We recently connected with Jayson Green and have shared our conversation below.
Jayson, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?
The most important experience I have had working in previous positions is centered around working with and for the people I served. The biggest impact on my professional career has been the people I was working for. Connecting and learning from the community. Realizing my legacy is connected to the people I help to move forward and empower to be a part of the solution. I realized early on that alone as a servant leader I can’t do it all. Supporting my community by providing them with skills, resources to help them strengthen the community we live and work in.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into the non-profit world because of the values instilled in me by my parents. They both were always willing to help others. We also volunteered during the holidays to support families that didn’t have all they needed. I would also say my Mother sharing the meaning behind my name as being a helper I wanted to embody that and have tried to do that throughout my personal and professional life.
I am a Husband, a Father, a Grandfather, a leader, a facilitator, and a strengthener of communities. We provide a service and the method we use is education. We educate our community, our Scholars, our families and our supporters.
My goal in life is to be of service to others and help everyone with the same belief system to win.
I want to uplift and strengthen the community I serve. Community to me is defined not by just the geographic boundaries of my place where I work, but includes the people I am connected to.
I want the Scholars in the Baltimore City Public Charter School I am the Operator for to also have a seat at the table. I bring them with me to meetings and events so they can learn what I do and hopefully someday take the reigns.
I encourage my staff to take professional development opportunities to make them better. We celebrate if someone leaves to better themselves by continuing their education, or obtaining a job with more responsibilities. That means we were a part of their journey of success.
I work with community members that want to do good but do not have the resources. So I share resources and my skills with them so they can grow their organizations thus adding to the power of the work being done in the community.
My brand is all about being a socially conscious based influencer. I am not in it for the “likes” I am in it for the wins. The wins of the people I am influencing and serving. When they win we all win!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
One thing my Wife who is my biggest supporter always says to me and others is “Jayson doesn’t let someone tell him no. He doesn’t let a job description discourage him from applying. If he believes he can do it then he can do it.”
I applied for a job with an organization that on paper looked like a big leap from the position I was in. But I knew based on my experience and knowledge I could perform the tasks of the position. I applied and found out that I wasn’t the first choice for the hiring team, but I was for the Executive Director who had the final say. The hiring team wanted someone internal, but he saw something in me as the lone external finalist candidate that said I was the one. He also told me I was the only finalist that asked for the job during the interview. 2 years later after having great success in my role I had the opportunity to come to Baltimore to be an Executive Director of my own center. This was what I was striving for and what on paper 2 years prior didn’t look like it should happen, but I don’t let paper define me. 3 years of growing the center and making connections in the community made me feel like I was on a best professional ride of my life until the pandemic hit and it changed everything. My position was reorganized due to cost savings and I had to take on a different role for less pay. This was hard but I was still committed to the mission. But I also knew I could do more. A colleague reached out to me about the position at New Song Community Learning Center and said “if I was interested I believe you would be a great fit”. She didn’t think I was interested because of my work where I was, but she didn’t know about the change that had occurred. I did my research and asked around and decided applying was the way to go. I was a finalist for three positions during the heart of the pandemic which made me feel good. All roles where I would step into the head of these organizations and only report to a board which wasn’t a place I had ever been. Again not letting paper define me. I ultimately chose New Song as the place for me to be with the help of prayer and my Wife. This was the best decision I could have ever made. The individuals who took the other two positions are no longer in those roles and I just made my 3 year work anniversary at New Song and we are growing stronger, more financially sound, increased partnerships and our charter school is thriving. Most importantly we are rekindling our strong presence in the community and people are coming to us like they did our founders 30 years ago.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I have only been in Baltimore 5 years but have adopted it as my second home and when I say that I mean it. I love Baltimore and want to see it win. I am honest, true and committed. I also say what I mean and do what I say. People that work with and for me can depend on me. When I say I am going to do something or I offer help I mean it and there are no strings attached. I genuinely want to help. I go back to my “why” which stems from my Mother naming me Jayson after the Greek Mythology figure. He was a healer a helper, gave of himself to help others. I have always embodied that and continue to in my work.
My reputation is based on who I am and that won’t change. I truly would give the shirt off my back if someone needed it more. I always think I have another one somewhere I can put on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://newsongcommunitylearningcenter.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaysonjgreen/ | instagram.com/newsongclc/ | instagram.com/newsongacad/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayson.green | facebook.com/NewSongCLC | facebook.com/NewSongAcademy322
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayson-j-green/ | linkedin.com/company/new-song-clc/ | linkedin.com/company/new-song-academy-322
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SonofJay952 | twitter.com/NewSongCLC | twitter.com/NewSongAcad322
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_bxFNak9KC_tpJUTIWhGA
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=6Zyt_YrA10anHT4s-uWf7A
- Other: https://dot.cards/sonofjay