By: Monica Ray
The last couple of months have been nothing short of transformative for me and for the Congress Heights Community Training and Development Corporation (CHCTDC), the organization I founded and have led for many years. In case you missed it, I was recently selected to be an Emerson Collective Dial Fellow. The Dial Fellowship offers leaders, like myself, …. the tools, mentorship, and network I need to take our work in the Congress Heights community to the next level.
As the Executive Director of CHCTDC, my mission has always been to foster economic opportunity and self-sufficiency in a historically underinvested neighborhood. CHCTDC is located in Southeast Washington, DC…. Through this fellowship, I’m gaining invaluable insights that will offer me unique opportunities to elevate the work I do and help me sharpen my skills to be an effective community leader, in urban revitalization and social equity. The mentorship I’m receiving is helping me refine my strategies for building sustainable programs that address the unique needs of Congress Heights, including workforce development, affordable housing, and youth education—initiatives I’ve been passionate about for over 30 years.
The process to becoming a Fellow was quite rigorous, but well worth it. The fellowship’s emphasis on capacity-building aligns perfectly with my own values and mission. Expanding my leadership skills and connecting with a diverse network of changemakers and getting up on a stage in front of a room full of strangers to explain the work that we do at CDC everyday took me out of my comfort zone, but it was the catalyst I needed to help me forge new partnerships that will amplify CHCTDC’s impact. Over the next year, these collaborations will lead to concrete outcomes for the Congress Heights community—whether it’s more job training opportunities, stronger advocacy for affordable housing, or policies that directly benefit our residents.
This partnership with the Emerson Collective Dial Fellowship is a clear reminder of how the right support can amplify grassroots efforts and empower leaders to create lasting change. I am energized to continue our work in Congress Heights and help build a future rooted in opportunity, resilience, and community-driven programs.