1. How have you been described by others?
Honest and compassionate (with actions not emotion) and/or intimidating, arrogant, cynical.

I am a 7 on the enneagram which means I live in my head. Things make sense to me when they are logical. I struggle with emotions – showing mine and understanding others. Because of this, circumstances around meeting someone will dictate which Charlie they meet.

Our community is my calling so people within our neighborhood would say I am compassionate, generous, and always willing to help..

Other sides of the city, not as much, and It has been people outside of our community that have struggled and described me as intimidating, arrogant, or cynical.

So who am I? To be honest a mixture of both, but I believe God is still working to make me better.

2. How you would describe your sphere of influence?
The kids and the community where we live. Since moving here 10 years ago I have been drawn to these kids and the men in this neighborhood. For the kids, I have wanted to remove all the obstacles and give them the same opportunities my own kids have. For the men, I have spent the time to get to know them and allowed them to get to know me. What began as us and them, has become a ‘we’ and its truly a beautiful thing.

Conservative Christians- Since being saved 15 years ago, I have struggled with conservative Christians. They have all to power and the money but no knowledge of our city, our problems, or the beauty of a forgotten community. When I read the Bible, I do not see where Jesus would celebrate a the biggest churches being the furtherest away from the biggest problems. I do not see where Jesus would celebrate spending millions on church landscaping and buildings in a city with the highest poverty rate, the most socio-econmonic segregation and foster care crisis. Despite my frustrations, God continues to send them to hear what we have to say.

3. What fuels your leadership?
Creating something new and building relationships based on trust over time. I love to create, I am a visionary and a pioneer. Moving from the richest zip code to the poorest zip code and starting something out of nothing is life giving for me. But with my heart to create, God has not given me a heart to control, so we have remained opened handed with the work at The GoodHood. Yes, I/we have a plan, but if God doesn’t direct the steps, we change and we follow as best we can. This has allowed us to not focus on programs but the people and the pace and change and create as we learn more about the community and what will help.

4. What is the pressing question that you’re asking?
I wish that I had just one question but I have a million. How do we fix this broken place? How do we create opportunities for our community. How do we lead an entire community to see the love of Jesus when they have been told over and over again they are not enough? How do we create true change for someone?

5. Why Journey of Hope? And why now?
“It could be that you(we) were made for a time like this”
Jen and I believe this is a time that God is preparing us for next battle. We are aligned spiritually and listening as God leads to whatever is to come next. We believe JOH is a part of that preparation.