Ministry Beyond the Walls: Apostle Leo & First Lady Patricia Dawson on Faith, Redlining, and Reclaiming Community in 32209In this powerful episode of Voices of Florida House District 14: Love Thy Neighborhood, host Therese V. Wakefield-Gamble sits down with Apostle Leo L. Dawson Sr. and First Lady Patricia Dawson of True Church of the Living God, one of the foundational leaders of the Red Justice Alliance.Apostle Dawson shares his journey in ministry—from answering the call at age 15 to transforming his church into a community hub committed to healing the generational harms of redlining and disinvestment in Jacksonville’s historic 32209 ZIP code.💒 First Lady Patricia shares how she and Apostle Dawson have built not just a marriage of 27 years, but a ministry rooted in radical outreach, hosting Community Blitz events, street ministry, and creating a safe space for youth to access mentorship and mental health support.🛑 Together, they break down the legacy of redlining, its effects on housing, banking, and environmental health—and how they’re using faith to fight back.🗓️ As co-hosts of the monthly Red Justice Alliance Town Hall (every 3rd Thursday at True Church), the Dawsons are helping residents reclaim power through civic education, policy advocacy, and grassroots organizing.🎧 In This Episode:The story behind True Church of the Living GodThe connection between faith, activism, and environmental justiceRedlining’s modern-day impact—and how to fight backBuilding youth-focused, trauma-informed spaces for healingPartnering with Green The Church and Duval DECF to transform Jacksonville’s urban core🗳️ Therese also shares her journey from community organizer to 2026 candidate for Florida House District 14, and the importance of holding elected officials accountable to the communities they serve—not just the headlines they make.🎁 Support the Mission:Help Pastor D and First Lady Patricia continue their ministry and outreach:🌐http://www.anotherchancejax.orgEmail: anotherchance06@yahoo.com💵 $AnotherChanceJax |📬 Mail Donations to True Church of the Living God – 1405 State Street W, Jacksonville, FL 32209📌 Join the Movement:Attend the Red Justice Alliance Town Hall every 3rd Thursday at 6 PM📍 True Church of the Living God – 1405 State Street W, Jacksonville, FL 32209📲 Subscribe, Download and Save to the Love Thy Neighborhood podcast on:Spotify & Amazon Music: Voices of FLHD14: Love Thy NeighborhoodWherever you listen to your podcasts🟢 Together, we are reclaiming faith, land, and leadership—from the ground up. #Redlining #EnvironmentalJustice #LoveThyNeighborhood #VoicesFLHD14 #PastoralPower #FaithToAction #32209Strong

📍 Recorded at the Red Alliance for Justice Town Hall
📆 Thursday, July 17, 2025 | Jacksonville, FL

Candidate for Florida House District 14, Therese V. Wakefield-Gamble, joins the powerful conversation at the Red Alliance for Justice Town Hall—a space for truth-telling and action around redlining, repurposing the city morgue, and codifying a Neighborhood Bill of Rights to restore and protect Jacksonville’s most historically neglected communities.

🎤 Speakers:

• Anthony Brown – Redlining Policy Advocate

• Dennise Cook – Redlining Policy Advocate

• Apostle Leo L. Dawson – Community Leader & Faith Organizer

🎧 In this episode:

• The long-term impact of environmental and economic redlining

• Reclaiming harmful infrastructure for healing and justice

• Elevating community voice and codifying local rights

• Legislative and grassroots strategies to protect Black, Brown, and working-class neighborhoods

🗣️ Support the Movement:

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🗳️ Support the Campaign for FLHD14
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📅 Get Involved Locally:
🟣 Red Alliance for Justice Town Hall
Held every 3rd Thursday of the month at True Church of the Living God, 1405 State St W, Jacksonville, FL 32209
Stay informed and stay engaged in building community-rooted policy solutions!

#LoveThyNeighborhood #ThereseForFLHD14 #EnvironmentalJustice #NeighborhoodRights #JacksonvillePolitics #CodifyTheCommunity #RedliningTruth #VoicesFLHD14

In this special Advocacy Legacy Series episode of Voices of Florida House District 14: Love Thy Neighborhood, we welcome Dr. Melissa Haussman, Professor Emerita of Political Science at Carleton University, a cross-border scholar, author, and lifelong activist in U.S. and Canadian politics.

From the Massachusetts Legislature to university classrooms in Canada, Melissa’s career spans more than 35 years of advocacy, authorship, and public service. She is the author or co-author of eight books on U.S. and comparative politics—with a ninth on gender and intersectionality in public policy forthcoming in 2025.

As an elected official, campaign strategist, and educator, Dr. Haussman brings a sharp lens to the intersection of gender, power, and policy. In this episode, she reflects on the evolution of women’s legislative leadership, the importance of civic literacy in a polarized age, and what it means to remain politically engaged—across borders and generations.

🎧 Tune in for an intergenerational conversation on the role of scholarship in shaping activism, the unfinished work of gender justice, and how teaching becomes advocacy when rooted in truth.

#MelissaHaussman, #AdvocacyAcademiaActivism
#VoicesOfFLHD14
#LoveThyNeighborhood
#PoliticalScienceMatters
#WomenInPolitics
#IntersectionalityInAction
#GenderJustice
#ComparativePolitics
#AcademicActivism
#VoteTherese
#FLHD14
#DemocracyInTheClassroom
#PeoplePoweredPolitics
#GlobalCivicEngagement

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