Key Question: Are you living like a miner or a farmer in your neighborhood? A miner comes in, collects resources, and then moves on. But a farmer works the land and makes plans to cultivate in their community year after year.
On this show, we’ve talked about many ways you can be a Just Neighbor. But in this episode, we have the honor of hearing from Gabrielle Alzate about what it means to be a community of neighbors walking with one another: a Just Neighborhood!
Research shows that the average American will move 11-12 times in their lifetime! When we relocate so frequently, it can become difficult to invest deeply in our neighbors, community, and local government. Gabrielle is here to share with us a different approach to living in community; she challenges to recognize the great value of stability and sustained community engagement.
Gabrielle is the Executive Director of Because Justice Matters, a nonprofit dedicated to building pathways to brighter futures for women and girls in urban communities. Quickly after joining this team in 2010, she launched their youth ministry serving girls in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District and piloted their Leadership Development Intensive.
In this episode, Gabrielle shares why investing in your local community matters more than chasing the “perfect” place to live, what it truly means to be “salt” and “light” in the world, how living in proximity to people from different walks of life can foster mutually enriching relationships, and so much more.
NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR IMPLICATIONS:
- In what ways would you start investing in your community if you knew you were going to live there for the rest of your life?
- True community goes so far beyond giving a simple wave to your neighbors as you pass by. It means breaking bread with them, being aware of their woes, celebrating their wins, and working together to make the neighborhood better for all who live there.
- God did not intend for us to live outside of community. We need others for mutual flourishing.
- Apply to Become a TFI Advocate
- Connect with Because Justice Matters on their Instagram, Facebook, or website
- Connect with Gabrielle on Facebook
Meet Our Guest
Gabrielle Alzate is the Executive Director of Because Justice Matters, a nonprofit dedicated to building pathways to brighter futures for women and girls in urban communities. She is a dynamic speaker, mentor, and coach. Gabrielle and her husband, Mateo, along with their Maltipoo pup, Luna, are committed to being rooted in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District as a family and believe God is building and restoring thriving families there.
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