Leadership

"Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It's about impact, influence and inspiration."

- Robin Sharma

Community Building

West End Urban Garden

The West End Urban Garden (WE Garden) has acted as a symbol of hope for the West End Community. Founded in 2008 by Community Church Without Walls and Urban Ministry, WE Garden is tended to by young adults hired through a workforce and life skills program, WE Work. Participation in the three year internship aids in holistic skill development including:

Professionalism
Conflict resolution
Financial literacy
Time management

The opportunity for young adults to work and directly impact their immediate community provides further personal growth and development. While their time at the garden may be temporary, the knowledge they obtain becomes transferable to the broader professional world as they seek greater successes for themselves than they may have ever thought possible.

In addition, local community members have the opportunity to take home a taste of the nearly 500 pounds of fresh vegetables, herbs, and honey produced each year, in exchange for an hour of service in the garden. The remaining produce is sold weekly at the local market, with proceeds going directly into the garden to ensure long-term sustainability and year-over-year growth.

Cultural Consciousness

Greater Birmingham Ministries

GBM perfectly balances its two ideals: direct services to improve the present and activism to improve the future. The organization devotes time, people, and resources to each of its two parts while simultaneously connecting them in everything they do. Each of the eleven people working for GBM passionately values their work and its impact, making sure to include both activism and service in everything they do.

Reverend Carolyn J. Foster, the Faith in Community Coordinator for GBM, exemplifies this balance. Her direct work for the organization focuses on bridging gaps among citizens and across faiths within the community of Birmingham and beyond. Despite being ordained within the Episcopalian Church, Foster works to make sure the now-interfaith Greater Birmingham Ministries fully welcomes and includes people of all faiths and religions. In life outside her official duties for GBM, Rev. Foster actively participates in protests and movements for the Poor People's Campaign, a revival of the 1968 movement for nationwide economic justice for people living in poverty. The campaign focuses on unity across faiths & religions, ethnicity, geography, and occupation.

Rev. Foster and every other employee of Greater Birmingham Ministries shows the importance of being culturally conscious of the community it serves to most effectively and efficiently support its citizens.

Team Dynamics

The Lovelady Center

Through the power of prayer and the support of their community, The Lovelady Center continuously provides phenomenal services to over 450 women and 150 children who live in their center. They truly believe there is no task too small or feat too tough for them to handle. Their team of all women (with the help of a handful of men who work in maintenance) strive to create an environment that promotes healing and growth. The Lovelady Center is equipped with a 9 month rehabilitation program. The women who come through this program have the choice to work in various areas of the center; children of the women are also provided with top tier academics, as well as multiple built in college degree programs they can choose from.

The Love Ladies Center exemplifies Leadership in these ways:

Vision - inspiring others toward a common goal
Motivation - self motivation and motivation for others
Service - using their talents and skills to give back
Empathy - understanding where people are coming from
Risk Taking - making decisions for the betterment of the organization
Continuous Improvement - for their women and their organization

The Lovelady Center is a prime example of a beautiful team dynamic working hard to fulfill astonishing goals.

How do organizations in Iowa City exemplify these same traits?

The Dream Center

The Dream Center is located in Iowa City. They offers a variety of programs for youth and adults that are designed to empower them with the skills and attitudes they need to be successful. It is an organization dedicated promoting positive change.

Center for Worker Justice

The Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa, located in Iowa City, focuses on community empowerment for low-wage workers across race and immigration status. It is an organization run by the same people it represents, giving it a unique and important role in the community for the empowerment of individuals.

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