Fighting the Poverty of Hope

Jason Watson uses his gifts to be On Fire For Good.

“The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.” -Mother Teresa

Jason Watson was born with a knack for connecting easily with others, influencing those around him, and exhibiting a resourceful mentality.

The youngest of 10 siblings to an addicted mother and a deceased father, Jason grew up in an impoverished neighborhood. Nearly all his neighbors shared the tragic bonds of being completely broke and of having incarcerated family members. As a young boy, Jason remembers not having Christmas presents under the tree yet not feeling bad about it because neither did most of his friends.

But what Jason remembers most poignantly from childhood wasn’t a lack of material possession, it was a profound lack of hope.

At 13, in a perverse lesson in self-reliance, his mother’s drug dealers taught Jason the ins and outs of the business. While it seems cruel to most of us, Jason refers to it now as ‘broken love,’ noting that these individuals appeared to be stabilizing force in a life too often lacking it.

By 15 Jason was using drugs, had dropped out of high school, got into trouble and ended up incarcerated.

The rest could be—and probably should be—history.

Except that upon release, Jason started on a path that allowed him to parlay his gifts of connection and influence to become one of the most respected young changemakers in his city.

Eventually he connected with an organization – Mission: St. Louis- that empowered him to use his experience, his talents and his enduring passion to impact the lives of those around him. Jason’s work there taught the young man innately capable of connecting easily with others, influencing them, and possessing a resourceful mentality how to use those talents to help others feel empowered, supported and in control of their futures.

Jason learned that when he poured into people to restore connection, it ignited meaning and hope in his life. And perhaps more importantly, he learned that when it came from a place of understanding, not judgement, the individuals he mentored were far more likely to embrace their opportunity.

Over his years at Mission: St. Louis, he’s worked on the ground as a mentor and coach for those struggling to reintegrate after incarceration. He’s overseen programs and curriculum aimed at improving job skills. At the director level, he’s helped make sure the team ‘walked the walk’ and with a staff that reflected the diverse nature of the communities it serves. And finally, as a vice president, he has inspired their team, donors and constituents alike with a shared vision to fight the poverty of hope.

Friends, poverty of hope can weaken our relationships, erode our self-worth and feed into the negativity that keep us not only divided collectively, but broken individually. Need proof, just look at young Jason Watson.

And yet, hope grows when it’s infused by a supportive and inspiring community.

Through his transformation, Jason has shown us the incredible possibility that exists when the gifts we possess are used for the benefit of others.

Today, let’s choose to use our own gifts to be on fire for good and inspire hope in the communities in which we live.

Today is your day. Live Inspired.

P.S. Learn more about Jason’s story and hear directly from him about his work with Mission: St. Louis during our next Live Inspired Together Call on Monday, September 9, at 4:00 p.m. Central. Register here!

Each month, we celebrate individuals who are grateful for all they have, joyful in all they do, and positively change the world one life at a time. In other words, individuals that are On Fire For Good! Jason’s story was shared by Meredith Boggess. If you know someone you’d like to recognize, nominate them here.