When Kevin Spears was elected to the Wilmington City Council in 2019, he brought to the role not only his own lived experiences as a Black native of the city, but also his long history as a volunteer, activist, and advocate for the city’s underrepresented communities. This has included his positions as a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; as president of Peace For the Port, a non-profit organization focusing on community violence; and as chairman of the MLK Jr. Recreation Association, a non-profit focusing on recreational and educational programs for inner city youth. For Kevin, community leadership is more than just talking. “I think at this point we’re done identifying the problems. So now it’s time for action. There have been a lot of meetings–too many meetings. Too much talk.”

“This agency was born out of my own experience,” says Frankie Roberts, who has served as the Executive Director of Leading Into New Communities, Inc. (LINC, Inc.) since he and co-founder Tracey Ray started it in 2000. LINC, Inc. provides transitional living and case management services to meet the needs of those who are returning from incarceration, and has successfully helped reintegrate over 1,200 men and women who have been released from prison since 2002; 92% of which have avoided reoffending thanks to LINC’s services.