May 22, 2023
When George Jones talks about his mission to make Washington, DC an anti-racist city he is sometimes met with discomfort and even denial. But when he talks about the tremendous disparities in wealth and income that separate white communities in the NW portion of the city from Black families in the SE the very same business, academic and foundation leaders agree that the data is unimpeachable and the systems that perpetuate it must be upended. As CEO of Bread for the City, the highly impactful nonprofit he leads, he manages the complex organizational infrastructure needed to provide for a continuum of human needs, from food and clothing to medical attention and legal support. Bread for the City also builds community power, positioning those with lived experience in advocating for policy solutions before the City Council and Mayor. George points out how a pervasively negative narrative about Black youth in poor DC neighborhoods strips us of empathy and disconnects us from the facts. While crime is real, the perpetrators are in fact a small and known cohort. Joining this anti-racism journey is an opportunity we cannot afford to lose.