Investing in Courageous Leaders

Ordained reverend, cultural champion, and connection maker Rev. Joshua Hayashi is the CEO and Co-Founder of Mission Management Company (MMCo) in Honolulu, Hawaii, a business that promotes repurposing church assets and the power of cross-denominational collaboration. MMCo helps local religious communities thrive in novel ways by assessing their financial health, transformation readiness, and property potential, which then guides discussions on mission and property-development viability, as well as how to align church missions with neighborhood needs. Josh is also a school chaplain at Punahou School, helping students develop spiritual and ethical values inspired by their Hawaiian and Christian heritage.

Founder, ordained pastor, and innovator Beverly Jenkins is the president and CEO of Refuge and Restoration (R&R) and the co-founder and pastor of R&R Church in Dellwood, Missouri, serving the North St. Louis community by creating resources that lead to sustainable growth. Originally launched as a transitional home for those experiencing homelessness, unemployment, or past incarceration, R&R has since added a career development center, the R&R Church, and R&R Marketplace, a $20 million, 90,000-square-foot economic hub. The R&R Marketplace houses an addiction treatment facility, pharmacy, early childhood education center, bank, and restaurant, exemplifying the answer to Jenkins’ question: “How do we serve people better?”

Changemaker, facilitator, and wellness advocate Dr. Aaron Kuecker is the president of Trinity Christian College in Chicago's southwest suburbs. Trinity is working to shift its institution – and higher education as a whole – toward an abundance mindset rooted in better connecting and receiving the gifts already present in Chicagoland. This approach to abundance, connection, and mutuality has produced upstream solutions for student loan debt and student well-being that have deepened the flourishing of both students and local partners. Among Trinity’s innovations are a 4-day class schedule that provides students a mid-week day to pursue spiritual, social, academic, and financial well-being, and a radically transformed economic model that reduces tuition by 40% while also partnering with local businesses to minimize student loan debt through paid internships and sponsored degrees.

Teacher, faith leader, and social strategist, Alisha Gordon is Founder and Executive Director of The Current Project. Alisha helps Black single mothers get small businesses off the ground through financial support and training, so they live into their dreams and “create space for economic stability and social liberation.”

Community organizer and social entrepreneur, Tyler Sit is Founder of New City Church and Co-Founder of Intersect Planting Network. New City Church reflects the vision from Revelation of a new city where all tribes are welcomed, there is no violence, and the earth is renewed. Tyler’s congregation, led by BIPOC leaders, is realizing this vision by focusing on centering marginalized voices, community organizing, and eco-justice.

Social impact advisor and community builder, Sidney Williams is the Pastor of Bethel AME Church and President & CEO of Crossing Capital Group. Through his FISHing Differently framework, he helps churches and nonprofits engage with impact investors to fund ministries that accelerate sustained thriving in underfinanced communities.

Trainer and activist Kit Evans-Ford founded Argrow’s House of Healing and Hope to promote non-violence and healing from abuse. A bath and body social enterprise, Argrow’s House employs female survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Shannon Hopkins is a networker and social entrepreneur who co-founded RootedGood, dedicated to enabling faith-based organizations to adopt an economic model that drives growth and resilience. It empowers these organizations to be the church the world needs today.

Coté Soerens is a visionary convener who co-founded Resistencia Coffee to be a community hub, encouraging fellowship and innovation to create a more equitable neighborhood. Along with her neighbors, Coté brings love, joy, and grace to the neighborhood through food, the environment and housing.

Jennifer Bailey is founder and Executive Director of Faith Matters Network, catalyzing change by equipping community organizers, faith leaders, and activists with resources that nourish and sustain them spiritually. She also co-founded The People’s Supper, an organization that fosters lasting change by building trust through sharing meals together.

Leroy Barber founded The Voices Project to gather leaders of color from across many different fields for conversations about their challenges and triumphs in the communities they serve. His initiative expresses his deeply held belief that we all have a duty to serve God by nurturing the common good.

De'Amon Harges, a “roving listener,” uses an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to build neighborhoods by finding God in the great wealth of gifts and talents in that neighborhood. His nonprofit, The Learning Tree, influences government, nonprofits and other organizations to improve the lives of people and the community.

Matt Russell is co-founder and co-managing Director of Project Curate, which works with religious, academic and community organizations by curating and bringing together different voices and traditions to realize a radical vision of a more just and equitable world. He is also Co-Founder and Executive Director of Iconoclast Artists, a program that empowers young artists throughout the community.