Latest / ChangeMakers with Katie Goar / Episode 143: Dontrelle Young Foster, President & CEO, Housing Authority of the Birmingham District

Transcript

Episode 143: Dontrelle Young Foster, President & CEO, Housing Authority of the Birmingham District · ChangeMakers with Katie Goar

0:05
Speaker 1: This is change Makers with Katie Gore finding the right
0:09
Speaker 1: solutions for the affordable housing community.
0:13
Speaker 2: Today's change maker is the President and CEO of the
0:16
Speaker 2: Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, don Trell Young Foster.
0:21
Speaker 2: She leads housing work affecting thousands of lives across Birmingham.
0:26
Speaker 2: Dontrell Young Foster has been bringing more than two decades
0:30
Speaker 2: of experience and deep housing knowledge to Alabama. So, dontrelle
0:37
Speaker 2: thank you so much for joining us on the podcast.
0:40
Speaker 2: It is a pleasure to have you here.
0:43
Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. Good to be here.
0:47
Speaker 2: I appreciate this. I've been to Birmingham several times and
0:51
Speaker 2: you guys have an amazing city, and I've been to
0:54
Speaker 2: your Housing authority. We've been partners and collaborators, and so
0:58
Speaker 2: it is with much honor that we bring you here
1:00
Speaker 2: because you have such a gift in this space. And
1:05
Speaker 2: I particularly think of a moment when I landed in
1:09
Speaker 2: Birmingham and I like to talk to the taxi driver
1:14
Speaker 2: or the bus driver, and I one of the things
1:16
Speaker 2: I asked him this last time I was there, I said, so,
1:21
Speaker 2: what's going on with housing? And what's going on with
1:25
Speaker 2: the neighborhoods downtown and you are not going to believe this,
1:28
Speaker 2: But the cab driver said to me, he goes, look
1:32
Speaker 2: at this neighborhood. It used to be so different and
1:36
Speaker 2: so much more difficult, but they've really changed it up.
1:41
Speaker 2: And I said, oh, who's doing that, you know? And
1:44
Speaker 2: he said the Housing Authority. So I am so thrilled
1:50
Speaker 2: when I hear that from just a common neighbor. And
1:54
Speaker 2: I'm really glad to have a chance for you to
1:56
Speaker 2: explain exactly what's going on. So let's get started and
2:01
Speaker 2: jump right in it. But first of all, before we
2:04
Speaker 2: go through all the projects and all of the new
2:07
Speaker 2: initiatives are doing, why didn't you first tell us a
2:09
Speaker 2: little bit about yourself and how you got started in housing.
2:14
Speaker 3: Actually, I've started with the House Authority as a temporary
2:17
Speaker 3: employee after graduating from college, you know, primary looking for
2:22
Speaker 3: a job. My background is in financing accounting, so I
2:26
Speaker 3: was kind of like the number cruncher when I started here.
2:29
Speaker 3: I was, you know, doing the budget, payroll account autlysts,
2:32
Speaker 3: you know, those type of functions without really understanding the mission.
2:37
Speaker 3: So everything changed when I transferred to the executive director
2:42
Speaker 3: the Executive Department the executive direct at the time, one
2:45
Speaker 3: is someone in the space where they understood that the
2:48
Speaker 3: budgets and can relate that to her to her going forward,
2:50
Speaker 3: you know, based on information that was inted to the office.
2:53
Speaker 3: So there is when I began to understand the importance
2:57
Speaker 3: of the work. I began to understand the the programs
3:01
Speaker 3: and resources that were brought to the residents. So I
3:04
Speaker 3: do want to share like my first encounter I had
3:06
Speaker 3: with the residents, and that was when I was assigned
3:09
Speaker 3: to assists with the resident council election and so serving
3:14
Speaker 3: as a liaisign between the count, the council president, advisory
3:18
Speaker 3: board and the execu director at the time, I found that,
3:21
Speaker 3: you know, the council presidents were incredibly supportive. They were
3:25
Speaker 3: just so welcoming to them. They treated me like I
3:28
Speaker 3: was family. So through the experience, you know, I felt
3:31
Speaker 3: like that's when I really began to love the work
3:34
Speaker 3: that I do. I became away from the numbers and
3:37
Speaker 3: came into the real life touching in families and support
3:42
Speaker 3: that we provide to them.
3:43
Speaker 2: So you've been there for quite a while now, and
3:47
Speaker 2: does your impression about what housing used to look like
3:52
Speaker 2: compared to today? Does that also reflect that taxi driver's
3:59
Speaker 2: view of how housing has changed.
4:02
Speaker 3: Oh. Absolutely. You know, when we transform our properties, we
4:06
Speaker 3: don't just actually put our hands and our work into
4:09
Speaker 3: the property along we try to transform the community as
4:13
Speaker 3: a whole. And so when you're reaching out to the neighborhoods,
4:16
Speaker 3: because everything that we do not only have fakes the residents,
4:18
Speaker 3: but the stay colds in the neighborhood and the communities.
4:21
Speaker 3: And also it provides opportunity for residence to have a
4:25
Speaker 3: better quality of life. You know, we have legacy properties
4:30
Speaker 3: that's been around for number of years and so they're
4:34
Speaker 3: all deteriorating at the same time. So you have to
4:38
Speaker 3: identify way to put our hands on the pulse and
4:41
Speaker 3: move those to the way that oursins have a better
4:44
Speaker 3: quality of living. So yes, absolutely, and the story you
4:47
Speaker 3: share was very heartfelt because that's the kind of part
4:50
Speaker 3: that we want to put in place so that it
4:52
Speaker 3: doesn't look like public housing.
4:55
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, he was one of your cheerleaders in
4:58
Speaker 2: the fact that he was I'm so proud of what
5:01
Speaker 2: was happening in the community. And isn't that exactly you
5:05
Speaker 2: know what we want. I mean, it's one thing for
5:07
Speaker 2: us housers. It's one thing for developers, it's one thing
5:11
Speaker 2: for regulators to be proud of what we've done. But
5:14
Speaker 2: when you can generate that much community endorsement, you guys
5:18
Speaker 2: are really doing something very very well there.
5:21
Speaker 3: It's pleased to hear.
5:23
Speaker 2: So the agency has gone through a couple of transitions,
5:27
Speaker 2: and one of the things about your leadership though, it's
5:31
Speaker 2: great because you were really really vested and attached to
5:35
Speaker 2: what's happening there is the agency. But what are some
5:38
Speaker 2: of your wisdom points that you've learned through being at
5:43
Speaker 2: the agency now for quite a while and seeing some
5:47
Speaker 2: leadership trends, like how are you bringing that to what
5:50
Speaker 2: you want to accomplish now?
5:52
Speaker 3: Yes, as I mentioned, well, I've been with this agency
5:56
Speaker 3: for twenty five years to be a ZECH this year,
5:59
Speaker 3: and so we've saw many changes becoming for the agency,
6:02
Speaker 3: which it relates to the financing being decreased, you know,
6:07
Speaker 3: being able to use private public partnerships to redevelop some
6:11
Speaker 3: of these properties. So we just you know, just been
6:14
Speaker 3: very intentional of trying to continue to move and trend
6:19
Speaker 3: as the agency changes. You know, as I'm sure you're
6:22
Speaker 3: aware that you know, we had the opportunity to celebrate
6:26
Speaker 3: our ninetieth anniversary, which is a huge milestone for the housingtharity,
6:31
Speaker 3: And we used that tagline legacy, opportunity, and impact because
6:36
Speaker 3: for those ninety years, you know, HABD has provided safe,
6:39
Speaker 3: affordable housing as a foundation for opportunity, helping generations assess stability, education,
6:46
Speaker 3: and workforce mobility. So today we continue this mission by
6:50
Speaker 3: redeveloping those decade old properties I just shared, creating vital
6:53
Speaker 3: public viving partnerships that just talked about, and enhancing self
6:57
Speaker 3: sufficiency for those we serve, so as we can to
7:00
Speaker 3: honor that past and the generations generational tunders passed, we
7:06
Speaker 3: remain committed to sustainable growth and expanding pathways to home
7:09
Speaker 3: ownership and economic mobility. When I talked about not just
7:14
Speaker 3: focusing on the property alone, but also community wide, that
7:19
Speaker 3: allows us to move to build our economic wealth. And
7:23
Speaker 3: so I just say that we are standing and we're
7:26
Speaker 3: still building, and we're using our innovative ways to do that.
7:29
Speaker 3: So it's been a this ninety few milestone has been
7:33
Speaker 3: a testament to our impact and transformation. So we have
7:36
Speaker 3: responsibility to continue to shape those decades to come. So
7:39
Speaker 3: we're very, very exciting, very very intentional to move those
7:42
Speaker 3: things forward. Because we have a portfolio of twelve communities
7:46
Speaker 3: that we want to transform and bring great life to
7:50
Speaker 3: our residents.
7:51
Speaker 2: Well, it definitely seems like you have been able to
7:54
Speaker 2: unlock the keys to how to revitalize communities. And with
7:59
Speaker 2: these twelve communities, you're talking about what's your vision, what
8:02
Speaker 2: do you want it to look like, what do you
8:05
Speaker 2: want it to feel like, what do you want it
8:07
Speaker 2: to do?
8:09
Speaker 3: So we want to give our residents the better quality
8:12
Speaker 3: of life, and to do that not only build bricks
8:16
Speaker 3: and mortar, but we want to educate our residents. So
8:18
Speaker 3: when we're building these these brand new, beautiful buildings in
8:22
Speaker 3: these great communities, we want to prepare our residents to
8:25
Speaker 3: move with them. So the division is to keep our
8:29
Speaker 3: hands on our residents to ensure that where we build
8:32
Speaker 3: these communities, they are the first to call these these
8:36
Speaker 3: this property home. So you know, we have we call
8:40
Speaker 3: this Thrive twenty thirty five and that is the transformational
8:44
Speaker 3: plan that we are seeking to transform our entire portfolio. Yes,
8:49
Speaker 3: we have probably about nine years left in that friend,
8:51
Speaker 3: but we're going to be very aggressive ensuring that we're
8:55
Speaker 3: being intentional to move those properties forward, and we may
8:58
Speaker 3: not do because we it's a that's about thirty five
9:01
Speaker 3: hundred units and you know, realistically we can't touch every
9:04
Speaker 3: single unit within that time period, but we want to
9:06
Speaker 3: make sure that each property there's a change, there's a difference.
9:09
Speaker 3: So next time you take that cap lot, he's telling you,
9:12
Speaker 3: out of all the properties that he's seen, well that
9:15
Speaker 3: was distressed, are in a better, better spot. So that's
9:19
Speaker 3: what we want to as we want to present to
9:22
Speaker 3: in our communities.
9:23
Speaker 2: Amazing. What do you think have been some of your
9:26
Speaker 2: lessons that you've learned the hard way through going through
9:31
Speaker 2: this development? Because development is very, very hard, So can
9:36
Speaker 2: you give us some cheat codes to some of those
9:39
Speaker 2: lessons you've learned the hard way through this?
9:42
Speaker 3: It would be the same as any other industry. You know,
9:45
Speaker 3: real estate is the new trend for public housing now,
9:49
Speaker 3: and so you have to have the capacity and acknowledging
9:52
Speaker 3: skills to help us move those initiatives forward. And so
9:57
Speaker 3: I don't say lesson learned, but something we'll grow to
10:00
Speaker 3: do is to identify some supportive ways to help us
10:03
Speaker 3: move these forward. You know, I spoke about the three
10:06
Speaker 3: twenty thirty five plan and how we're you know, years
10:10
Speaker 3: has passed. You know, there's been some leadership changes, and
10:13
Speaker 3: so we can't just pause because those things occur. We
10:16
Speaker 3: have to keep things moving and so to do that,
10:18
Speaker 3: we want to share that we have we're identifying people
10:21
Speaker 3: that can support and make sure we in a position
10:24
Speaker 3: to bring the properties and the communities and the residents
10:30
Speaker 3: to the forefront of everything that we do. So our
10:33
Speaker 3: goal is to ensure that we're just staying positive and
10:41
Speaker 3: how we're moving.
10:43
Speaker 2: What do you think gets most overlooked or misunderstood with
10:50
Speaker 2: what you're trained to accomplish, whether that's development or just
10:54
Speaker 2: being you know in the community, is there something that
10:58
Speaker 2: you can speak to that you know, you wish everybody
11:03
Speaker 2: knew or you wish everybody realized and it wasn't overlooked.
11:09
Speaker 3: You know a lot of times I speak about educating
11:12
Speaker 3: our residents. A lot of times people feel like we're
11:16
Speaker 3: enabling them because of some of the things from the
11:19
Speaker 3: resources that in place. But you know, there are challenges
11:23
Speaker 3: and you know, with today's we have we have we've
11:28
Speaker 3: had several resources that are put in place to help
11:31
Speaker 3: us educate and provide to our residents and move forward.
11:34
Speaker 3: But when those resources are taken away from our residents,
11:37
Speaker 3: what do they have to rely on? And so that's
11:40
Speaker 3: when we have to strongly reach out to our partners
11:44
Speaker 3: to help fill in those gaps so that we're able
11:47
Speaker 3: to provide the resources that they need. You know, we
11:49
Speaker 3: have today family Self offficicy program with set goals by
11:53
Speaker 3: residents and allow them to build an edge growl account
11:56
Speaker 3: so that they're able to put aside us to help
12:01
Speaker 3: them where they want to, you know, be a homeowner,
12:04
Speaker 3: We'll back to school and start their own business, entrepreneur,
12:07
Speaker 3: you know those things. So I have conversation with residents
12:10
Speaker 3: and say, you know, without housing, there one day away
12:14
Speaker 3: from homelessness. So we want to make sure that we're
12:17
Speaker 3: support those residents.
12:19
Speaker 2: I think of it with my kids because sometimes I
12:24
Speaker 2: don't know the line between helping them, enabling them, and
12:28
Speaker 2: then pushing them out the door. And if we don't
12:32
Speaker 2: know that line, you know, if it's not real, real
12:36
Speaker 2: clear when you're a parent, then it's really really hard
12:39
Speaker 2: when you're running these huge programs for people who are
12:44
Speaker 2: at all different levels of development and all different levels
12:47
Speaker 2: of what they want to achieve. And that's that's why
12:50
Speaker 2: you hit this that those family self sufficiency programs are
12:54
Speaker 2: great because people are traveling through life at different sectors
12:58
Speaker 2: and different intersections, and we don't know, you know, if
13:02
Speaker 2: they're one bed away from homelessness or if they're like
13:06
Speaker 2: this is this is a moment by which I can
13:08
Speaker 2: stabilize because I'm going to be able to mobilize. And
13:12
Speaker 2: that's a really hard line, isn't it? To know where
13:14
Speaker 2: we are. I've just recently started talking about and opening
13:19
Speaker 2: up about my own homelessness when I was a child
13:23
Speaker 2: and when I lived in a tent, and as I've
13:26
Speaker 2: gone through openly talking about that that I have referenced
13:32
Speaker 2: this that it was a hand a hand up that
13:35
Speaker 2: helped us get out of homelessness and move into a
13:39
Speaker 2: rental situation, but that it was a hand up, not
13:42
Speaker 2: a handout. And that is exactly what you were able
13:47
Speaker 2: to do in your platforms and your programs now as well,
13:50
Speaker 2: and thinking of housing with a different reframe of saying,
13:56
Speaker 2: this is our chance to provide a hand up, not
14:00
Speaker 2: a handout. That changes how we look at housing, doesn't it?
14:04
Speaker 3: It does, It does, and it also helps us to
14:09
Speaker 3: identify a purpose as a person. You know, my purpose
14:15
Speaker 3: is my mission, and I'm very grateful that I'm able
14:18
Speaker 3: to fulfill my mission and that it's to serve. So
14:23
Speaker 3: this is a calling I embrace. You know, I've served
14:25
Speaker 3: in this position for as introm for four times before
14:31
Speaker 3: for officially accepting this role. So fulfilling the mission that
14:35
Speaker 3: God has for me required me to step out of
14:37
Speaker 3: my comfort zone and that journey has led me to
14:40
Speaker 3: where I am today. So I clearly understand what you're saying,
14:43
Speaker 3: because it's hard sometimes when you know, when it becomes
14:47
Speaker 3: to your background and people seize you where you came
14:51
Speaker 3: from and not where you're headed. So it's been very
14:54
Speaker 3: beneficial because again there are my tenure at AHABD. I
14:57
Speaker 3: have served in several capacities and so my commitment slidified
15:02
Speaker 3: when I saw how the programs and grants we applied
15:04
Speaker 3: for directly benefit our residents and create a lasting positive
15:08
Speaker 3: impact based on you know, I talked about family sel
15:10
Speaker 3: sufficiency and the other programs that we have in place,
15:13
Speaker 3: So we're very grateful to be able to utilize those
15:16
Speaker 3: resources to promote self sufficiency.
15:20
Speaker 2: Well, a beautiful journey to come into the agency like
15:23
Speaker 2: you did with your kind of background and then just
15:26
Speaker 2: really be a person who can keep leveling up. So
15:30
Speaker 2: that's a definite testimony of you don't don't shy away
15:34
Speaker 2: from that moment. And you even got CEO of the Year,
15:40
Speaker 2: so you know, it's one thing to sit in the chair,
15:43
Speaker 2: and it's another thing to excel in the chair. So
15:47
Speaker 2: you clearly are doing that. What was it like to
15:49
Speaker 2: get CEO of the Year? Tell us something about that.
15:52
Speaker 3: Oh, I was very grateful.
15:53
Speaker 2: You know.
15:54
Speaker 3: I was in the room with a lot of great
15:55
Speaker 3: CEOs and just doing great work, and so it was
15:59
Speaker 3: a two is to just be among those individuals. You know,
16:04
Speaker 3: being a CEO is hard work, you know, for any
16:07
Speaker 3: agency or entity, and so sometimes people don't realize the
16:12
Speaker 3: magnitude of work that it takes to run an agency,
16:17
Speaker 3: you know, and touching so many families because we serve
16:20
Speaker 3: twenty three thousand families, you know, touching all those families
16:23
Speaker 3: and ensuring that we're providing the resources they need. You know,
16:26
Speaker 3: I can be in a space sometimes and I can
16:29
Speaker 3: many people tell me I want to want your job
16:31
Speaker 3: for nothing, because you know, again some people do understand,
16:36
Speaker 3: you know, how many how many people your your lives
16:43
Speaker 3: you're trying to change and trying to make betterment for
16:48
Speaker 3: you know, the opportunities. You know, I just really it's
16:52
Speaker 3: suppears to be a beacon up hope for so many people,
16:54
Speaker 3: you know, and it's a it's a it's a great
16:58
Speaker 3: privilege when you receive gratitude for residents, whether they're seeing
17:02
Speaker 3: you simply listening to them, or ceasing with housing or
17:04
Speaker 3: promoting workforce development and continue education. So when you hear
17:09
Speaker 3: someone tell you thank you for those things that you've
17:11
Speaker 3: done for them, it makes it worth it, you know,
17:13
Speaker 3: one percent worth all these late nights and afternoons, and
17:18
Speaker 3: you know time that you commit to doing the work
17:20
Speaker 3: that you're called to.
17:21
Speaker 2: Do so right in that calling moment and that mission,
17:26
Speaker 2: it's so part of who you are, but it can
17:31
Speaker 2: really be even more daunting because it takes a toll
17:36
Speaker 2: on you when your heart is connected. You know, you're
17:39
Speaker 2: not just reading spreadsheets, You're not just looking at preventative
17:43
Speaker 2: maintenance plans, right like, you're actually knowing the attachment to
17:47
Speaker 2: what you're doing in the lives of people, which when
17:52
Speaker 2: you think about this impact, one thing I was reading
17:55
Speaker 2: about was your work through big brothers and big sisters,
17:58
Speaker 2: And why don't you tell us more about what you're
18:01
Speaker 2: doing in that space, because that's a good peak and
18:03
Speaker 2: the how you're also leading with mission.
18:06
Speaker 3: Yeah. So they're doing great work through the Big Big
18:11
Speaker 3: Sister nonprofit that's bringing in funds to support their endeavors,
18:16
Speaker 3: you know, and in a lot of these spaces because
18:20
Speaker 3: we search tween three thousand families across the Cito Birmingham
18:25
Speaker 3: and some in some capacity you're touching our residence and
18:29
Speaker 3: so I try to identify ways to partner with them.
18:33
Speaker 3: Right now, they're doing a Bowls for kids sake. When
18:36
Speaker 3: they do it is they take a weekend and take the
18:39
Speaker 3: kids out to bowl to relet their mind to and
18:42
Speaker 3: they have their big brothers and their big sisters to
18:46
Speaker 3: provide resources just if it's just time, take them out
18:50
Speaker 3: to the movies or bowling, and just you know, just
18:54
Speaker 3: being present in their life. You know, because you never
18:57
Speaker 3: know what someone's going through in their household. So just
19:01
Speaker 3: knowing that someone cares and take the time out of
19:03
Speaker 3: their day to support you is just outstanding. We have
19:07
Speaker 3: our our board meetings. We always have a big Brother
19:10
Speaker 3: Big Sister and they're little to come and just share
19:14
Speaker 3: their story and how they were able to have their
19:16
Speaker 3: connect with each other and all the things that they
19:18
Speaker 3: do together, you know, to just occupie each other's time
19:24
Speaker 3: sometimes to be say, the littles are saving them sometimes
19:27
Speaker 3: because of you know, how they're able to connect and share.
19:32
Speaker 3: Mm hm.
19:33
Speaker 2: You know, I just heard that the number one draft
19:35
Speaker 2: pack for the NFL was participant in the UH not
19:42
Speaker 2: as a volunteer. But when that person was young, they
19:45
Speaker 2: were a participant in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program
19:49
Speaker 2: and they they talk about that experience and so there's
19:58
Speaker 2: true impact that happens with that program. So what a
20:01
Speaker 2: great partnership you're you're leading there and look forward to
20:07
Speaker 2: hearing more about how that changes lives. Let's talk about
20:13
Speaker 2: some of this. I'm going to loop back to your
20:17
Speaker 2: you mentioned here. I want to loop back to your
20:20
Speaker 2: twenty thirty five plan and think about it in like
20:24
Speaker 2: the future terms here. Now, you know you've got a
20:28
Speaker 2: set number of units, you've got a development goal. But
20:32
Speaker 2: looking ahead five to ten years, what outcome would you
20:38
Speaker 2: think you want to be most proud of in five
20:43
Speaker 2: to ten years When you think about your leg legacy,
20:47
Speaker 2: When you think about your legacy, when you think about
20:50
Speaker 2: this plan, is there something that you could say this
20:56
Speaker 2: is what I want to be able to hold up
20:58
Speaker 2: and be most proud of.
21:01
Speaker 3: Yes, you know, we talk about redeveloping our legacy properties,
21:06
Speaker 3: and so when we talk about redeveloped by legacy property,
21:09
Speaker 3: we're touching individuals that are currently occupying those units, and
21:14
Speaker 3: so most times we don't think about the residents that
21:17
Speaker 3: are waiting to be housed. So there's an extremely long
21:21
Speaker 3: waiting list of individuals that waiting to find a home
21:24
Speaker 3: that is again one day away from being homeless. And
21:28
Speaker 3: so I want to be able to be in a
21:30
Speaker 3: position where we're able to build these partnerships private public
21:35
Speaker 3: partnerships to address affordable the lack of affordable housing in
21:40
Speaker 3: the city of Birmingham and being able to you know,
21:45
Speaker 3: break the trend of when we go do these redevelopments,
21:50
Speaker 3: we're all we're utilizing the funds that are provided to
21:53
Speaker 3: us on a federal level, and we know those funds
21:56
Speaker 3: are decreasing, So how can we how can we build
21:59
Speaker 3: our revenue so have to utilize and rely on those
22:02
Speaker 3: funds that has these restrictions and regulations to you know,
22:05
Speaker 3: we can't use them the way we really need to
22:07
Speaker 3: use them to be able to bring more affordable housing
22:09
Speaker 3: in the community. There there's a significant need and growing where
22:13
Speaker 3: individuals want to own their own home there. They want
22:17
Speaker 3: to bring asset to their generations, so you know, being
22:22
Speaker 3: able to build that generational wealth versus talk about generational poverty.
22:26
Speaker 3: So it would be just an an outstanding feeling to
22:33
Speaker 3: be able to say that so many lives that we've touched,
22:37
Speaker 3: we bought so many units and in affordable housing to
22:41
Speaker 3: the city of Birmingham when there was a lack of
22:44
Speaker 3: due to the gap of financing and the resources that
22:49
Speaker 3: we need to ensure that we're bringing these houses, not
22:54
Speaker 3: only houses, but economic wealth. Building communities where people have
22:59
Speaker 3: a place to take their kids to daycare so that
23:02
Speaker 3: they can work. That's one of the things that we're doing.
23:05
Speaker 3: We build a community, redeveloped a community and maybe about
23:10
Speaker 3: I said it was about maybe ten years ago, and
23:13
Speaker 3: now there was a daycare center sitting on that property
23:16
Speaker 3: that was dormant for as long as I was in
23:19
Speaker 3: working for the agency. So we're now being able to
23:21
Speaker 3: redevelop that daycare so that it can become a resource
23:25
Speaker 3: to the residents when they want when they're trying to
23:27
Speaker 3: identify a place to work and being able to company
23:30
Speaker 3: say they can take you know, have resources like that
23:33
Speaker 3: to support their endeavors.
23:37
Speaker 2: Yeah, you guys have some great before and after pictures
23:40
Speaker 2: doing two of what you've done. Yes, So I have
23:45
Speaker 2: a question. This is kind of veering off a little
23:47
Speaker 2: bit here, but you you openly talk about this, so
23:52
Speaker 2: I feel like we can we can go down that path.
23:55
Speaker 2: But you often speak about spirituality and leadership co mingled here.
24:06
Speaker 2: How does what you speak about how is that reflective
24:12
Speaker 2: of how you're leading or how you're how you're grounded?
24:17
Speaker 2: Do you want to you want to tell us some
24:19
Speaker 2: more about that.
24:20
Speaker 3: I'm a native from Salma, and you know, Salem is
24:24
Speaker 3: naturally recognized as the birthplace of pivotal moments in the
24:27
Speaker 3: Civil rights movement, including the nineteen sixty five March about
24:31
Speaker 3: It edmins Petersbridge that are still commemorated today during the
24:35
Speaker 3: Bridge Crossing Jubilee, which is actually scheduled to occur next week.
24:40
Speaker 3: So I don't know if anyone real understand, but growing
24:46
Speaker 3: up in Salma taught me that brograce requires courage, faith,
24:50
Speaker 3: and collective action. In a city where history was made,
24:54
Speaker 3: I've learned early on that challenges do not define me,
24:58
Speaker 3: whether you are defined by how you into them. And
25:01
Speaker 3: this found, this foundation shaped my commitment to service, equity
25:04
Speaker 3: and expanding opportunities for others. I lived in public house
25:08
Speaker 3: and during the early part of my life, I experienced
25:11
Speaker 3: the firsthand the realities of racism and justice and the
25:14
Speaker 3: stereotypes associated with generational poverty. So those experiences, you know,
25:21
Speaker 3: they didn't change my values, but they actually able to
25:23
Speaker 3: carry them with me. And so understanding what that life
25:27
Speaker 3: was like growing up at a young age and being
25:31
Speaker 3: able to identify myself with individuals that I'm I'm serving today,
25:37
Speaker 3: you know, you have to stay grounded. And I hear
25:41
Speaker 3: a lot of people speak about my humbleness, and sometimes
25:44
Speaker 3: I hear that I'm a little too humbled. But that
25:48
Speaker 3: helps me remain grounded because again, the work that I
25:52
Speaker 3: do is the mission, and I'm able to serve that
25:56
Speaker 3: mission in vis roles in that I am in. So
25:59
Speaker 3: I want to I always want people to understand that
26:02
Speaker 3: the work that I do I didn't put I didn't
26:06
Speaker 3: I feel like I know for certain that I didn't
26:08
Speaker 3: place myself in this role. I think it was it
26:11
Speaker 3: was God led and so that's why I am so
26:16
Speaker 3: confident that the work that I will be doing and
26:19
Speaker 3: the team that I have, we're going to be able
26:21
Speaker 3: to be successful in network. And also understand that, you know,
26:26
Speaker 3: we understand the need of our residence and the passion
26:30
Speaker 3: that we hold to do that is helps me be
26:34
Speaker 3: the leader that I need to be to ensure that
26:36
Speaker 3: the work gets done.
26:37
Speaker 2: So it's inspiring to hear that undercurrent that you have
26:44
Speaker 2: that is grounding you for your mission, because I'm sure
26:49
Speaker 2: when the storms come, I'm sure that they are loud
26:56
Speaker 2: and shaking, but it's good. It's good to hear what
26:59
Speaker 2: you're grounding. Principles are there. You know. I've been to Selma.
27:04
Speaker 2: It's been a couple of years ago, but we did
27:08
Speaker 2: some engagement work there and one of the things when
27:12
Speaker 2: I was walking around several of the properties in Selma
27:16
Speaker 2: and even went to the bridge, and there's definitely imprints
27:22
Speaker 2: of both past pain and yet there's also this this
27:29
Speaker 2: future hope too, and I think that's a difficult balance
27:33
Speaker 2: to recognize both regardless of what city you're in, but
27:37
Speaker 2: especially in a city like Selma. I didn't actually know
27:42
Speaker 2: that that was part of your backstory, So thank you
27:45
Speaker 2: for sharing it in this safe space, and I hope
27:50
Speaker 2: that many of our listeners will, you know, take that
27:55
Speaker 2: pause to hear where you've been and what you've learned
28:00
Speaker 2: along the way, and then now how you're leading. Definitely
28:04
Speaker 2: definitely impressive from on multiple different takeaways there. So thank
28:10
Speaker 2: you very much.
28:11
Speaker 3: You're welcome, because I do believe that firmly there anyone
28:14
Speaker 3: deserves an opportunity to succeed, regardless of where they live,
28:18
Speaker 3: and so I have been a testament to that. So
28:20
Speaker 3: I'm grateful to be in that space. Yep.
28:23
Speaker 2: So if there are any young professionals that are listening here,
28:30
Speaker 2: because I know there are a few, I won't call
28:32
Speaker 2: them out my name. In fact, we actually have a
28:35
Speaker 2: couple of housing authorities who as part of their onboarding,
28:39
Speaker 2: they require a few of their new people to pick
28:41
Speaker 2: a couple of podcasts and listen and report back. So
28:45
Speaker 2: I want to loop in because your journey has been
28:48
Speaker 2: quite inspiring, so I want to loop them into this
28:52
Speaker 2: conversation remotely. But for the young professionals out there that
28:57
Speaker 2: are listening, what would be a couple of takeaways that
29:01
Speaker 2: you would want them to to be encouraged by or
29:08
Speaker 2: to maybe go out and incorporate some things into their
29:12
Speaker 2: professional journey.
29:14
Speaker 3: Oh absolutely, And this kind of ties back to a
29:17
Speaker 3: question you asked me previously what I would do different?
29:22
Speaker 3: And so I would. I would strongly encourage you to
29:25
Speaker 3: get a support group, unique mentors, regardless of how experience
29:31
Speaker 3: you think you are, you know, gets you a support
29:34
Speaker 3: group that you can reach out to, you know, kind
29:37
Speaker 3: of strategize with, and you know, just share some of
29:41
Speaker 3: the unknown with the challenges, you know, because you're not
29:44
Speaker 3: you're not alone, you know, there all of us has
29:47
Speaker 3: been through it, been through the trenches and trying to
29:49
Speaker 3: identify ways to address the challenges that come before us.
29:53
Speaker 3: You come to work each day with an agenda and
29:56
Speaker 3: a focus, and then it gets twisted, you know, into
30:00
Speaker 3: something that occurred on site. You know, you know, crime
30:04
Speaker 3: is heavy in some of our properties. You know, you
30:06
Speaker 3: have to address the media, you know, when you're put
30:09
Speaker 3: in a position where you're not sure how to address
30:13
Speaker 3: those you know, we have house authorities that you know,
30:17
Speaker 3: don't necessarily have the funding to bring in supportive positions
30:22
Speaker 3: to help guide us through those things. And so it's
30:24
Speaker 3: really helpful to be able to pickle the phone and
30:27
Speaker 3: just have a conversation with someone to kind of just
30:29
Speaker 3: say you're not alone, let's work this out. Just being
30:34
Speaker 3: that having that mentor so that is the biggest thing.
30:37
Speaker 3: Don't think you are you're in and alone, just you know,
30:42
Speaker 3: be welcoming to pick the phone. There there are so
30:44
Speaker 3: many professionals out there that welcomes the opportunity. You know,
30:50
Speaker 3: I have several and I know that you know there's
30:53
Speaker 3: groups that you know have these sessions for onboarding new
31:00
Speaker 3: eds that help them understand what to do when you're onboarding,
31:05
Speaker 3: what are some of the expectations and so that that
31:08
Speaker 3: would take you a long way and help in more
31:10
Speaker 3: ways than one. So yes, that'd be the biggest advice
31:14
Speaker 3: I could give.
31:16
Speaker 2: So, as we are closing out here, is there anything
31:19
Speaker 2: we miss that you want to bring forward. It's been
31:22
Speaker 2: a great conversation, but I also don't want to make
31:24
Speaker 2: sure that we have skipped over something that you want
31:28
Speaker 2: to highlight.
31:29
Speaker 3: No, I just want to say just thank you for
31:32
Speaker 3: allowing me to build your podcast and share the things
31:35
Speaker 3: that the House authorities do. And you know we have
31:37
Speaker 3: several social media platforms. Please join us, you know, tag
31:42
Speaker 3: on to see some things that we're doing. Again, just
31:45
Speaker 3: thank you for allowing allowing me the time to just
31:47
Speaker 3: share some things that we're doing. You know, we have
31:50
Speaker 3: some new insues coming up in the next two years
31:54
Speaker 3: that we're working on, so please stay tuned.
31:57
Speaker 2: Excellent. You guys have a full plate down there, but
31:59
Speaker 2: you were clearly making a difference. So thank you so
32:03
Speaker 2: much for bringing what you're doing to the change Makers platform. Again.
32:07
Speaker 2: I've been talking with Don trelle Young Foster, the president
32:10
Speaker 2: and CEO of the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District
32:14
Speaker 2: in Alabama.
32:16
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to change Makers with Katie Gore. To
32:20
Speaker 1: find out more about Katie, go to quadel dot com.
32:23
Speaker 1: That's Quad e L dot com. This has been a
32:28
Speaker 1: production of Forbes Books Radio