Why do some efforts to strengthen communities succeed while many others fail or fall short? What is the difference that creates real lasting change versus temporary feel good moments?

Twenty-five years later, I can now tell the story of Micah 6:8. I’ve come to realize it’s not just a religious story but a universal story of morality and doing the right thing.

Let’s imagine for a moment a different kind of St. Louis. A St. Louis that not only made the current shortlist of 20 cities vying to become the home of Amazon’s second North American headquarters, but actually went on to win.

By now it should be obvious that the quality of education and the success of individuals, families and communities are closely intertwined.

Why an Affordable Housing Trust in St. Louis County is Long Overdue.

In our post-Ferguson world, it’s easy to focus on the negatives within many local communities. And more often than not, we assign the blame to our local governments and the fragmented nature of our many local municipalities. It’s only natural. The seemingly ridiculous nature of our political jurisdictions is a long-running, self-critical local narrative. On first blush, our many city aldermanic wards, county municipalities, school districts, and other bodies makes our region look like a disconnected mess. But the idea that consolidation is the answer to all our local problems is

A story of change, hope and of people who care deeply about their community. A story of hard working people who do everything they can to overcome their daily challenges.

For those of you who know me, I am generally optimistic and dare I say hopeful as I don’t let things out of my control bring me down. With that in mind, I plan on entering 2018 as I always do – with a sense of optimism and hope.

Recently I heard an interview with the great writer, teacher, thinker, and activist Nikki Giovanni. She spoke passionately about her upbringing in a poor family with many challenges, but she was so amazingly clear that “we were loved.”  Her clarity and exactness in how she said it has stayed with me.  The biggest part of my job is to tell the story of Beyond Housing and the 24:1 Initiative, but Ms. Giovanni’s story made me realize the dominant refrain in my storytelling has been about the deficits in neighborhoods and families – all the things that are missin

I recently had a wonderful - albeit painful - reminder of the beauty in the everyday things of life. After waking early one ordinary Saturday morning, feeding the dog and cats, and enjoying my cup of coffee, I read a column by Omid Safi, the D--irector of Islamic Studies at Duke University, entitled “The Spirituality of the Ordinary is Luminous”. In it, Safi describes the wonder in the “extra-ordinary” experiences of life, whether they be places, relationships, or our spiritual journeys. He states: “It is easy to love the extraordinary. It is easy to pursue a spi