From Dropout to Doctorate: The Inspiring Journey of Dr. Lucinda Wright

How does a high school dropout transform into an inspiring community leader wielding a doctorate degree? Join us as we unravel the journey of Dr. Lucinda Wright, a leading light at Townsend Community Center; a woman whose perseverance, faith, and resilience have shaped a remarkable narrative. Dr. Wright candidly shares her personal experiences and elaborates on her unwavering commitment to serving communities in need, while also shedding light on the challenges she tackles and the perspectives she embraces in her journey.

Imagine a space where hope rekindles, where compassion is the currency, and where second chances bloom. Welcome to Townsend Community Center, Inc, our guest representative shares their unique program, Choice. This initiative, as much a beacon of hope as the center itself, has offered solace to countless individuals who have lost their way. As we unfold the center's mission and history, we also explore the representative's favorite community landmarks and their future vision. The conversation also tackles the pressing need for affordable housing and the pivotal role each of us can play in making a difference and aligning with our passions.

Beneath the robust exterior of any community center, tales of strife and challenge often lurk. Our conversation with the president of Townsend Community Center Incorporated reveals the hurdles of running such an organization, from limited funding to the loss of their previous building. Yet, faith and fierce determination shine through as we discuss community cohesiveness, the regeneration of the center, and the unveiling of their new building. As the chat with Dr. Wright circles back to the center's history and its relocation, the message is clear - the organization transcends the confines of a physical structure; it is a beacon of hope, a pillar for the community.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Welcome back to another episode of Our Community. I'm your host, alfredo Diamond, special shout out to Kevin Shook Global Media and just want to make sure you remember, for your real estate needs, think Diamond Class Care. As always, remember to hit that like and subscribe button so we can keep the lights on. Thank you. I'm here with a special guest. I'm so excited. We've been waiting on this for a while. I want to give this woman her flowers today. She does a lot, so much for the community, so much for the youth. I'm here with Dr Lucinda Wright, townsend Center. Welcome. Thanks for being here with me.

Speaker 2: 0:40

Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1: 0:41

It's awesome, it's a pleasure. So, dr Wright, tell us a little bit about yourself, where you from, where you go to school, how long you've been in our community.

Speaker 2: 0:53

I was born in Richmond. I actually live in the house that I was born in. I am a product of Richmond Community Schools Something that a lot of people don't know and I shared this with like 900 juniors and seniors this past week. I'm a high school dropout twice. I hold a bachelor's degree in political science, pre-law from Howard University. I consider it the most prestigious college in the world. It's my opinion, that's all that matters at this point and I received my doctorate degree from North Carolina College of Theology in Wilmington, north Carolina. I was a senior citizen when I got my degree. I got my bachelor's degree in two and a half years.

Speaker 1: 1:57

Wow.

Speaker 2: 1:58

And I got my doctorate degree in seven months.

Speaker 1: 2:00

So that's so impressive.

Speaker 2: 2:04

Thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1: 2:07

I remember you working on that, I think.

Speaker 2: 2:10

On the doctorate.

Speaker 1: 2:12

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 2:14

Yeah, people didn't realize what I was doing. I didn't tell anybody, I didn't even tell my family, because I didn't want any distractions, because it was an accelerated program.

Speaker 1: 2:29

How many years ago was that? Because I'm thinking, I knew about you, were about to get your degree.

Speaker 2: 2:36

In 2000,. In I started September as a matter of fact, september 13th 2014, and graduated in June of 2015. I had just retired two weeks prior to starting to school.

Speaker 1: 2:58

What made you want to go back and get your doctorate?

Speaker 2: 3:04

When I retired. I didn't retire because I had planned it. God had told me to retire. He said he had something else for me to do. He had told me that for about nine months to a year he and I had this conversation. Finally one day it was on a Sunday he said when you get home, you submit your letter of resignation. I did. Then he said oh yeah, don't look for another job and go back to school. Someone rationed out what that was. I just quit my job. I don't have any money. I'm going to go back to school, like he had been telling me all the time. I got you, he did. I was obedient and went back to school. Who would have thought biblical counseling is what my doctorate is in?

Speaker 1: 4:13

How do you incorporate that into your day-to-day operations? You help family.

Speaker 2: 4:19

I help At Townsend Community Center incorporate it. What we have always done is help people, Families. There's a misconception that we just help children. That's not the only population that we help.

Speaker 1: 4:40

It's the entire family.

Speaker 2: 4:40

It's the entire family unit, because you cannot help the child if you can't, if the families have issues and you don't address those. That's what we do. What we do it's a non-judgment environment, no judgments, because, let's face it, every last one of us have made some piss-poor decisions. As my mom says, if you live long enough, you're going to make some more. We cannot. There's no way that we can help anybody without helping that entire environment.

Speaker 1: 5:24

I've got an advantage because I know you and Dilithia being on the board and you're our president. I want to ask you a couple of things. Share with us. I believe it was your mother that inspired you to have this role in the community and your level of involvement.

Speaker 2: 5:40

Honestly, because of all the work that she did, I did not want to do it.

Speaker 1: 5:48

Really.

Speaker 2: 5:50

I had no desire, none whatsoever, to do the things that I do. I didn't choose it, it chose me, so I had to be obedient to the calling. I truly understand my assignment. I'm thankful that God gives me the strength and the guidance to do what we do, because I just don't do it by myself.

Speaker 1: 6:26

Right, but you do a lot. I witness it. The things you pull off, the events, the ticket sales, the money you raise, the people that you pull in, and then your attitude and your overall. You know the people that are around you, what they think of you and how they're drawn into you. It's really special to watch what motivates you to be who you are in this community.

Speaker 2: 6:57

What keeps you going? My faith. There's a need. I have been where some of our clients are I don't have a problem with, and we do. I mean, we're in the trenches with our clients, I, I and I apologize. One day Someone made a statement and it was meant to hurt my feelings, and every time I think of it, I get these are tears of being pissed. I'm not sad, these are tears because it pisses me off. Every time I, I Think about it. Townsend is the place when people go that nobody wants to be bothered with. That's what someone said, and and I said You're right, because you're afraid of the challenge that need to be made and the sacrifices that need to be made to help at least the last and the last the homeless, the hungry, the marginalized, the dissent, the disadvantaged. You know so because it is a challenge. And the fact is this if you've not ever been Poor, you can't tell a poor person how to react or how to act or how to get out of their situation.

Speaker 1: 9:06

Makes a lot of sense. So what so you talk about you know Helping families in the start with you. Can you tell us that in our meetings you know Providing your goals to provide wraparound services and that to solve a lot of the youth issues? That starts in the household. It may be mom or dad having the issue. What kind of programs are out there that are that available at Townsend Center offers?

Speaker 2: 9:33

Oh, wow, I'm glad you asked that we have our after-school program and One thing I can say is that, since 2017, 98% of our students have made the honor roll. 100% of our students have shown improvement consistently. I give credit to Miss Adriah Deloni and all of the volunteers that we have from in the community some of the parents, some of the grandparents, some of the guardians, the Earlham College students, the Ivy Tech students, the IUE students. I give Credit to them because they are Fantastic and she she is passionate about what she does, because we're dealing with folks's lives. We're dealing with our children's future. Education is Freedom.

Speaker 1: 10:42

Okay.

Speaker 2: 10:43

So and you get, and you're hearing that from a high school dropout education is freedom.

Speaker 2: 10:49

I agree and it breaks generational curses. So, yeah, that that's one of the programs we have. In conjunction with that, richmond Community Schools came to us and asked if we would do a program in the schools and we had this major. Yeah, we talked about it and we said yes, we did a pilot program at test intermediate school the latter part of 2022 and it's called students with a purpose and it's a curriculum. Myself, mrs Ellen Maybury and Mr Shout out, ellen, yeah. I'm Mr Bobby Bennett and Bobby.

Speaker 1: 11:47

Yeah, great dude.

Speaker 2: 11:50

They're all board members like yourself and myself, and we were all certified to teach that. And along with that, because peer pressure is real, myself and Miss Adri are both certified in teaching a, a, a substance abuse education and provision called prime for life curriculum. And we combine that, it's youth drug, we call it our wide-dab youth drug education prevention program. We prove, we provide that. I teach that at student with a purpose, as Miss Ellen incorporates that at the Harambe after school program. And Now for the 23, 24 school year, they came back and asked us if we would do it again at test and we said yes and they said oh yeah, we do it at Dennis as well. So four days a week we are Miss Ellen, mr Bob and myself we're at test and Dennis teaching. Wow.

Speaker 1: 13:08

So yeah, I don't know how you do it all.

Speaker 2: 13:14

I told you faith, a lot of prayer.

Speaker 1: 13:16

Lord, get me strength several programs you know that Cater to the entire household on there are available. Share a success story. I know you kind of sit earlier still trying to know I'm, I'm, I'm good, I'm good.

Speaker 2: 13:34

Yeah, that just yeah, because things like that just makes that. That causes me to work harder. Yeah, yeah you know that's few. I you know haters are gonna hey, they're gonna always be around, so so be it.

Speaker 1: 13:49

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:51

But yeah, but yeah, it did piss me off when I thought about it again. A success story. Oh, we have a program geared towards women because we, as women, try to be everything for everybody all the time. We don't take the time for ourselves. To balance life, you know, because there are some of us who are career women, mothers and wives and Students. So, and in order to balance life, so the one program is called Wow, women of worth. It's a group of women, we meet, it's seven week session and we talk about various things.

Speaker 1: 14:45

I Recall one session how many of you have in this program right?

Speaker 2: 14:56

here. This last program. We do it. We'll start again in March. Okay, and it's new people.

Speaker 2: 15:03

Some of the ladies we've had some repeat to come back because, depending on what's going on and in talking with with the ladies, is the the topic and that we will discuss. One of the things we talked about was mental health and health and we talked about relationships. It's a lady that came in and she saw it posted on Waynet and she came and and and applied and wanted to be a part of the group and so she attended that session and when she came in, I watched her as she walked in the building and I watched her as she walked in the door into the room and her body language Said that she was beaten, and so she sat down and we went around the room, everybody introducing themselves and you know, tell, you know, she told her story. She began to tell her story, she opened up. She didn't know anybody in there, everybody was in tears and, as I said, it's like a seven week course, seven different sessions, and you can see each time she was Getting a little stronger. Her voice became a little stronger, her posture began to Straighten up and she began to look you in the eye and so At the end of the class I have a I did a most improved award. And this young lady won that award.

Speaker 2: 17:12

And what she said when she got up and we asked her to say a few things, what she said was this I am free. I can hear her right now jumping saying I am free. She's not from here. She didn't have any family here, only her estranged husband. And I see her now. I see her around town now and she and I talk. She, I mean she had told us. She said that being in that program helped her at one of the most lowest times and that she didn't realize that there are a lot of women, regardless of your ethnicity and your socioeconomic background, because in this group we had, you know, a diverse group, various backgrounds and so forth. We're more alike than we are different, because there were other ladies who had gone through similar situations and shared their stories. So yeah, she was. It was amazing how she just evolved into the strong, the strong lady.

Speaker 1: 18:42

So yeah, if there was someone out there, someone out there right now child, male, female, family and they wanted to reach out to get help or ask about services, who would they contact? How would they go about getting a hold of more information about the programs at Townsend Office?

Speaker 2: 19:00

They could call us at 765-488-2042. Or they can stop by at 300 North 10th Street, or they can hit us up on Facebook or on our website, which is our website is townsandcommunitycenteredorg. We have a program called Choice and it's an acronym for chance, hope, opportunity, independence, courage and excellence. By the time the individual goes through the program, they will have all those characteristics. I mean, they know, you know, we let them know that there's hope, there is hope. So if there's anybody out there that's feeling hopeless, there is hope. Folks just need to know where to go to this program, all of our programs. What is so unique about Townsend? Marianne Thompson, she said this about Townsend and it's true. We provide unique services for the people that we serve. So, and that has always been the case, I'm a product of Townsend Community Center, incorporated. You're a product. My children and my grandchildren are growing up at Townsend. So we yeah, we are, and we're glad that we're unique. We were 102 years old. We'll be 103 in February 2024. So we were founded.

Speaker 2: 21:06

Many people there's some folks have tried to take our narrative, but you can't take an organization's narrative. An organization is an organization. A building is a building. An organization is a living, breathing organism. We were founded in 1921 by a group of forward thinking men and women, black and white. Back then, the Jim Crow laws and black folks and poor white people and immigrants were not allowed to be a part of mainstream anything education, employment, housing, recreation so they got together and they came up with this idea based upon Christian principles. Not a faith-based organization, but the principles of Christianity, of Jesus Christ was the basis of this, and so to include there was a stigma that Townsend was just for black people, and that's not ever been true.

Speaker 2: 22:12

I somebody said that to me about about four years ago and I asked them because I was asking for donations and they said, well, I thought Townsend was just for black people and I said, well, wouldn't you want to help us too? I said it doesn't matter. I said, but nowhere in the title does it say Townsend for black people, only community center. It says Townsend community center, incorporated community. That includes everybody. That includes everybody.

Speaker 1: 22:55

You grew up here when the school here, just like myself, so there's have a little fun here real quick. So I've got a little segment called a hot and ready, cold and steady.

Speaker 2: 23:04

Here we go.

Speaker 1: 23:05

I'm going to just rattle off a few different topics or places and you just say your favorite one. Okay, and why? Okay, so we got several parks here. What's your favorite?

Speaker 2: 23:19

park, freeman Park, of course. Why? Because, number one, it was in the neighborhood and I can't tell you the rest.

Speaker 1: 23:34

If you had a chance to get dinner, where would you go?

Speaker 2: 23:40

Gallows.

Speaker 1: 23:41

Gallows.

Speaker 2: 23:42

Yes.

Speaker 1: 23:42

Okay, We've got several colleges here Erlum come to mind, Ivy Tech, IU East which one resonates with you?

Speaker 2: 23:54

Ivy Tech and I'll tell you why. Ivy Tech has always been a big supporter of Townsend In the past. Erlum used to be, but it became. I don't know what the difference was, but when I came on the board I noticed that there was a distance between Erlum and Townsend and the same with IU East. However, now there is I'm glad to see that with the changes at IU East and Dr Rome, that I see that partnership becoming a little bit more tighter and with some departments even at Erlum. But Ivy Tech they've always been there. They've always been there.

Speaker 1: 25:10

What's your favorite thing about our community, whether it's coming together, doing adversity, community.

Speaker 2: 25:23

I mean just community. I come from north of the northeast street tracks, I come from the hood, I come from Norwood, as they have said. I live in North Richmond, raised in North Richmond. I call it I actually call it my village. This community is my village because when growing up, if one neighbor had peanut butter, another neighbor had bread and another neighbor had milk, everybody ate.

Speaker 1: 26:12

Yeah, my mom said the same thing.

Speaker 2: 26:13

Everybody ate. So it's the feel of community and family and I mean that's just the way it is and I love community and family.

Speaker 1: 26:26

So Let me see I can agree with you more. We've done a lot of reflection. Where would you like to see our community within the next five years?

Speaker 2: 26:34

Oh, wow, More affordable housing, Because there's a housing shortage. More affordable housing. I would also like to see this. Life happens and sometimes people are displaced by things beyond their control. There is no emergency housing for people who are burned out, who may have been evicted due to uncontrollable situations Catastrophic things could have happened, their money short or somebody running from domestic abuse and they have children. There's no emergency housing. Wow, I would like to see, in the next five years, these folks who say they want to help Help in that manner, providing these things. I have a couple of ideas so feel free to contact me.

Speaker 2: 27:57

I've got a couple of yeah. I mean, I've thought about some things and I've discussed some things with another individual and who would you like to be in on those conversations? The city, some bank presidents, some business folk, myself, some other community partners and those individuals we would be serving.

Speaker 1: 28:38

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 28:39

You know it's time out for trying to tell folk what they need.

Speaker 1: 28:43

And we need action.

Speaker 2: 28:47

We need to listen to them. They know what they need. They know what's best for them. They know what they need. That's what's so unique about Townsend we listen and we hear what they're saying.

Speaker 1: 28:58

So maybe there's that one person out there that is wanting to take action and jump out there and help, but they just don't know where to start. They really want to get in and get involved in making a difference in the community. What would you tell that person? That's kind of inspiring to get out there and do more and participate and be active in the community. What would you say to them?

Speaker 2: 29:18

First of all, what is their passion and do they have the time to put into it? Because when you do, it doesn't stop. When your office closes, it doesn't stop. I used to laugh at people who walked around with two cell phones. I used to. You know I got two cell phones and three phone numbers. You know. So your time, your talent and your treasures, that's what it takes, and you know you have any questions. I'm transparent. I'm an open book. I'm transparent. You know you got questions. I have to do is call and ask. Now, you may not lock my answer. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not. I'm not going to lie to you, I'm just going to. I'm just real, you know. Are there any upcoming projects or events?

Speaker 1: 30:32

that you're preparing. I know you told me earlier we were conversating, you were having about four or five meetings a day. Yeah, what's your got going on that we should share the community needs to know about? You know, get participation and get a nice crowd out to. Well, we just we had an agent.

Speaker 2: 30:51

We just the lot. We had an angel tree At first financial bank. I'm proud and elated to say that every name on that tree has been taken as a matter of fact. I had to call, I had somebody, had a couple of people that call that wanted to help and I had to call and get sizes and stuff while I was working on the tree To do this podcast and that's exciting for us.

Speaker 2: 31:28

And then on Friday December 22nd, december 22nd, we are having our annual Christmas community dinner. Townsend Community Center incorporated along with and who is an alumnus of Townsend. His name is Tremaine Brown.

Speaker 1: 31:52

Veteran right.

Speaker 2: 31:54

He's a, he's in the military and he is His group and Townsend have got together and I think this is like the fifth or sixth year that we've done this. Last year We've fed over 500 people and it took us approximately three hours that morning to transport the merchandise that was donated From out east to the National Guard Armory. And I think Last year it was Walmart that Donated the 18 skids Of Of clothing and and so forth, and so we're going to be doing that, and we're going to be doing that, and we're going to be doing that From five until nine. Last year people were able to go through the line at least five times and we still had too much stuff left that we could not store. So we paid it forward and gave it to crossroads recovery center. So we're hoping For a larger turnout this year and If you want to volunteer your time to help serve, to help man the stations that we have, by all means give us a call at that number that I gave earlier Was that number again 765-488-2042.

Speaker 2: 33:22

It's a blast, we have a good time. Santa was there. Maybe we can get Mrs Claus to show up as well. Just a lot of fun, a lot of food, a lot of fun and there's, you know, the giveaways and and so so it's, it's. It's all about community and gather breaking bread. What a better way of getting to know somebody than breaking bread together.

Speaker 1: 33:47

I love networking and putting this person with that person you know you spoke about maybe having a Mrs Claus there, our association of realtors, we have a Santa Claus and a Mrs Claus and maybe we'll put those, put those two together for you and we can get some donation time or volunteer time in from the board. Yeah, I, I kind of mentioned that.

Speaker 2: 34:06

I've talked to her, I've kind of mentioned that to her.

Speaker 1: 34:12

Yeah, gotcha.

Speaker 2: 34:14

So I'm just, I'm just excited about how Townsend is Growing and adapting. We have A wonderful board, we have a working board, and what I'm doing is we have a working board, and what I mean by that is that Our board Work. We work at the events that we have. We plan them, they chair them. I don't ask the board to do anything that I myself don't do. I try to help every board member that's having a function. I try to make sure that I am there to To help we. We God compiled this board and I have to say that because Every board member that we have and I have to give them their, I have to give them their roses and their prop on their next.

Speaker 2: 35:23

Yeah, I have to give them all their props because you know they all give up their time and their talents and their treasure and we're so grateful. And the hours that are spent Working at Townsend. We have no payroll.

Speaker 1: 35:43

Right, right, it's all volunteer.

Speaker 2: 35:45

It's all volunteer. The only people that are paid Are the maintenance and the janitorial staff and somebody else pays them to work for us. So we don't have a paper. We're blessed in that we don't have a payroll, so Every penny that we raise Goes back into the, the organization, the programming, the services, the fundraisers that we have for Operations and so forth. So we are excited and we're Grateful. To Excuse me, first financial bank they actually, they, actually, they, actually, they actually Money this week for the For the Christmas dinner. United way Blessed us with a grant For the Harambe after school program. So which and, by the way, after school program. I did leave A couple of important things out. They get homework assistance.

Speaker 2: 36:53

And they get a snack. They get a snack when they first come in, and they're also given a dinner, a home cooked dinner.

Speaker 1: 37:04

Wow.

Speaker 2: 37:05

Every day and it only costs for an academic.

Speaker 1: 37:10

School year.

Speaker 2: 37:10

It's only $35. For the entire academic school year. And Then we do have a summer academy, which is $35.

Speaker 1: 37:22

And so I'm going to go back to the Quick For those out here that heard that Like so, if you have a child, that Is there any?

Speaker 2: 37:34

qualifications like For a child that needs tutoring. What are the qualifications to be in that program Parents need?

Speaker 1: 37:40

to come and fill out an application.

Speaker 2: 37:42

And hey, the $35. It's I'm sorry it's $30 during the academic school year, $35. And the Community orchestra they have they're going to resume A violin lessons and we have somebody from Ram that comes and does art with With the students. So, and then we were just awarded a grant from the Urban Enterprise Association For Sixth through 12th grade Students and For an internet content Program that we're going to be doing and we and Mr Marcus right Said he agreed to volunteer To do it. So I'm excited about that. We were able to get the grant will Purchase all of the equipment that we need to To start it. So I'm excited and the things that we've got going on. We're busy.

Speaker 1: 38:55

Yeah, yeah. We're busy Did uh, derek Watson, get a hold of you. He had a 3D printer. I believe he wanted to donate and give me your counseling information yesterday.

Speaker 2: 39:03

Yes, he did. We talked and uh, text back and so, um, he's going to get back with me and let me know when. Good deal. Yeah, so that I thank you. Thank you for that, mr Watt.

Speaker 1: 39:21

I appreciate it and I know you've mentioned your staff and several organizations and you know truly blessed relationships you have. But if you could make someone's day, is there someone on your team, your staff, someone in the community that you really just want to take a second to give a shout out to?

Speaker 2: 39:40

Yes, um, this gentleman I met back in 2016, I believe and um, we were having uh, is that a challenge match reception that we had and um, he introduced him. His cousin introduced me to him and he went to shake my hand and I told him. I said I don't like shaking hands because I don't know what people's hands is being. I said, but I'll give you a hug. So I hooked him and he said oh, he said I like hugs. I said I do too. And um, we have been friends ever since.

Speaker 2: 40:24

He has been a huge supporter of of Townsend and um, and he that night I went on to give a little background on the who, what, when, where, townsend and and um, he said because he said I. He said I like what you said. When you said you helped the parents as well. I said yeah, got to Um, and he said and I'm going to give you a check for $500 just for that hug. And I thought him. Then I said I can stay in here and hug you all night long for $500 checks. But I want to say, mr Ranser Huntington, shout out Ranser Huntington state line medical equipment.

Speaker 2: 41:10

He is um. He is a wonderful human being. You, you can't.

Speaker 1: 41:19

You, you can't uh he's already been on the show.

Speaker 2: 41:24

I know I saw that, yeah, I saw that. So, um, but, uh, yeah, ranser, he's uh and and and and and plus and and everybody on our board, I just, I just you ask how do I do it? I don't do it all by myself, I don't do it. There's no way that I could do it all by myself because I'm just one person. So, um, but our board I rely on you a lot.

Speaker 1: 41:53

Yeah yeah, I've got one final question for you. I'm gonna put you on the spot. You can decline if you want, but I'll ask you to give the community a letter. Grade A through F oh my lord. What would you, what grade would you give the community A through F, and why?

Speaker 2: 42:14

D A D.

Speaker 1: 42:19

Why D?

Speaker 2: 42:21

Because there truly is no cohesiveness in this community. Everybody tries to every. It seems like people are afraid to work together, they're afraid to partner with other people, they're afraid to collaborate with others. This is mine and I'm not telling you how I got this and I'm not going to tell you how to do this and that and the other. You know we're doing those who need our services a disservice. We're not helping them. The selfishness. You know. People who have the means to truly help those who need the help. You know. You know some people say it because it sound good, but when it comes to to to walk in that walk, they'll talk all that BS all day long, but when it comes to doing, they don't do. Case in point people there are, there are a lot of people who won't donate to Townsend Community Center Incorporated because number one, they get. They think it's just for black folk. Two, they've got this as president of their board.

Speaker 2: 44:04

They have this black woman who won't keep her mouth shut when things are not right. They think we don't know what we're doing. For four years we didn't have a building. Not once did we ever close. Contrary to the lies that people have said, we not ever closed. That building that we used to be in was closed. We were no longer there, but we continue to operate four years without a building. We are going. We started a regeneration process. We have been intentional.

Speaker 1: 45:04

Explain, before we explain that, because there's Townsend and there's the building that Townsend was in. Explain that difference, so that Townsend Community Center.

Speaker 2: 45:15

Incorporated. That's why I said a building is a building and an organization is a living breathing organism. Townsend Community Center Incorporated has been housed in several places in the community throughout its 102 years. 855 North 12th Street that's where we used to be. That is no longer the center. Now, what folk did? They named that building, putting the name Townsend in it to confuse people, because they wanted the organization Townsend Community Center Incorporated to go away.

Speaker 2: 45:53

But God, those individuals, they the building was taken, our mainstream funding was taken. Not only did we not have a building, but folk took away our money. They took away some money that was earmarked for us and, from my understanding, the originators changed the verbiage so that they could. And that was okay because, see, no matter what the situation looks like, I trust God. I've not ever said this publicly, but you asked the question and I'm just saying and the originators never came to us, nobody ever gave us a seat at the table to tell us that they were taking that funding Number one, not ever To the administrator of that funding. It took them a month to let us know that it was being taken. The originators never told us. They told us after the fact. They not ever, not one time asked us what were our plans.

Speaker 2: 47:16

So we were starting a regeneration. It didn't stop it. It didn't stop us from doing the regeneration. So we now have a building that we own solely by towns and community center incorporated. Nobody owns any of it. And a wonderful building and I thank you, alfredo, and we are. It's an awesome building. The building was also built. Townsend was founded in 1921. The building was built in 1921.

Speaker 1: 47:54

I don't know if you believe in signs, but that's kind of that.

Speaker 2: 47:56

That was it. That was it. That was it. God don't make no mistakes. Our time on North 12th Street was up. Ecclesiastes three tells us there's a time for everything. Our time in that building was up. The way they went about it and that's the fact that we're not in there does not bother me. It's how they did what they did. We towns and community center incorporated. The center is an organization. So those who tried to use and I would just say they tried to use the narrative for that building, the building is not the organization. That's just where we were housed, gotcha. So that is the difference between the organization and the building. That's just a building and that is now first bank Richmond Boys and Girls Club. So, yeah, that's not the center. Center is a 300 North 10th Street and the historic star district right above the Depot district, gotcha. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 49:18

Dr Wright, it's been a pleasure to have you here with me today.

Speaker 2: 49:21

It's been a pleasure.

Speaker 1: 49:23

And I can't thank you enough for all to support and we'll have you back on the floor. Follow up down the road. So thank you for your time today. You're welcome.

Speaker 2: 49:32

And Alfredo, by the way. Let me just say this, and I say this to him all the time, and he always all but Alfredo is the hardest working man in real estate that I know, so but I I thank you for having me and a shout out to my family who put up with me and you know when I get frustrated and the board when I get frustrated, not ever.

Speaker 1: 50:01

Personal Love you all and we love you too, thank you, thanks for being here, no problem.