I have a piece up at the Hopeful Neighborhood Project this week that I’m really glad exists.

It’s about local schools, and the kind of neighbors they need; people willing to learn, stay, and serve.

I share a story from a community meeting in Woodlawn, Birmingham, where a woman named Ms. King stopped me mid-pitch and asked a question I wasn’t prepared for. It changed how I think about engagement, proximity, and what it actually means to show up.

With Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4–8) this week it felt like the right moment to share it.

→ Read it here:

As always — for the city.