Community Changed My Life. Now It’s My Responsibility to Help Others Build Theirs.
How believing in people and fostering collaboration can transform communities beyond housing and services.
Community Development Begins with Believing in People
I grew up in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in a neighborhood that many people would describe as low-income. But that's not how I experienced it.
I experienced community.
I grew up with neighbors who checked in on me, community center staff who already knew my name, and adults who made sure I was signed up for summer jobs before I even thought to ask. My mother never had to navigate life's challenges alone because there were people who cared—not because they were paid to, but because that's what community looked like.
As a child, I didn't know what the crime rate was. I didn't understand poverty statistics or economic disparities. I knew I could ride my bike, play outside, dance on the stage at our Housing Authority events, and dream about what my future could become.
Looking back, I realize those experiences weren't accidental. They were the result of people who intentionally invested in the next generation.
Today, I have the privilege of being one of those people.
Community Development Is About More Than Housing
I've spent my career working with children, youth, families, and communities because I believe housing is only one piece of the equation.
A safe apartment matters. Affordable rent matters. Access to supportive services matters.
But what matters just as much is whether people have opportunities to build a life beyond survival.
Can they access workforce development? Can they find childcare? Do they have financial education? Are seniors connected rather than isolated? Do young people have mentors who believe in them?
Community development isn't simply about buildings. It's about creating environments where people can thrive.
Success Isn't Measured by Services Delivered
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that providing resources can only take people so far.
The real measure of success is sustainability.
Have we helped someone build enough stability that they can continue moving forward after our program ends? Have we created systems that empower people rather than encourage dependence?
That's often the hardest part of this work.
Many of the barriers families face aren't personal—they're systemic. Funding restrictions, policy limitations, and fragmented services can make lasting change difficult. There are days when I wish I could rewrite those systems overnight.
But meaningful change doesn't happen because one person has all the answers.
It happens because people choose to collaborate.
Leadership Is a Team Sport
Early in my career, I believed I had to prove I deserved a seat at every table.
As a young woman, I sometimes questioned whether people would listen to me because of my age or experience. Then I remembered something my father told me that has stayed with me throughout my career:
"Don't ever think you're not the smartest person in the room."
He wasn't telling me I would know everything.
He was reminding me not to underestimate the value of my perspective.
Today, I lead differently because of that lesson. I know I don't have to be the expert in everything. I simply need to bring my expertise while creating space for others to bring theirs.
The best ideas rarely belong to one person.
They're built through trust, collaboration, and a team willing to ask, "How can we make this better?"
I've often joked that I'm not a Black unicorn—and I've never seen one.
None of us can do this work alone.
The "Little Shamekia" Test
Whenever I'm making decisions, I think about the little girl I once was.
Would this program have helped her?
Would she have felt safe here?
Would she have believed there were opportunities waiting for her?
Every community has its own version of that little girl or little boy—children who don't yet know what's possible because no one has shown them.
Our responsibility isn't simply to meet immediate needs.
It's to expand what's possible.
The Legacy We Leave
Community development isn't just about solving today's problems.
It's about creating the conditions where the next generation has more choices than the one before it.
Every child deserves to grow up surrounded by adults who believe in their potential.
Every family deserves dignity.
Every neighborhood deserves investment—not because of what it lacks, but because of what it can become.
That's the work that inspires me every day.
Because somewhere, there's another little girl growing up just as I did.
And I want her to know that where she begins is only the first chapter of her story—not the ending.
