Meet Crystal Perry | Founder | President | CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Crystal Perry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Crystal, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
In today’s world, where uncertainty looms large, taking risks is often seen as a daunting prospect. However, it is precisely through these risks that we can uncover new opportunities and make a positive impact on the lives of others. Melanated Pearl Inc’s transition from an Emergency Hotel Placement and Rental Assistance Program to the Cluster Rehousing approach exemplifies the importance of taking risks and the valuable lessons learned along the way.

The Risk:
Melanated Pearl Inc took a leap of faith by introducing the Cluster Rehousing initiative, a program that aimed to bridge the gap between emergency housing and permanent homes for families in need. Unlike its predecessor, this program was not backed by a grant, making it a financial risk for the organization. Additionally, all applicants were required to pass a criminal background check, further challenging the traditional norms of housing assistance.

The Vision:
The organization believed that individuals who were working full-time jobs but did not meet the rental requirements still deserved an opportunity to live in a high-quality home. By providing a financial bridge that deferred rental requirements, Melanated Pearl Inc aimed to empower these families and offer them a chance at stability and security.

The Reality:
While the intentions were noble, the reality proved to be more complex. Out of the five families placed in homes through the Cluster Rehousing program, only two were able to honor the agreement and sustain their tenancy. The remaining four families required additional assistance beyond move-in fees and security deposits. Melanated Pearl Inc stepped up to offer support in various forms, including furniture, clothing, and access to food pantries. However, many families still struggled to maintain rental payments.

Lessons Learned:
The journey of Melanated Pearl Inc’s Cluster Rehousing initiative has taught us invaluable lessons about the importance of risk-taking and the challenges that come with it.

1. Assessing Financial Sustainability: While it is crucial to provide opportunities to those in need, it is equally important to ensure the financial sustainability of such initiatives. Melanated Pearl Inc’s experience highlights the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the financial implications before embarking on a risky endeavor.

2. Tailoring Support Programs: The complexities of individuals’ circumstances cannot be overlooked. Additional assistance beyond move-in fees and security deposits may be necessary to help families transition successfully. By tailoring support programs to address specific challenges, organizations can increase the chances of long-term success.

3. Collaboration and Partnerships: No organization can tackle societal challenges alone. Building strong collaborations and partnerships with other entities, such as local businesses, community organizations, and government agencies, can provide a more comprehensive support system for families in need.

4. Continuous Evaluation and Adaptation: It is crucial to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of programs and be willing to adapt and evolve. Melanated Pearl Inc’s experience demonstrates the importance of learning from both successes and failures and using that knowledge to refine and improve future initiatives.

Melanated Pearl Inc’s Cluster Rehousing initiative serves as a testament to the significance of taking risks in addressing societal challenges. While the program faced obstacles and only achieved partial success, the lessons learned from this experience will undoubtedly shape future endeavors. By embracing risk, tailoring support, fostering collaboration, and continuously evaluating our efforts, we can create a more inclusive and compassionate society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

What should our readers know about your business?
Melanated PEARL Inc INC, established in November 2018, is a 501c3 non profit organization located in Hampton, GA a subsection of Clayton County. DBA: Melanated PEARL Inc and Melanated PEARL Corporation, the organization targets services for Black Women and Families in Clayton County, GA and surrounding south Metro Atlanta areas. Since its conception in November 2018, The Melanated PEARL Corp has helped women learn valuable skills to become more education-focused in order to improve their ability to live fulfilling lives; this includes gaining access to local resources, housing, employment, training, funding and capital. The Melanated PEARL Inc Corporations offers our target audience a model for personal and organizational effectiveness. We replace silence with information, assumptions with a diversity of insights, and powerlessness with a sense of personal responsibility.

Mission Statement
Our mission is to educate, uplift, and empower our clients by providing programming, access, resources, and funding opportunities.

The programs and content we produce help uplift our communities by capturing the needs and stories of our target audiences and then connecting them to meaningful programming; we educate and grow our community by sharing resources and implementing initiatives that make women of color feel confident and accomplished; and we empower our clients by providing captivating and relatable stories, that model and celebrate their journey as they learn to take control of their personal, professional, and financial future.

Goals and Purpose
Raise public awareness to the needs of women and families living in poverty.
Partner with civic, public and private sector organizations to provide solutions to the many needs of vulnerable women and families with school age children.
Facts about the organization
Melanated PEARL Inc is a nonprofit organization in Clayton County, Georgia, dedicated to empowering and uplifting women of color. As part of this mission, the organization has provided critical support to homeless women and families in the area for the past five years.
Guided by our Board of Directors, Melanated PEARL initially developed seasonal comprehensive outreach programs and services to support the needs of women and families in Clayton County, GA – 2018-2023.
The organization offered services and programs to address the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness and housing instability, including hot showers, access to water, emergency rental assistance, transitional housing, access to job training, placement services, mental health and substance abuse counseling, and financial literacy workshops. Melanated PEARL Inc also provided resources for basic needs such as food, clothing, and hygiene.

FY 6 : Cause for Restructuring Our Approach
Melanated PEARL Inc can better serve the unhoused population in Clayton County by consolidating existing initiatives and restructuring services under a Rapid Re-housing strategy entitled CLUSTER Rehousing. This restructuring aims to provide a more comprehensive and holistic support system to help individuals and families transition from housing instability and move towards self-sufficiency with long-term housing security. With the support of the Board, Melanated PEARL Inc can pivot to providing an elevated level of critical services to homeless individuals and families in Clayton County and work towards creating a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Lovejoy and love spicy foods, so I invite you to Spicy Hill. With over twenty years of collective culinary experiences, come experience the authentic Jamaican cuisine with a twist. Let Spicy Hill Restaurant take you to new heights, awaken your taste buds, and enlighten your dining experience. Join me at 1544 Tara Rd,, Jonesboro, GA 30238. Great meeting space.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shout Out to My grandmothers, my aunts, my teachers, and all the PEARLs that poured into me (Crystal Perry) then and now. PEARL is an acronym meaning Passionate Engaged Activists, Resisting Limitations and the organization intend to speak to their target audiences’ passions, engage them, give them a call to action and show them how to resist the idea that they are limited in any way. Melanated PEARLs are Passionate Engaged Activist Resisting Limits
Melanin-Inspired
Equity-focused
Legacy-builders
Action-seekers
Neighborly-networkers
Admiring-observers
Talent-sharers
Educational-advocates
Dedicated-developers
At the Melanated PEARL our Vision for Women and families ensures a future where all have access to:
Secure Housing & Basic Needs
Close the Skills and Funding Gap
Build Wealth and Economic Stability
Manage Health and Wellness

Website: https://www.melanatedpearl.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nonprofit_melanatedpearl/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanatedpearl/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fmelanatedpearl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPCPEARLWorld/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDLI9EaFZ_sW0DYcMoxmxnQ

Image Credits
Crystal Perry iPhone11