deeds (D-25)The Senate passed a bill 39 to 1 to create the Historic Triangle Recreational Facilities Authority to be made up of Williamsburg and the counties of James City and York. (SB438)A bill to extend oyster season to March 31 passed the Senate on a 39 to 0 vote. (SB629)Second shout-out goes to Code for CharlottesvilleCode for Charlottesville is seeking volunteers with tech, data, design, and research skills to work on community service projects. Founded in September 2019, Code for Charlottesville has worked on projects such as an expungement project with the Legal Aid Justice Center, a map of Charlottesville streetlights, and the Charlottesville Housing Hub. Visit codeforcville.org to learn about those projects.MPO Policy Board briefed on the UVA Master PlanReaders and listeners should know by now that planning is a constant theme of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Tonight the Albemarle Planning Commission will get an update on the county’s Comprehensive Plan process. Visit the new engage.albemarle.org to learn more about AC44 (which is also a regular Air Canada flight between Vancouver and New Dehli). Staff and consultants are at work on the third phase of Charlottesville’s Cville Plans Together initiative, which will see the rewriting of the city’s zoning code.But how does the University of Virginia plan for its future? Something called the Grounds Framework Plan. Julia Monteith is the Associate University Planner and she briefed the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization on January 26. “The last one of these that we did was completed in 2008 and we roughly due them on a ten-year cycle,” Monteith said. (read the 2008 plan)Creation of the next plan was to have begun in 2020, but as with many things, the pandemic got in the way. “The world had other plans for us so the project went on hold,” Monteith said. Last spring, UVA hired a consultant called Urban Strategies to do some of the background work. The Toronto-based firm recently completed a master plan for Princeton University.“This plan will take about a year and they’re planning to wrap it up in fall of next year and so to date what they’ve been doing is really coming up to speed, doing a background review, data assembly, interviews, and quite a bit of analysis and understanding of who we are and what we’ve done to date,” Monteith said. Monteith said the plan will help to physically implement the Great and Good University Plan, which was adopted in August 2019 as UVA’s strategic plan. One of the strategic goals in that document is to “be a strong partner with and good neighbor to the Charlottesville region.” A key initiative is the “Good Neighbor Program.” The next Grounds Framework will update the 2008 plan which Monteith said called for compact growth and redevelopment of existing sites where possible. “We’ll be considering the Grounds and for those who may not be familiar, we delineate the Grounds into three precincts—Central Grounds, West Ground, and North Grounds with the Academical Village at the center of Central Grounds,” Monteith said.All of those properties are owned by the state of Virginia through the Rector of the Board of Visitors. The University of Virginia Foundation also owns property throughout the community and some of that will also be addressed in the plan update. “We’re also going to be considering the context of some of the Foundation properties,” Monteith said. “Westover, Boar’s Head, Birdwood, Foxhaven and the [Blue Ridge Sanitorium].”In the context of the plan, these properties are not intended for new facilities any time soon but instead are intended to be “spheres of influence” for development into the future. Monteith said there is a lot of capacity for redevelopment within the Central Grounds area. Urban Strategies will also take into account a Strategic Framework for Academic Space from 2018 and a Landscape Framework Plan from 2019. There’s also a key transportation study as well. “In 2019, we completed our third parking and transportation plan,” Montieth said. “This plan really takes a hybrid approach towards transportation that really looks at transportation demand management balanced with more traditional transportation planning.” Among other things, this plan seeks to limit the number of parking spaces that UVA will need to build by offering alternatives to driving alone in a single occupancy vehicle. In all there are eighteen strategies, ranging from “reorganize commuter and student parking to reduce event impact and enhance commuter service” to “evaluate need to build new parking facilities in the long term.” Back to the idea of redevelopment. Monteith said a master plan is completed for each one before construction begins. That includes Brandon Avenue, Emmet-Ivy, Ivy Mountain, Fontaine, and more. There’s also Ivy Gardens, which is owned currently by the UVA Foundation. The Grounds Plan update is intended to bring it all together. (See also: UVA making plan for Ivy Garden redevelopment, June 9, 2021)“A framework plan of this type is going to be looking at place and character, land use and facilities, and transportation, but equally important to us are equity and inclusivity, community well-being, and sustainability,” Monteith said. One theme is to continue to move more medical programs and outpatient services from the West Complex to the Fontaine Research Park.UVA has set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 and fossil-free by 2050 and the Grounds Plan will take this into account, and how UVA will work with Albemarle and Charlottesville to achieve those mutual goals, as well as others. “Of course I think you are all aware that UVA is committed to facilitating the development of 1,000 to 1,500 affordable housing units, so that’s part of our discussion also,” Monteith said. Those are at the UVA North Fork Discovery Park, the Piedmont site on Fontaine Avenue, and Wertland Street. Monteith said the plan also will provide opportunities to think how the University Transit Service can work better with Charlottesville Area Transit and Jaunt to improve the regional transportation system. Supervisor Ann Mallek said she wants the University to make an investment to connect Old Ivy Road to points south. At the eastern end, there’s currently a narrow railroad tunnel with no sidewalk or other concessions for pedestrians and Mallek said that needs to change. “I do hope that the University will take on its responsibility for dealing with that trestle either with a walk over the top or something for pedestrians because it really is dangerous every day for the people who live there now,” Mallek said. Monteith said Old Ivy Road is the responsibility of the Virginia Department of Transportation, and she said the University is working with VDOT on potential solutions for both ends of the roadway. In addition to the Ivy Residences, Greystar Development is seeking to build over 400 units at the western end of the roadway. “We’re waiting to hear back from what the thinking is to approach that and long-term it has been discussed that it’s a priority for [Albemarle] County should funding appear but it’s quite a challenge to figure out how to realign the road to better move through that railroad trestle,” Monteith said. More information on the development of this plan, and all of the other plans, will come in future installments of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Support the program!Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out is for the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Campaign, an initiative that wants you to grow native plants in yards, farms, public spaces and gardens in the northern Piedmont. Native plants provide habitat, food sources for wildlife, ecosystem resiliency in the face of climate change, and clean water.  Start at the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Facebook page and tell them Lonnie Murray sent you! In today’s show: Several odds and ends from the Charlottesville Planning Commission meeting The Virginia Film Festival will return to movie screens in Charlottesville this OctoberYour input is requested on thoughts and concerns about future natural disastersWe begin today again with today’s COVID numbers. Today the Virginia Department of Health reports another 4,066 cases today. The number of COVID deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in Virginia is now at 12,170. Since September 1, there have been 309 reported, with 52 reported today. That does not mean all of those fatalities happened within a 24-hour period, as that number is tallied as death certificates are reported to the VDH. When natural disasters strike, governments across the region often cooperate with each other to lend a hand in the emergency response and recovery efforts. Before they strike, there is a federally-mandated document intended to provide direction on how to prepare to lessen their impacts.“The purpose of the Regional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is to prepare for natural disasters before they occur, thus reducing loss of life, property damage, and disruption of commerce,” reads the current plan, which was put together by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission.The last plan was adopted in 2018 and it is time to put together the next one as required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The TJPDC wants your input in the form of a survey which is now open. Participants are asked if they’ve ever experienced a natural disaster and if so, what the specific impact was. You’ll also be asked what hazards you are concerned about, ranging from dam failure to winter weather. (take the survey) The Virginia Film Festival will return to in-person events this October when the long-running series returns for action. Last year the event pivoted to drive-in and virtual screenings, but will return to the Violet Crown, the Culbreth Theatre, and the Paramount Theater. “The Festival will also continue its very popular Drive-In Movies series at the beautiful Morven Farm in Eastern Albemarle County.” said festival director Jody Kielbasa in a release. “As always, the Festival will work to create the safest environment possible for its audiences, requiring masks at all indoor venues.”The festival will run from October 27 to October 31, and the full program will be announced on September 28. Tickets will go on sale on September 30. A major highlight this year will be the screening of an episode of Dopesick, an upcoming series on Hulu about the nation’s opioid epidemic. The series is based on the work of former Roanoke Times journalist Beth Macy and the event at the Paramount will be presented in partnership with the Virginia Festival of the Book. For more information, visit virginiafilmfestival.org.Albemarle Supervisor Ann Mallek is one of 16 elected officials from around the United States to be appointed to an advisory panel of the Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan made appointments to the Local Government Advisory Committee and its Small Community Advisory Subcommittee, and Mallek will serve on the latter. “From tackling climate change to advancing environmental justice, we need local partners at the table to address our most pressing environmental challenges,” Regan said in an August 25 press release. Kwasi Fraser, the Mayor of Purcellville in Loudoun County, is the only other Virginian appointed to either of the two groups. Speaking of appointments, last week Governor Ralph Northam appointed several Charlottesville residents to the Virginia Board of Workforce Development. They are:Rich Allevi, Vice President of Development, Sun Tribe SolarJohn Bahouth Jr., Executive Vice President, Apex Clean EnergyTierney T. Fairchild, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Resilience EducationAntonio Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jobs for Virginia GraduatesThe Virginia Board of Workforce Development will meet next week for a special briefing. The board’s executive is Jane Dittmar, a former member of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors. You’re reading Charlottesville Community Engagement. Time for two quick Patreon-shout-outs. One person wants you to know "We keep each other safe. Get vaccinated, wear a mask, wash your hands, and keep your distance."And in another one, one brand new Patreon supporter wants you to go out and read a local news story written by a local journalist. Whether it be the Daily Progress, Charlottesville Tomorrow, C-Ville Weekly, NBC29, CBS19, the community depends on a network of people writing about the community. Go learn about this place today!For the rest of the show today, highlights from last night’s City Planning Commission meeting. I want to state up front that this newsletter does not feature the meeting’s main event, which was a public hearing for 240 Stribling in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood. That conversation that focused on a novel method of funding infrastructure improvements to support additional vehicular and human-powered traffic. I’m going to focus on that in an upcoming newsletter, but I want to get one concept on your mind. Let’s get some legal guidance from City Attorney Lisa Robertson about that mythical beast known as a “proffer.” For large developments that require a rezoning or a special use permit, you may also see the applicant offer cash or specific improvements as a required condition if their desired land use change is accepted. “Proffers are really to deal with impacts generated by the development itself and to provide cash for infrastructure that’s more directly sort of connected to or necessitated by the development,” Robertson said during the Commission’s pre-meeting. “In this situation as evidenced by the fact that the Stribling Avenue need for sidewalks has already been documented for a number of years in the city’s master plans and [Capital Improvement Program].”Southern Development is the applicant behind 240 Stribling had wanted to make its willingness to fund some of the infrastructure improvements in a proffer, but Robertson asked to pursue the matter in a different way because proffers are not two-way agreements. What happened with that? We’ll come back to that tomorrow. Highlights from the meetingAt the top of the actual meeting, the Commission elected Lyle Solla-Yates to serve as the body’s Chair. Solla-Yates was appointed to the seven-person body in March 2018 and succeeds Hosea Mitchell, who will remain on the commission. “Thank you very much Chair Mitchell for your two years of excellent service and for this honor and attempting to follow you,” Solla-Yates said. “Remarkable opportunity.”Next, Commissioners gave various reports on the various committees they are on. This is a good way to find out quickly a lot of things that are going on. Commissioner Mitchell said he and Commissioner Jody Lahendro with city Parks and Recreation officials reviewing a major problem in McIntire Park.“The drainage in McIntire Park is also creating a violation of the Department of Environmental Quality, their standards,” Mitchell said. “That is going to be a top priority and that’s going to be about $350,000 that we will be asking Council to approve but this is a must-do. We are in violation if we don’t fix that.” Mitchell said repairs to bring the outdoor Onesty Pool back next summer will cost about $400,000. There’s a lot of erosion and standing water at Oakwood Cemetery that will cost about $52,000.“And the last must-do thing is a comprehensive master plan,” Mitchell said. “We haven’t had anything like that in a number of years and our future is going to be relentless for Parks and Rec if we don’t do that and that’s going to be about $150,000.”Mitchell said the Smith Aquatic and Fitness Center is not expected to open now until late fall. Smith has been plagued with air quality problems since it opened in 2010. The facility shut down for several weeks in 2015 to install new exhaust pipes and has been closed since the spring of 2020 for at least $2.25 million in repairs. At least, that’s what Council approved as a capital improvement program budget line item in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. In any case, Mitchell also announced that Todd Brown will be leaving his position as director of the city parks and recreation department to take a position in Fredericksburg. Bill Palmer, the University of Virginia’s liaison on the Charlottesville Planning Commission, reminded the Commission that UVA is working on an update of its Grounds Framework Plan. Palmer did not have much specific information but the closed-door Land Use and Environmental Planning Committee got a briefing at their meeting on July 23. “The Plan will be underway from Summer 2021 to Fall 2022 and includes a robust engagement process with the University and regional community,” reads a presentation made to LUEPC. The Grounds Framework Plan is intended to guide planning and development over the next 20 years with an emphasis on sustainability, resiliency, and equity. Some guidance in the presentation is to “capitalize on the potential of existing and new facilities” and “holistically consider Grounds as an integrated campus of mixed-use buildings and green spaces.”The firm Urban Strategies has been hired to conduct the work, which will build on smaller plans developed in the past several years ranging from the 2015 Brandon Avenue Master Plan to the 2019 Emmet Ivy Task Force report. UVa is also undertaking an affordable housing initiative to build up to 1,500 units on land that either UVA or its real estate foundation controls. The community also got a first look at Jim Freas, the new director of the City’s Department of Neighborhood Development Services. “Today is my second day so still finding my feet and learning my way around the building,” Freas said on Tuesday. Freas comes to the position from a similar one in Natick, Massachusetts. Natick consists of over 16 square miles in Middlesex County and has a population of 37,000 according to the U.S. Census. Thank you again for reading today. Want one of those shout-outs? Consider becoming a Patreon supporter. For $25 a month, you get four shout-outs spread across the various programs. That price will increase in the near future. Questions? Drop me a line! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Brian Crombie interviews Joe Berridge of Urban Strategies about how our transit systems and city will change post-Covid. We discuss the challenges Transit faces as riders seemingly are reluctant to get back on and how our urban centers will adapt to hybrid or third/fourth continuing wave life post-Covid. Joe Berridge has played a key role in some of the largest and most complex urban regeneration campaigns in the world. He is an accomplished master planner of city centers, airports, waterfronts, and university campuses, with landmark projects in world capitals like New York City, London, and Toronto.

Brian Crombie interviews Joe Berridge of Urban Strategies about how our city will change post-Covid. We discuss suburbs vs downtown, single-family homes vs condos, how offices will change, how we will handle growth and the challenges Transit faces as riders seemingly are reluctant to get back on. Joe Berridge has played a key role in some of the largest and most complex urban regeneration campaigns in the world. He is an accomplished master planner of city centers, airports, waterfronts, and university campuses, with landmark projects in world capitals like New York City, London, and Toronto.

The demand for housing in the city is growing faster than the number of houses up for sale. But, there's an opportunity to diversify the housing types available to increase housing supply. In a fast and focused conversation challenging policymakers to effect real change, Michele Trocme and Joe Berridge from Urban Strategies join TRREB's Chief Market Analyst and podcast host, Jason Mercer to share how the missing middle can transform urban areas across the GTA.

Lymar Sola (caminandojuntos@urbanstrategies.us), desde la organización Urban Strategies nos habla sobre el programa que coordina llamado Caminando Juntos (https://caminandojuntos.urbanstrategies.us/?locale=es). Caminando Juntos intenta responder a las necesidades de la pastoral cristiana, brindando un apoyo integral para mejorar el bienestar integral personal y ayudar a los líderes a convertirse en agentes saludables para sus iglesias, otros colegas y sus comunidades.---------------------------------------------Familia Peregrina es un Podcast de los Ministerios Latinos del Compañerismo Bautista Cooperativo (www.cbf.net/familia), una red fundada en los principios de compañerismo, defensoría, ministerios y misiones, identidad, liderazgo, diversidad intergeneracional y alianzas.

Sam explains the evolution of the cathartic howl See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’ve invited Tahira Taqi back to talk about her work as the Senior Project Manager for Urban Strategies on the Eugene Field choice neighborhood project here in Tulsa. Tahira will give us all the details, but, in short, within 5 years, 25 acres of land will be cleared and rebuilt, as the Tulsa Housing Authority carries out the mandate of the $30 million federal grant to transform the neighborhood on the west side of the Arkansas River. The plans call for a mix of apartment styles, built around a neighborhood designed for walking, with a 5-acre park and a grocery store. The housing authority residents who are moving out during reconstruction will have the first chance to return once it's done. Tahira is here to give us behind-the-scenes details about the project. And we asked Mark Davis to host this episode for two reasons. One is that he is the Association’s Chief Programs Officer. The other is because he once lived in an apartment complex in the Eugene Field neighborhood. And Mark understands the challenges people have faced there for decades.

This podcast is a ‘welcome mat’ for visitors coming to Toronto, eager to learn what makes this city tick and why it continues to be one of the fastest growing urban regions in North America. Visitors to Toronto include the thousands of ULI members that will be descending on our city from other parts of North America, Europe and Asia to attend the ULI Spring Meeting later this year, from May 12-14, 2020. Jeremy sits down with Joe Berridge – one of the most respected registered professional planners among Toronto’s planning and development community. A partner with Urban Strategies, Joe has over 40 years’ experience providing advice to an extensive range of government and private sector clients, in Toronto, across Canada and in an impressive number of cities around the world.

Tahira Taqi is a proud American Muslim, community member and social justice advocate. She works as the Senior Project Manager for Urban Strategies on the Eugene Field choice neighborhood project and continues to be involved in area nonprofits and advocacy efforts. In this episode, Mike Brose, CEO of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, talks with Tahira about racism, inclusion, mental health and what she hopes for the future.

Join the Conversation: UnicitySA.org Panelist Bios COLLABORATION PANEL •Carl Caton: Carl and his family attend Community Bible Church and he is co-founder of the Garden Ridge Men’s Bible Study, a group that is gathering for its 29th year. Carl leads the San Antonio Marriage Initiative, an organization that partners with the local church to strengthen families, as he advocates for “upstream” efforts with a focus on marriage parenting, and fatherhood. Carl also sits on the boards of The National Association of Relationship & Marriage Educators (NARME), UnicitySA, and the USMarriage Resource Center. •Gilbert Hernandez serves as the CEO of San Antonio Youth for Christ (SAYFC) and is veteran member of the Christian non-profit community. The San Antonio YFC Chapter has been honored as a Best Practice Site by Youth for Christ/USA since 2012. Gilbert was named CEO of SAYFC in 2005 after 12 years in youth ministry leadership and 4 years with SAYFC. Under his leadership, the ministry has reinvigorated its focus on helping communities through sharing the Gospel with youth and raise healthy, resilient kids. In just the last 12 months, with the help of San Antonio Youth for Christ, 11,000 students have been presented a message of hope and 3,500 students are being supported through weekly community ministry. As of 2019 Gilbert also serves as the Pastor of CBC Latino, a ministry of Community Bible Church focusing on serving the city through Latinos. Gilbert and his wife, Hilda, have two Daughters and live in Boerne, Texas. •Megan Legacy is the Executive Director of Hope Resource Center. She is passionate about disrupting the cycle of generational poverty by helping families regain their dignity, discover their God-given purpose, and become holistically sustainable. Megan serves as the Board Treasurer for Unicity. POVERTY AND CASUALTIES IN THE CITY PANEL •Charles Foltz is the president of SA Heals, a nonprofit organization in San Antonio’s east side that focuses on the youth with a holistic approach to encourage, equip and empower them through mentoring relationships. Foltz co-founded SA Heals with Jen Foltz in 2014, one year after they moved to the neighborhood. He is also the pastor of The Gate, a community church that shares worship and dinner together on Saturday nights. •Michelle Lugalia-Hollon is the Director of Initiatives and Partnerships at Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. She graduated from the Harvard School of Public Health with a M.Sc. in Society, Human Development and Health in 2010 and with an AB in Comparative Human Development from the University of Chicago in 2007. She has worked in government, philanthropy and with several non-profits focusing on maternal and infant HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual and youth violence prevention, homelessness, trauma, youth development, restorative justice, and public health. She was born in Kenya, has lived in Houston, Boston and Chicago, and relocated to San Antonio with her family in 2015. •Olga Rodriguez is the Regional Director of Central Texas Bienestar, an initiative of Urban Strategies. She is a Senior Pastor's Wife who brings a faith-based compassion to all projects she implements and manages. Olga has more than 31 years of experience in event planning and community engagement activities, cultivating strong leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. She has demonstrated expertise in her church leadership role, as well as in professional and personal projects. Olga’s positive attitude and willingness to walk alongside the marginalized have compelled her to use her abilities to help those in need within the church and community. The scope of her training has equipped her to lead workshops and seminars as well as effectively manage diverse projects. She is a Certified Youth Mental Health First Aide Instructor.

Joe Berridge and Face2Face host David Peck talk about cities and entropy, why they’re like purpose built machines, liberty, innovation, democracy and urban planning and why successful cities need immigrants. About the Book: There is no such thing as a perfect city, but great cities have moments of perfection - perfect streets or buildings, perfect places to raise a family or to relax with a coffee - and all strive for perfection when they undertake grand civic projects revitalizing their downtowns or waterfronts, or building innovation hubs, airports, and arenas, or reforming their governance systems, or integrating streams of new immigrants. Cities, more than ever, are the engines of our economies and the ecosystems in which our lives play out, which makes questions about the perfectibility of urban life all the more urgent. Joe Berridge, one of the world’s leading urban planners, takes us on an insider’s tour of some of the world’s largest and most diverse cities, from New York to London, Shanghai to Singapore, Toronto to Sydney, Manchester to Belfast, to scrutinize what is working and what is not, what is promising and what needs to be fixed in the contemporary megalopolis. We meet the people, politicians, and thinkers at the cutting edge of global city making, and share their struggles and successes as they balance the competing priorities of growing their economies, upgrading the urban machinery that keeps a city humming, and protecting, serving, and delighting their citizens. We visit a succession of great urban innovations, stop to eat in many of Joe’s favorite places, and leave with a startling view of the magical urban future that awaits us all. About Joe: Joe Berridge, a partner at Urban Strategies, is an urban planner and city builder who has had an integral role in the development of complex urban planning and regeneration projects in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Europe and Asia. He has been strategic advisor for the development of the city centres of Manchester, Belfast and Cardiff and for the waterfronts of Toronto, Singapore, Sydney, Cork, London and Governors Island in New York City. He has prepared campus master plans for the Universities of Manchester, Waterloo, Queen's and Western and is now advising on the new hub for Toronto Pearson International Airport. Joe teaches at the University of Toronto and is a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.​ Image Copyright: Joe Berridge. Used with permission.F2F Music and Image Copyright: David Peck and Face2Face. Used with permission. For more information about David Peck’s podcasting, writing and public speaking please visit his site here. With thanks to Josh Snethlage and Mixed Media Sound. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode you'll learn about Midwest Urban Strategies, and their coordinated effort on behalf of 13 Department of Labor urban workforce development boards to marry traditional workforce development practices with economic development. 

Reverend Michael McBride, lead pastor of The Way Christian Center and national director of Urban Strategies and LIVE FREE, discusses the resources of the Black church for developing a Black theopraxis in order to resist the structures of white supremacy, human hierarchy, and whiteness.  The Black Public Theology Symposium was held at Fuller in October 2018. The symposium sought to bring the Black academy and the Black church into dialogue and explore ways to distill Black theology and make it accessible to the Black church and community. Learn more about the Pannell Center for African American Church Studies: http://fuller.edu/pannell-center/ For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

A 2018 study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition showed that a St. Louisan who earns minimum wage would have to work 81 hours per week in order to afford a modest apartment. That reality is part of what Esther Shin describes as a "national affordable-housing challenge" stretching from San Francisco to New York City.

Art Gensler founded the eponymous-named design firm in 1965, which has grown to become the largest design firm in the world. He and Riki Nishimura, the firm's Director of Urban Strategies, discuss the evolution of the firm over the last 50 years while touching on the value of experiential design and creating an excellent team and platform for innovation.

Art GenslerWhen Art Gensler started his firm in 1965, Gensler solely did interiors. Today, it is not just an interior or a design firm; rather, Gensler thinks of itself as a full-scale, client-focused design firm with a team of 6,000 in 48 offices around the world.He remembers knowing he wanted to be an architect from since he was 5 years old, and credits his ability to visualize things and communicate that vision well to his skill as a planner.After working in the service, he went on to work for a Shreve, Lamb and Harmon in NYC, spent time in the British West Indies, and created the entire architectural standards guide for Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons. At 30, he struck out on his own.EvolvingArt says that when he founded Gensler, it started slowly by focusing on producing high-quality work. The recognition Gensler received for these early projects led him into the consulting field, and soon Gensler was being tapped by Pennzoil to do more than just interior design. Now, their workload is about 50% architecture and 50% interiors, branding, graphics, product design, and consulting.“You're designing space for people that they're going to use, not just look at, but actually physically use which is the most important space that we're going to do. So I've always felt that the interior is as important as the outside.”Creating an Excellent TeamArt emphasizes that at Gensler, it's not just about the designer. The receptionist and the accounting department get just as much recognition as the designer. And ultimately, their clients are the priority.“Success for designers and people in our industry is not how big the pile of chips is in front of you. Success is a happy client and a successful project.”When Apple asked Gensler to create a brand new retail experience, Art was up for the challenge. While he says it was hard work and wasn't easy, it was a project he will always be proud of.Riki NishimuraWhen Riki Nishimura, Director of Urban Strategies, joined the Gensler team, he was nervous and wondered whether his ideas would get lost in the big firm. However, he soon found that it was an empowering culture where design solutions were discovered through natural collaboration.He cites their current project of Cisco Guangzhou Smart City Master Plan in China as an exemplary piece of work that embodies Gensler's culture.“It creates a platform for innovation and enables people to achieve their maximum potential.”ChallengesThere's a balance you have to strike in development. Art shares the example of how Steve Jobs never did focus groups because he said they didn't know what was possible.You have to push things and people out of their comfort zone to a certain point.“We have to now really build frameworks which are adaptable and modifiable, and the inside is going to be more modifiable than the outside, but they've all got to be changeable because the world is changing and people have to recognize that.”AdviceArt: Get a good, broad education. You need a breadth of knowledge to be a future contributor to society. Also, learn how to speak in public.Riki: You might not be able to solve all of the issues, but always leave things better than when you found them.

Art Gensler founded the eponymous-named design firm in 1965, which has grown to become the largest design firm in the world. He and Riki Nishimura, the firm’s Director of Urban Strategies, discuss the evolution of the firm over the last 50 years while touching on the value of experiential design and creating an excellent team and platform for innovation. This episode is made possible by our sponsor JLL. Learn more at jll.com/voices.

Midterm elections are important. But Sandra Moore, former president of Urban Strategies, told "St. Louis on the Air" host Don Marsh that   “mobilizing folks to register and vote” is what's most important. She helped organize a voter education and registration drive that seeks to energize women in north St. Louis and north St. Louis County for the Nov. 6 election. 

Salin Geevarghese currently serves as Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) as well as the founding Director of the Mixed-Income Strategic Alliance and its Innovation and Action Network. The Mixed-Income Strategic Alliance is a collaboration of CSSP, the National Initiative on Mixed Income Communities at Case Western Reserve University and Urban Strategies, Inc. Before that, from April 2014 to January 2017, Salin served in a senior appointed leadership post as HUD’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of International and Philanthropic Innovation (within the Office of Policy Development and Research) during the Administration of President Barack Obama. He is a recognized expert, leader, consultant, and speaker. Salin has written widely on open records laws and transparency, public education issues, civil rights and equity issues, community and economic development, sustainable urbanization, civic innovation, and engagement efforts. More importantly to me, he is my cousin and older brother, and I am stoked that he has finally caved in and said yes to coming on the show. We talk about family, why representation matters, and of course, mental health, since May is Mental Health Awareness month. His son Sanjay also joins us for the conversation, so let’s get right to the conversation. Being a Leader, Paving the Way So what does your family say about YOU? Salin says he was always known as the “big mouth” in his family, but he never dreamed his career path would take him where it has. He was commonly described as a leader, and was the first in his family to go to law school. Seeing his parents as role models shaped his early thinking, which focused on helping those in poverty and making an impact on others. Because Salin’s mother taught elementary school in Chattanooga, Salin was able very early to realize that not everyone has the same background and experiences. He says that seeing his parents serve others were character-molding moments in his life. TWEET: I was aware very early that what I had and what others had were very different. #ChasingDreams The Question Salin was asked EVERY Day Can you imagine what it’s like to work for the President of the United States? Salin was privileged to work for HUD as his father entered the early stages of dementia. Every day his father would ask if he would see the president today. Every day Salin would answer, “Not today, Daddy.” Even though his HUD post didn’t mean day-to-day contact with President Obama, he knew he had to figure out how to get a picture of himself with the president, so he could give it to his father. Salin didn’t think it would ever happen, until 2016, when he was nominated for an award and was invited to the ceremony where he would meet President Obama. It was the culmination of a 6-year dream and the answer to the question his father asked so often. TWEET: The route into public policy, poverty, and non-profit was all “in the sauce.” #ChasingDreams The Letter that Means So Much When is a letter more than just a letter? How about when the letter is from the President of the United States? Salin was able to share briefly with President Obama the story of his immigrant parents and their story. The president wrote a quick note of thanks for him to pass along to his father, along with the picture of Salin and the president. Salin was so grateful for the president’s humble leadership that he wrote a note of thanks for the time and attention shown to his family. It wasn’t long before a letter--yes, a “Thank You” for the “Thank You”-- arrived at Salin’s house from President Obama, acknowledging the contribution made by their family. It was a small gesture that wasn’t about politics, but became a meaningful symbol of pride and honor in this Indian family. It’s just one example of what can happen when you think of others, especially in showing kindness and grace to someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, like Salin’s beloved father.  TWEET: The question was always, “How might I serve?” #ChasingDreams   OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE: [2:41] Born in America [5:52] Giving back and serving the poor [9:38] How you can be influenced by seeing others give back [12:56] Leading a life of service [13:16] Getting “fired” while on vacation--only to be called to serve in the Obama administration [23:13] The rest of the story and the new purpose behind a 6-year dream [34:54] The note from President Obama and what happened next [43:22] The meaning behind the president’s kind note [46:31] The moment that no one thought would happen [47:39] The importance of embracing time [50:16] Changing your dream in light of mental illness   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: Center for the Study of Social Policy Washington Post Article - "As my father battled Alzheimer’s, I rushed to create one last memory: Meeting President Obama”   TWEETS YOU CAN USE: TWEET: President Obama acknowledged what my parents as immigrants had done and said his thoughts and prayers were with us. #ChasingDreams TWEET: Alzheimer’s robs people of a lot, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. #ChasingDreams  

Michael McBride, pastor of the Way Christian Center in Berkeley, California, and national director for Urban Strategies at the PICO National Network, reflects on faithful discipleship in the context of racialized violence, economic exploitation, and white supremacy.   For more resources on a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

The Salgueros are co-lead pastors of the multiethnic Lamb's Church in NYC which worships in three languages – English, Spanish, and Mandarin. They have ministered extensively in Europe, Latin America, and Africa. The Rev. Gabriel Salguero is also president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC) and is a powerful voice on issues that affect Latino communities in the United States. Focusing on poverty, immigration, and education, Gabriel's leadership of the NaLEC offers an important voice for growing diversity and changing demographics in our country. He has been named one of the most prominent Latino evangelical leaders by the Huffington Post, the Center for American Progress, El Diario, and Jorge Ramos' Al Punto. In addition to her leadership at Lamb's Church, the Rev. Jeanette Salguero provides leadership with Urban Strategies' efforts to promote national health and wellness initiatives that empower Hispanic communities. She is recognized for her work on multiethnic outreach and Hispanic women's leadership empowerment.

Rev. Jeanette Salguero provides leadership with Urban Strategies’ efforts to promote national health and wellness initiatives that empower Hispanic communities. She works on projects with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reduce mental health and health care access disparities in the Hispanic community. She also provides leadership in education, outreach, and communications to grassroots organizations including community- and faith-based organizations that assist underserved and underrepresented constituencies. Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, is a powerful voice on issues that affect Latino communities in the United States. Focusing on poverty, immigration, and education, Salguero’s leadership of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC) offers an important voice for growing diversity and changing demographics in our country. Salguero has been named as one of the most prominent Latino evangelical leaders by the Huffington Post, the Center for American Progress, El Diario, and Jorge Ramos’ Al Punto.

GLOBAL VILLAGE VOICES with Peter E. Matthews “Your World is About to Change”   Insightful examination, exploration of ideas, thoughts and work... more Tonight . . . The Start-Up Of Me, Inc.  Dr. Anne Morris and Dr. Frances Frei, PhD Directors, Concire Leadership Institute     GV2 (Global Village Voices) with Peter E. Matthews and TaRessa Stovall  The Black Voice CollaborativeTruthWorks NetworkJoin us for Talk that Matters