Examining Responsibility and Relevance: Thoughts From John Hope President/CEO, Peter D. Lee

Examining Responsibility and Relevance…
Words from John Hope President/CEO, Peter D. Lee

Click here to see past posts “From the President/CEO” blog

Tomorrow evening, December 9, John Hope Settlement House will take a moment to step back and celebrate the good and hard work of its dedicated staff, volunteers and residents. We will publicly renew our pledge of responsibility to the children and families who live in our neighborhoods. We will commit to ensuring that all services and programs we facilitate and build will be the most relevant services and programs for the children and families who live in our neighborhoods today. And in the face of continued and broadening disparities, we will further commit to ensuring that all programs and services we facilitate will be those that will provide the greatest value for our families in their efforts toward success in the 21st century.

At John Hope, we see every child and every family as a gift. And knowing them to be gifts, we do not take their presence lightly. The challenges they face daily are many. It is our challenge – our responsibility, even – to meet our families where they are, to understand the climate in which they live, and to work within the context of existing realities to help forge individual and collective pathways to success.

Every for-profit business knows that if it is to survive and grow, it must be able to clearly demonstrate to consumers that its product is a smarter purchase than those offered by its competitors. This reality holds true as well for not-for-profits, especially in times of reduced funding. While we do not see other agencies as “competitors,” per se, we must be able to clearly articulate and demonstrate the value of our programs and services.

I believe the greatest value John Hope provides is that first and foremost, we recognize and celebrate strengths. In doing so, our approach to the “fix” becomes a holistic one that actually enlists these strengths as resources. In her book entitled, Can we talk about Race?: And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation, Beverly Daniel Tatum, President of Spellman College, defines the ABCs in this way:

A = affirming identity
B = building community
C = cultivating leadership

The ABCs as Dr. Tatum defines them are alive and well at John Hope Settlement House. They are the very essence of responsibility and relevance, they are non-negotiables, they are at the core of what has brought in generations of children and families to John Hope, and they are what will draw in the generations to come.

Tomorrow, December 9 at 6:00PM, when we open our doors to celebrate and own our place in this work, we will recognize those who have made a real difference over the past year: Rosa Ortiz, as Staff Person of the Year; Dennis Davis and Ysa Luna for their outstanding service to community; Adriana Vicente as an exceptional youth leader.

The Honorable Senator Deacon Harold M. Metts will receive the most prestigious Paris Vaughn Sterrett Award.

Our Keynote speaker will be Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, who for decades has been a passionate and tireless advocate for children, and especially boys, of color.  Dr. Kunjufu’s latest book, “100 Plus Educational Strategies to Teach Children of Color,” is a concrete tool for all of us who work with children of color, and it will be available for purchase.

I hope you will join with me tomorrow evening as we embrace responsibility and relevance. For ourselves, for our children, for our community.

In the words of Dr. Kunjufu: “After all is said and done, whatever you see in the child is what you’ll produce out of the child.”

Sincerely,
Peter D. Lee

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