Eliminating the Systemic Barriers that Students of Color Face

Jonathan Gardner not only believes that every student’s dream has a home, but he’s made “GardHouse” an actual platform to be this. 

He worked with Profound Gentlemen's Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer, Mario Jovan Shaw, who  helped me understand the power of owning your story and sharing it. Our stories empower others to rise to the occasion and assist with bringing about the impact required.

Profound Gentlemen played a major role in this non-profit leader building his vision. Jonathan participated in many of PG’s retreats, inspiring him to  learn more about how to tell his story and the steps he took in helping others to find success. 

What are you currently reading? 

"What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker" by Damon Young.

Who/ what inspires you? 

What inspires me is watching performances from entertainers around the world. The majority of youth, I’ve watched the greatest entertainment professionals (ie. Michael Jackson and Beyonce) draw in audiences of all demographics. Using their gifts to prompt those to put aside their troubles and differences to fully understand what’s being presented. These entertainers thrive off the ability to connect with the audience to increase their chances of subduing differences. Often, I look at these performances to learn how to best utilize space, sound, and imagery to increase the connection with our students. Mastering this will allow me to provide experiences for all current and future stakeholders to best digest why GardHouse is so impactful.   

After analyzing his own obstacles entering the workforce, Jonathan created GardHouse to provide resources for students just like himself. We are sharing Jonathan's story of success and more on him. 

What do you do to feel connected to others and feel as though you are part of a larger community? 

I feel most connected to my community when I take the time to listen to what is being said by them. As mentioned, I strive to make a connection. It’s the only way that I know how to build a true relationship. A lot of the stories that I have been told by our community members have helped me to empathize with those who we serve. Knowing that they too are going through what I've experienced assures me that are all in this together.

What about Profound Gentlemen's work most resonates most with you? 

What resonates most with me about PG's work is its ability to harness the stories of others to influence change in communities of color. This pillar is why I give, serve, and exalt PG in all of my doing. Without this basic, yet transformative principle, the work that we do as leaders would not be possible.

What is something that you wish to be true for future generations? 

I hope that future generations can accept where they are in their own stories. That they allow for grace as they continue their development journey. 

In what ways is your vision/non-profit helping to make a global impact?

Through GardHouse, we are working to eliminate the systemic barriers that college students of color face when seeking post-grad employment. With the assistance of minority-owned businesses, students of color are being developed in our paid internship programs to become the next generation of leaders.

Please check out GardHouse and the continued success of Jonathan and his team.