Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Phillip Fletcher Ph.D.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Phillip , appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

This is a great question. I tend to believe each of us wants to have a legacy whether that is with children, a work of art, or some type of social influence which leads to lasting change. For myself, I am in the pursuit of extending the work of those who have come before me advancing the ideas of human dignity and flourishing. These are two beautiful concepts related to who we are fundamentally as human beings. I sum it up this way. Dedicate your life to a transcendent idea. Hold fast to it. Nurture it. Allow that idea to be the fuel which moves you to improve the lives of others Live in such a way that when all is said and done, when you have expended all your love, all your passion, and all your breath for others; people would rejoice in that transcendent idea and live just as sacrificially.

That to me is legacy.

Phillip , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

What’s going on readers. My name is Dr. Phillip D. Fletcher and I live in Conway, Arkansas. I am the husband of Nicolle and we are parents to three great adults, Nicollus, Najee’, and Nichelle. I am the founder of of Arrowmaker, a brand dedicated to the ideas of a personal God, human dignity, freedom, self-determination, and responsibility to advance human flourishing of individuals living in proximity to each other in our world. Second, in 2007 my family and I launched a nonprofit called The City of Hope Outreach. a 501 (c) 3 non-profit in Conway, Arkansas. The mission of CoHO is to provoke hope in individuals, families, and communities for the glory of God. Through initiatives such as CoHO Academy, Hope Home, Hope Village, and CoHO Cares; CoHO has sought to be a catalyst in promoting the philosophy people should primarily care for people freely with grace for God’s glory. Ultimately, we want to have an impact on community development in the areas of education, housing, and nutrition.

Through community development, nonprofit leadership development, book publishing and podcasting, I am committed to the advancement of the idea of human flourishing and seeing it expressed among all types of human beings, especially the poor in our state. This is my work. We need more individuals, organizations, and businesses to prioritize and affirm the dignity present in people and in doing so I firmly believe our world can continue to become a better place.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I love the idea of resilience. A resilient person is someone who has navigated difficult experiences maintaining the self and as a consequence, there is a change in perspective which occurs psychologically and emotionally enabling him or her to progress in life. Over the years, I have observed all types of individuals, especially among the poor, who are living examples of resiliency and they have taught me the importance of keeping my eyes fixed on what I have been called to accomplish here in Arkansas.

In the last six years, I have been hard at work galvanizing all types of support to establish CoHO Hope Village. It has not been without its obstacles, some through personal failure and circumstances out of my control. Developing a neighborhood which can provide a place of sustainability, comfort, and second chance for our homeless has caused me to dig deep and be patient with myself and others. Personally, I have heard multiple “No’s” or “We will see at some future point.” In these moments you have to determine for yourself whether the future realization of the dream has greater importance than the temporary disappointment. The disappointments and obstacles have become my “friends” instructing me on how to proceed and now see the project in full swing.

I hope other people who are at the beginning or middle of whatever dream they are pursuing would take time to see difficult moments as opportunities. I get it. There are times you want to throw your hands up and go back to what was comfortable. My encouragement again is to keep your eye fixed on why you started in the first place and the impact your business or creativity will have inspiring the life of another human being.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love this question. I am a huge advocate of a philosophy called Personalism. It is a philosophy developed over the centuries with Thomas Aquinas, Emmanuel Mounier, and Rufus Burrow. Here in the United States it is heavily taught at Boston University with one of its greatest practitioners being the former Reverend Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Essentially personalism advocates for the dignity and work of human beings, beings who are reflections of a Personal God.

After completing my dissertation looking at the application of personalism in nonprofit organizations, I leaned heavily into applying it in all areas of my own nonprofit. It has been critical in the development of our organizational values, how we approach Human Resources, and program development. Every individual regardless of his or her position in our society is received as a human being with full dignity and it is important to work with people in that regard.

A few books I would recommend include “God and Human Dignity” by Rufus Burrow; “I-Thou” by Martin Buber; “Everybody Matters” by Bob Chapman; and “Personalism” by John F. Crosby.

Contact Info:

• Website: Phillipfletcher.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/phillipdfletcher?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drphilfletcher?mibextid=avESrC
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DRPHILLIPFLETCHER?si=cCDGBQgF0jA9TDDt
• Other: The Humanity Matters Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MNRnAco5D9Tyfba9PGl3m?si=cadd6782d96d44c9

Image Credits
Photography by: Najee Photos (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/najeephotos/)