The 2012 Trayvon Martin tragedy affected me deeply. His and each ensuing tragedy violently robbed us of a young life – it was a theft of possibilities. Eight years later, in May 2020 a convergence of events both political and personal shook something loose in me. My mother, Pastor Earlean Tooley died in the same month as the revived Civil Rights era ethos and the ensuing protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd.
The responsibility of leading the church in East Mims was passed along to me. Having been suddenly thrust into the role of a community leader, I realize that I can no longer be paralyzed – voiceless, powerless. I must lead. We must act.
This is the purpose for which Tooley Community Development Group exists.
This is why uplifting a neighborhood, my hometown, that has been economically decimated by redlining, disinvestment, and decades of policies resulting in disenfranchisement, is more than a mission or vision statement. It has become my life’s purpose. It is the small part that we, our Board, our Staff, our supporters, and our volunteers, in our little corner of the planet, can play in not only honoring my mother’s legacy but also in righting the wrongs imposed by centuries of injustice.
In this, we are unfolding an era of new possibilities starting in East Mims, our own community.
Karen M. Curry,
Chairman & Executive Director
TCDG Core Values