Sitting down with Jerry Hawkins is like getting a master class in, well…everything. Equal parts storytelling historian and unapologetic activist, Jerry deftly weaves in and out of narrative and policy discussions with a skill that speaks to the many hours he’s spent understanding, unpacking, and most importantly, reading. An avid bibliophile, Jerry has spent his life digging into the history of the places and spaces in which he finds himself, to unpack the roots of the systemic racism baked into so many communities. A Chi-town native, Jerry’s mission to impact those around him to transform their communities by more fully understanding their stories and using their past to create more just and verdant futures is realized as he leads Dallas Truth Racial Healing & Transformation, a non-profit organization whose work has been globally recognized, first by a founding grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and most recently by being awarded a $500,000 grant by the Texas Instruments Foundation to allow TRHT to expand their mission, increase their community outreach, and bolster the programming they offer to the communities they serve.
Jerry is a masterful storyteller, and the work that he and Dallas TRHT are doing will inspire and motivates you to understand the history of wherever you find yourself to be a part of a future that’s better for all.
