Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Jackson-Outlaw.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The Br. David Darst Center was founded in August 2002 by Br. Denis Murphy, a member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers order along with considerable help from famed social justice activists Sr. Pat Murphy and Sr. JoAnn Persch. The three, who were working at Su Casa Catholic Worker House, observed that young people were volunteering their time performing acts of community service with the Su Casa’s clientele without making a connection to what systemic issues led to them being housed there.
Their desire to create a safe space to educate students on issues related to social change lead to the creation of the Br. David Darst Center. Named after Br. David Darst, a member of the Catonsville Nine who tragically died in a car accident at age 28, the center offers unique opportunities for students to engage with marginalized communities while learning how to advocate for equality for all.
I first joined the staff of the Darst Center almost one year ago. I had previously worked in the past 20 years in corporate sales and marketing (for companies such as AT&T, Charles Schwab, and Kaplan Financial) before opting to take a step out on faith and turning my passion for writing into a career. Beginning with a food blog that covered the Northwest Indiana dining scene (the Gourmet Goober), I was able to parlay that experience into a brand ambassador position with a popular startup company (Dishcrawl) as well as a thriving freelance Virtual Assistant business that allowed me to write for such magazines such as East Coast Home + Design and W2W as well as ghostwrite for a wide range of private clients.
Although I loved the freedom that comes from working from home, I knew that I would be willing to go back to a traditional position for the right opportunity. I was familiar with the Darst Center through a brief stint working in college admissions. So, when I learned about their newly created Development & Communications Director position, I jumped at the opportunity.
What I love about my job is that it gives me a chance to bring attention to issues that I am truly passionate about (i.e. mass incarceration, food insecurity, homelessness) while using my sales and communication skills in a brand new way. It also gave me a chance to build a department from the ground up while working with some incredible people.
We’re a small staff (I’m only the third full-time staffer who’s worked here) but together we do everything from maintain the facilities to leading the Urban Immersion Retreats and Social Justice Workshop. It’s challenging but totally worth it. Best of all, I thrilled to know that I have a hand in shaping the next generation of social change agents.
Oh, and I can occasionally bring my dog Baribeau to work. So, I am definitely winning. 🙂
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In the beginning, it was quite challenging because we operated with a tiny staff and an even smaller budget. The first Executive Directors often found themselves handling everything from grant writing to cooking for guests Eventually, we were able to partner with organizations like DOOR and LaSallian Volunteers – allowing us to work with some of their long-term volunteers to help with our most critical tasks.
As we enter in our 15th year, our biggest obstacle ahead seems to be the growth of our programs. We’re very fortunate that demand for our week-long Urban Immersion Retreats have grown dramatically over the past few years. However, we often find ourselves at capacity in terms of available space and staff.
To meet this growing concern, the Center has begun to offer Social Justice Workshops for groups who are unable to come to our facility. The workshops can be tailored based on the concerns of the organization and are often performed in their office, school or parish. This has proven to be a great solution, potentially for those who are unable to travel to Chicago due to scheduling or budgetary restrictions.
Of course, being a nonprofit means that fundraising is always a challenge as well. To help meet our goals, we have our big fundraiser (A Night at the Races) in March. However, we are excited to be offering a new activity for people to support us. We are going to be hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner this September 23. It’s a masquerade themed event where people will be able to dress up and solve a mystery dreamed up for us by the great people at the Murder Mystery Company. For attendees, it will also be a great chance to enjoy a four-course meal and tour our facilities. Tickets are available now at http://Darstcenter.yapsody.com.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Br. David Darst Center – what should we know?
The Darst Center offers unique, immersive experiences that are designed to get young people thinking about issues related to social justice. Our Urban Immersion Retreat program is a week-long experience that combines service opportunities with reflection and fellowship activities.
During the retreats, students complete service projects at some of the over 30 community agencies we partner with throughout Chicago. There, students examine issues that disproportionately affect marginalized communities (for example, homelessness, mass incarceration. gun violence or immigration issues) while exploring systemic societal barriers (on a macro & micro level) that may be the underlying causes for these concerns.
We also provide personalized Social Justice Workshops (designed for schools or organizations that cannot travel to our facility in Bridgeport), Speakers Series programs, films and training. Each are designed to challenge stereotypes and create a dialogue to bring society together.
What sets the Br. David Darst Center apart from other organizations is our commitment to social justice advocacy for both people and the planet. We take pride in leading by example-taking care to recycle and compost almost all of our available waste products and serving vegetarian meals in order to be mindful of our meat and water consumption. We limit our use paper products (opting instead for cloth napkins and towels) while using sustainable cleaning methods whenever possible.
I think what makes me proud to work here is our ultimate commitment to helping people see a different side of the common narrative-both in terms of the populations we serve as well as the city of Chicago. It’s so rewarding to see students open up and see the humanity in others. Especially populations that they may not encountered in their own communities.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
In terms of the Darst Center? I would say that our success is largely due to our commitment to our mission of helping others #seeitdifferently. We embrace every opportunity to open up dialogue as a way to create a more equitable society for all.
As for me, this position is very exciting because at this stage in my career, it gave me a chance to try something new! After 20 years working in sales and marketing, I wanted something that would be meaningful in terms of a career path. It was really hard to take the road less traveled and forge ahead on my own. But along the way, I was able to pick up skills (coding, working with WordPress, graphic design and copy writing) that I now use everyday on the job. To me, my success is defined by being in a place that truly values my work and allows me to make the world a better place. The Darst Center allows me to do that!
So I definitely say being willing to take chances and facing your fears is the key to where I am now.
Contact Info:
- Address: The Br. David Darst Center
2834 S. Normal Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60616 - Website: http://darstcenter.org
- Phone: 312-225-3099
- Email: info@darstcenter.org
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/darstcenter
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/darstcenter
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/darstcenter
Image Credit:
Photos courtesy of the Br. David Darst Center
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