Bridging the GAP Interview with Jermichael Mitchell

Описание: Jermichael Mitchell, also known as "Mr. Community," is an active father of four, a coach, mentor, and entrepreneur (0:37). He has founded and worked with several non-profits and is involved in community initiatives. In his personal time, he enjoys reading, being in nature, walking, listening to music (especially gospel, R&B, and old school), and is an artist who loves to draw and paint (1:10).

Mitchell's involvement in community work began during his time at the Department of Juvenile Services (2:01). He observed that many young people felt safer in juvenile lockup than in their broken homes due to issues like absent parents, financial struggles, parental addiction, or abuse (2:14-3:57). This observation led him and a friend to create the Kids Rock Basketball program, which later inspired him to create other community programs and get involved in politics (4:00-4:12). He emphasizes the importance of providing a "surrogate family" for these children, similar to how gangs offer a sense of belonging (4:16-5:17).

He grew up in a strong, woman-oriented, and giving family, with his great-grandmother as the pillar and the church as a stronghold (6:00). He also shares that he is a poet who started with Triple L Poetry in 2010, performing under the names Young Langston and now King Langston, inspired by Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance (7:00-7:46). He views writing as therapy (7:47).

Mitchell discusses his work with Club Fear Mentoring, a grant-funded program through Maner's Dream Alliance, which provides mentoring in schools and the community (8:20-8:59). The program's name, "Fear," stands for "Face Everything And Rise," encouraging youth to confront their fears and overcome obstacles (10:10-10:38). Maner's Dream Alliance also runs various other programs across the Eastern Shore, including clubhouses, gentlemen's clubs, podcasting, and elder feeding initiatives (9:29-10:05).

Regarding politics, Mitchell ran for mayor in 2023 and intends to continue his vision for Salisbury's positive growth (10:49-11:00). He believes in greater uniformity and unity between city and county leadership, emphasizing that different roles should work together for the greater good, like organs in a body (11:10-11:58). He clarifies that politics should be about good governance and serving the people, not party affiliation (14:17-15:00). He commends the current mayor, Mr. Taylor, for sticking to his campaign promises and vision for the city, encouraging people to hold leaders accountable through the voting process if they are not satisfied (15:56-17:26).

Currently, Mitchell is one of the candidates for a vacant city council seat in his district (17:45). He stresses the importance of council members being actively involved in their districts, doing "boots to the groundwork," and being a sounding board for constituents, rather than just attending meetings or seeking photo opportunities (18:48-20:00). He believes that holding leaders accountable is vital for continuous improvement (22:10-22:36).