Meet Jason Terrell | Social Impact & Philanthropy

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

Hi Jason, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I recently retook an Enneagram test, a personality typing system that describes patterns in how people interpret the world and manage their emotions. As always, my Enneagram is a three or the Achiever Type. The Achiever is a personality type focused on accomplishments and success. Their identities are attached to their achievements. This personality type often achieves external validation, which feeds their need to feel worthy. I recognize that people are more complex than a personality test, but there are highs and lows that I’ve always experienced with constantly striving for success and achievement.

On the one hand, I am driven and take pride in my accomplishments and individual success. In my early 20’s, I co-founded a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the 2% of Black Male Teachers that teach across the country. What started as an idea morphed into the leading organization in the country in recruiting and retaining Men of color in education. This experience has led me to be blessed with numerous fellowship opportunities, awards, and articles. In 2017, my co-founder and I were recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 as one of the world’s brightest social innovators seeking change and equal opportunity for boys and male educators of color.

I believe that when you’re living in the purpose God designed, opportunities and doors open. But I also operated from a place of scarcity and thought I had to breathe and live work to be successful and validated. This grind prevented me from resetting, resting, praying, or reflecting on the opportunities.

There is true irony in life, and over the last few years, I’ve had forcing mechanisms in my path that made me prioritize harmony. In 2018, I married my wife and had our first child the year after. In 2020 the world was hit with the grim realities and loss of COVID-19. Like many people, I loss several loved ones and relatives over the pandemic and was forced to rest, pray, and reflect. I stepped down from the Executive Director position of the nonprofit I co-founded and took time off to center myself on my purpose and role as a father, husband, and man.

I still keep a tight schedule and read books like Essentialism, the 4-Hour Work Week, and Smart Brevity to maximize my energy and production, but I sincerely believe in the concept of work-life harmony. Work & life are not opposing forces. I am the same person in my professional life as I play with my toddler, and I must have a harmonious relationship with clients, partners, and my family.

What should our readers know about your business?
I spent my childhood in Southwest Atlanta, where my parents entered parenthood as high school students. A village of grandparents, uncles, aunts, and community members raised me and instilled the core values of community and identity. At an early age, I was exposed to lessons and art from Malcolm X, Wes Montgomery, Goodie Mob, John Lewis, and other thought leaders and artists. These themes and lessons contributed to my professional goals and personal growth.

I chose a career as an English teacher in a Middle school in North Charlotte. TEACHING WAS DOPE! It was hard as hell, but I loved every minute of it. I taught and was the Head Coach of the school’s Baseball Team and left school tired every day, but my cup ran over, pushing me to the next day. My goal was to help my students tap into the power of their identities through language, writing, and self-expression; however, my students taught me much more.

Every day my students told me I was their first Black male teacher. I found that less than 2% of all teachers are Black men, and while research has long proven that having men of color as role models and mentors greatly improves the social, emotional, and academic progress of all students, especially boys of color, I didn’t need research to arrive at this fundamental truth. I lived it myself — as a child looking up to members of my family and church, as a volunteer after-school teacher working with middle school boys, and as a classroom teacher.

In 2013, my co-founder and I dreamed up a program to recruit and retain more Black men into the teaching profession. After a year of working on the business plan, design, and launch, we received a fellowship from a philanthropic venture fund, Echoing Green, to launch our venture, Profound Gentlemen. Starting PG would mean leaving teaching, finding a cheap apartment, and taking side jobs to make ends meet while we create a social venture. We didn’t have a clear path, just the courage of our convictions. We took the fellowship and decided to do whatever it took.

10 Years later, Profound Gentlemen is a national organization; we’ve raised over $7M+, have several full-time staff members, and have partnerships with over 12 schools, districts, and universities, impacting over 500 male educators of color through our program model. Our work sits at the intersection of gender, race, education, and purpose, and we were successful at retaining over 90% of our teachers in their position.

Through Profound Gentlemen, I was blessed to receive numerous fellowship experiences and be recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 as one of the world’s brightest social innovators who seek to bring change and equal opportunity for boys and male educators of color.

My primary function at Profound Gentlemen was to raise money which exposed me to the world of philanthropy. Through my lens, the philanthropic sector has a moral responsibility to redistribute wealth into communities with vast inequity. The role of philanthropy is rooted in community and justice. When the philanthropic sector is aligned with the needs and embedded in the fiber of the community, reform in the truest sense is possible. However, when the sector operates through the lens of charity and beyond the community’s scope, equity takes a giant step back. Dr. King’s quote about the power of philanthropy is critical today. He stated, “although philanthropy is commendable, it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice, which make it necessary.”

In 2021, I decided to transition from Profound Gentlemen to being a program officer at a national foundation. My goal at the foundation is to change the grantee’s profile by identifying and investing in organizations led by community leaders and residents with a strong vision for their children’s educational outcomes and economic opportunities. As a result, I have allocated over $10M in philanthropic investments to community-based organizations. 100% of my grantees are new to the foundation, and leaders of color lead over 75% of these organizations.

Additionally, I launched Waterford+Reynolds, a community-centered business development firm that offers strategic advising, organizational development, and implementation support for social change innovators and entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship has always been at the forefront of progress for Black communities. In cities like Atlanta, Durham, Tulsa, and Knoxville, Black residents created businesses and economic corridors that were centers of commerce, social innovation, and forward progress. Waterford + Reynolds embodies the spirit of Black innovation, improvement, and social entrepreneurship. Waterford + Reynolds uplifts two historic neighborhoods in Atlanta; Collier Heights and South West Atlanta. Collier Heights was highlighted by Lawrence Otis Graham in his renowned book, “Our Kind of People, Inside America’s Black Upper Class.” Waterford Road was home to Herman Russell and Lorimer D. Milton, two prominent figures of Atlanta. Our work captures and continues the legacy of supporting community creatives pushing for progress.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta is a unique blend of booming metropolitan and quiet suburbs. What often needs to be more appreciated is Atlanta’s scenery. To take in the city’s beauty, I would push folks to walk on the Beltline, soak in the graffiti murals, or hike up Stone Mountain to see the skyline. Food is a significant element of the southern culture, but what is unique about Atlanta is the amalgamation of southern cuisine and health consciousness. I consider Ralph D. Abernathy BLVD Atlanta’s Health Row- home to several vegan and vegetarian restaurants, natural medical practices, and intellectual and spiritual centers. Around Abernathy BLVD, you have Soul Vegetarian Restaurant #1, Wadada Healthy Market & Juice Bar, Tassili’s Raw Reality Café, Healthfull Essence, the Shrine of the Black Madonna, and Truly Living Well (the largest Urban Farm in Atlanta). I recommend getting a massage or nutrition therapy at West End Well Werks.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d Shoutout my wife, Casey! They say your partner should provide balance, and she complements me. As I shared before, I follow a tight schedule, and even when I have downtime, I typically have a checklist in my mind. She’s the complete opposite. I’d describe her as spontaneous, free-thinking, and free-flowing. She reminds me to leave my calendar alone and be present.

Website: https://www.waterfordreynolds.com/

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