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Welcome to Sisters Connect,
a podcast that celebrates the amazing sister friends that I admire and to keep me inspired.
I'm your host,
Kimberly Sumpter.
My name is Christine Smith,
and I am a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated,
and I'm also the host of the Got inspiration podcast What the Sisterhood mean to me,
sisterhood means love support,
having each other's back,
pushing someone to be her best,
growing together,
accepting my sister for where she is in life and then inspiring her toe her highest potential.
Thank you so much,
Christine.
And thank you for joining me for episode number 42 of the Sisters Connect podcast.
Today I'll be talking to my sister friend Leslie Anderson.
She's the president and CEO of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority and is the Onley black woman in the country heading up an agency like hers.
Today we'll talk about her role as a black woman in leadership,
her take on sisterhood and an important announcement that will be beneficial to many of the small business owners in New Jersey.
For more information,
visit and j.
R a dot us.
Now it's time to connect.
Hey,
Leslie,
a Cam Girl,
How you doing today?
I am doing great.
You are just amazing and all the things that you're doing and I want to really get into that and talk about all that you do.
But before we get there,
I always ask all of my sister friends this question.
In the beginning,
how would your closest sister friends,
the ones who know you your true blues?
How would they describe you?
I think they would describe me as a loyal friend and a good sister who would do absolutely anything for them.
I am their go to person.
But unlike if you've been following,
the think described me as a lot of fun,
with a great sense of humor and always the one that brings the party.
If it's quiet,
if it's down,
if it's not,
lift it up.
I'm allowed is and the one that's going to bring the party.
My cousin called it close to the bone crew on,
and that's how they describe.
Tell me one of the most memorable experiences,
good experiences that you have about where you're from.
So I was born and raised in Plainfield,
New Jersey I'm a straight of Jersey girl.
A little tidbit back about playing field is that if you follow Parliament Funkadelic,
the P P funds stands for Plainfield.
Funk asked George Clinton,
and he will tell you Hey!
Started the group and cultivated his found on the corner of Third Street and Grand Avenue in Plainfield,
New Jersey There was a barber shop,
and that's where he started a Parliament funkadelic,
and it grew out of Plainfield and George Clinton interviews says that we are the funkiest town in the world.
On that P stands for a plane filled.
The most memorable part of growing up in Plainfield is at all the people that were around me and surrounded and influenced my life look like me.
I am a woman of a certain age.
But even growing up as a little girl in the late sixties,
after these eighties,
playful was a very evolved community.
There were a lot of people that were on the police force.
They were teachers.
They worked in the social service agencies,
profit around the cities.
So I grew up knowing my history,
knowing full I waas as a descendant of a slave coming from the beautiful continent of Africa s O.
I was always in a community that lifted me up and build me up so that I believe what I do today is built of that foundation of coming out of the community of playing Well,
first of all,
that tidbit about George Clinton.
I'm running with that now.
Yes,
Jersey,
we are on the map.
That's amazing.
Community was very important to you.
And you brought your work right back into the community.
So we're gonna talk about what you do,
so tell me a little bit about the N j r A.
And why is this work so important to you?
The New Jersey Redevelopment Authority was established legislatively in 1996.
I'm not gonna bore you with what's in the law.
I think that what sets it apart from entities around the country is that our job is to work in some of the most distressed communities in the state of New Jersey.
It is our role to go into these communities and spark and ignite a development fire so that the private sector will follow us into those community housing and build economic opportunity in the measure ourselves on the ability to change the quality of life.
Ah,
lot of times you'll staying.
Agencies like mine will talk about number of jobs created,
number of homes built.
But at the end of the day,
is it better for the little kid to walk to school?
I used to keep a picture on my desk of a little boy walking in Irvington buys from dilapidated,
boarded up houses,
and that neighborhood was we developed in Irvington so that that little boy didn't have to walk by that and and I remember it from me growing up in my own city and what it was like to grow up and not have a lot of everything.
But what I do a little differently as I control the money.
I have access to the financing to make the difference in my 10 year,
and I've been at the redevelopment authorities established we have approved $418 million in investments that has leveraged 3.8 billion in other state.
Resource is in private sector.
Resource is to bring about change in our communities,
and we run the gamut way don't and we're gonna talk a little bit about a recent support of small business but normally what we do is that real estate development.
So I assist in helping developers acquire property that will ultimately can become a totally commercial establishment.
We supported rising tide capital in Jersey City so that they could move their headquarters into a place where they not only offer affordable housing,
but they also have the headquarters for their business that helps other small businesses grow.
Eso so we've built.
But conversely,
I did market re housing in Mork.
The Rector Street Project was the first fully market rate project to be built in downtown New York,
and I think that's and foreign can because we should have a mix of people living together just like we should live together.
We should have an economic mix of people that live together and congrats Oh,
and prosper together.
Development happens and it's successful when we diversify,
whether we diversify by race or ethnicity or economic.
I think that that is critical and that's Waas.
I've actually done over my 10 year at the redevelopment authority to look for those projects and to move into places that normally people don't want to go,
and I want to clarify.
I don't want to go.
It's not because they're not leashed,
but from a financing perspective.
A lot of times,
people don't see where the return on investment,
so it's not necessarily about they see.
But when I make a decision and I want to see a return on my investment and we show folks how to get there another piece of what I did very early on in 2006 I created the Redevelopment Training Institute because I wanted to understand the process and learn how to do the process.
I got a question earlier today about gentrification,
and it's gonna happen,
and I don't want to say that gentrification is good,
But I will say that neighborhood past improve some quality of life has to get better for people.
Um,
and in doing so,
when I go into neighborhoods,
you have to involve the community what's going on?
But the community can be there.
They don't understand the process.
So we teach the process.
We teach project finance.
We teach about redevelopment and teach about tax credits.
We teach about community development,
block grant money and what all of that means when it's coming into your community.
More importantly,
how you can have a voice in it,
so that kind of leads to why this is important for me.
And I almost see it as a ministry that I was blessed to grow up in a great community that supported and loved me.
A lot of things have changed,
but while I have a seat at the table and I'm in the room where it happened,
I'm gonna be that voice that's always an advocate to make life better for others.
I still I can see that little boy now with a big backpack on his back,
walking through a neighborhood,
And I don't want him to change his mind about going to school because of what he had to walk through.
I want all little boys and all little girls walk through places that are empowering and that will allow them to grow and to fulfill God's workers for their life so that I am.
I love that a recipient of what you are helping to build,
because I am a graduate of rising Thai capital,
to see that building at 3 11 MLK and to go in during the ribbon cutting and to see all the possibilities and to be a part of that is is beautiful.
So thank you for being a part of that because I get to be a recipient of the work that you're putting in place.
I want to talk to you about leadership because you are the only black woman in the country who was heading up an agency like yours.
What are some of the challenges that you face as a black woman in leadership?
And how have you managed to overcome those challenges for lift trucks?
You know,
real talk.
And I think I could be We'll talk on here.
The biggest challenge that I face is racism.
And that's the reality.
Whether people are,
uh,
races to your face or behind the steam.
Or they questioned your capacity or your intelligence that three things,
right,
they question why you're there.
And how did you get here?
And that has been the greatest challenge that I face.
But how I overcome it is I remember where I came.
I remind myself daily then I'm the descendent of a slave who survived.
I am their distended.
They came over here in the bottom of the ship and they were considered property but they laid enough of the foundation for me that I could be in the room and I can make things happen and I can make decisions.
And knowing and understanding Kim,
who you are and where you come from is critical.
When you don't understand who you are,
you can't move into places where you need to bay.
I think the other obstacle is,
um,
agencies like mine around the country are undercapitalized.
I will say that the Murphy administration is doing a great job in helping the NJ are removed up to a level playing field.
I want to shout out Governor Murphy,
Lieutenant Governor Oliver and particularly my counterpart at E.
T.
H and Sullivan.
Hey,
has been a great help in helping us a level that playing field,
because when you look at these communities,
you don't see promise and you don't see a vision for the future.
For them,
you think that they don't deserve that opportunity,
and all three of those individuals have put together plans and strategies to help turn our communities around.
So so that has been a great challenge,
and it's a challenge to be a woman,
right,
But I will say And I say this to my counterparts of other races and ethnicities when you referred to me as a woman who's black and I'll put woman's first.
But as long as you refer to me as a black woman,
I'm always going to be black first.
But there are challenges being a woman in a man's world when I have meetings or when I speak a lot.
I were red because men can't and don't very rarely.
Wherever it I will say they can't.
But they don't wear it there in the black,
blue or brown suit.
So that red allows me to come into the room and to bring the fire and and how you combated is,
you have to have a high level of confidence.
And we started out talking about sister girls.
I have a board of directors that I keep with me,
that kind of keeping your point.
And you know you need you need somebody to say,
girl,
you're doing well.
You're doing that right.
And you know what you also need,
girl,
you mess that up and do that better next.
So that's that's kind of how you combat it is that you have ah,
strong on and sometimes those things.
That's right.
But you have that great village around you that helps you get to where you need to being,
and I think that that's how I've done it.
But,
um,
in these times,
I don't want to discount the impact of recent and how it impacts me in my work and this riel and I could tell you stories that would blow your mind.
And I've had people's faith in me.
How did you do it?
But I would also answer that the people that work with me would probably stay.
I didn't realize I did that.
I didn't realize that I treated you that way,
right?
So So,
sometimes for those of you that are listening that are not black that,
you know,
check yourself.
I wonder the kind of things that you're saying to people and what you're doing that makes them uncomfortable.
But they're focused on their higher purpose.
They don't dwell in it,
and they keep going.
So I want to ask you,
who are some of the black women who were in the communities that you admire and how,
if any way,
how are you collaborating your efforts together.
So I'm going to start with.
We have actually connected and collaborating.
But I'm so inspired by her work at Chase Bank Gets to Shonda Brown it who is the CEO of retail Basting Chase Bank.
Ah,
she is doing tremendous work in bridging gas and helping people understand the value and importance of banking relationships and opening branches and places where they normally would not be.
So she is my hero.
I also want to shut out the women leaders Mayor Lights.
But in Chicago,
in man lands bottoms in Atlanta,
in the midst of what they're facing government from the state government,
they also have to run their sittings,
and we're doing a phenomenal job of doing that.
So I'm inspired and moved by them.
And then locally here,
my partner by a definitely tie Cooper over as senior,
became communication.
Ah,
young woman toe work with and she's blazing a trail,
and I just have astonished and excited to see what her legacy is gonna be.
A PIN firms who was the chief of staff at D.
C.
A.
She works directly under the lieutenant governor,
and we're working together to facilitate change between D.
C.
A.
And the redevelopment authority.
And that's exciting.
On last day,
I like to shout out the shell Della sport.
I like her as a political leader.
He's the mayor of union,
but she also has her own planning on planners are critical to the development of communities because they drive.
What happens if there's something in the community?
You know why I didn't want to change a single for the planner,
and we shall brings a tremendous perspective to the table and lastly for working with I'm,
a member of Delta,
speculated smarting.
And my sorority sisters are amazing,
and they're inspiring and motivating being When you're in a room with a plus plus plus plus women are you better bring your a game to the table and appearance with that complimenting spirit to drive child's eyes.
What helps me to be the person that I think I want that also makes me understand why that rate is so powerful.
Kiesha Lance Bottoms is incredible.
She is such a beautiful representation of someone in leadership,
so that list is pretty amazing.
Some pretty amazing women.
So what about the young women who want to be in the community.
They want to make change.
They want to make a difference.
But they're in a climate that is really difficult to kind of maneuver through.
What kind of advice would you give to them?
I would say a couple things can one first start out with building your way?
Don't do this.
You know,
I look at where I but I didn't get here by myself,
right?
There were people that opened doors for May value.
You have to value the people that position themselves to position.
You find those people and and sometimes it's not a mentor is just when you mean in your Now that admires that you So you know,
you build these relationships big around.
Who's out there?
You build a relationship with,
pick up the phone and column or text on team album or hit him up on social media.
I like what you're doing.
We do something together a lot of times.
Way don't necessarily want to do that.
The other bit of advice,
and it would be two more first you have everybody.
I was just a conversation with somebody the other day and start your help of people with people that want to help him in the nose.
That's a hard lesson to learn.
So if I can help you learn that early,
you can't people that don't want to help him,
right?
There are some pills caused people Teoh being very unfortunate situation.
But deep down what most of them always isn't this higher or willingness to help now,
So that when you reach out here,
they're going to take it.
We'll go toe lift up,
they're gonna allow you to lift them up.
They're not pull you town where they are.
You always want to be left so that it's an uplifting moment because this work is hard.
So if the environment around you become spastic not being effective,
you could be in the last piece care.
Any advice I can get in your women?
I work toe.
Take a moment to take a break.
Let's get away from this mentality that we have to work ourselves to the bone be doing and a lot of health concerns that was being with black women in the community because we don't take care of us way.
Need to take better care of ourselves and take everyone else.
But we don't take care of ourselves.
So I always like to say that all but not whole.
Especially when you're young.
You've got all this fire underneath you and you're really excited about what you're doing.
The mentality is to grind.
You're not working.
You're not being respected if you're not always on your grind.
I just got here,
though,
right?
I would say,
probably last year I was that grinder.
So that's why I'm saying,
you know,
it's not a regret it right how balance that out takes time.
A pre cove it on the weekend.
Yes,
that's my happy place.
Straight of Jersey girl.
You know that for sure and not the business when I was Jersey Shore,
which is just a plug for this.
Beautiful,
by the way,
Don't go right now because and people aren't respecting the governor's a covert regulation.
But again,
it's important,
and you can wear your body out,
and it doesn't do anyone any good if you're working,
working,
working and you're not here to see the fulfillment of their legacy so that important think here of,
uh,
just to do a plug for our Small Business Louise Emergency Assistance grant program.
The applications go live on our website on August 10th at 9 a.m. This is to support businesses in our NJ are eligible communities.
You have the least commercial space eyes up to $10,000 players to help pay your rent and the biggest.
This can't be larger than 5000 square feet.
More details are there for you on our website.
But if you're in one of our cities and you need help paying your rent,
you need to apply for this program.
We're here for you.
All right.
That sounds good.
Well,
I will make sure that everybody reaches out to you.
I might be one of those people who will be reaching out as well as a small business owner.
And I thank you so much,
Leslie.
Listen,
Cam,
it has been an absolute pleasure and let's stay connected.
Got a jersey girl thing going.
It was my pleasure today.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Hayes's thank you so much for being a part of today's conversation.
If you want to get more information on today's guest or previous guests,
make sure you visit our website at systems connect dot com until next time I see you soon.
Bye
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