"We must always do what’s right, no matter the consequence"

My grandmother, Mamie L. Hinton, was a Mississippi sharecropper who often spoke to her grandkids about serving the community and keeping a moral compass.

From a resident of the West Side of Columbus to Washington and back to Columbus as a resident in Bronzeville, I have dedicated my life to doing what’s right, regardless of the consequence.

That’s why I came back to Columbus. I sought out the need to get into good trouble.

As a Black teenager attending a predominantly white high school in Grove City, I remember being told I couldn’t work in politics or government because I wasn’t a white man.

Confronting similar daily microaggressions that questioned my abilities because of the color of my skin there and in my neighborhood made good trouble more and more familiar.

While in high school, I recognized that there was not an acknowledgment for Black History Month.

I was met with resistance; however, I created a way to celebrate the contributions of African Americans by highlighting daily Black history facts on the morning school news television segment.

I discovered in that moment the necessity of educating folks and how it was my avenue to serve and bring to light the issues of the most vulnerable, no matter the consequence.

In 2016, while in Washington, D.C., I had the opportunity to interview Congressman John Lewis.

In that conversation, he implored that my generation push the envelope. Rather than simply getting in good trouble, it was time to move beyond that and get into necessary trouble. After that conversation, it was clear to me that I needed to return home to Columbus.

Columbus was entering a new age with new leaders in 2016.

As a West Side resident who attended private schools, Columbus City Schools and Southwestern City Schools, I understood that many students, parents and my peers needed additional assistance and resources to survive.

I specifically knew of my peers who had overdosed, committed suicide or, unfortunately, became involved in the justice system. The odds were stacked against them as they and their families tried to make ends meet.

Once I returned home, I immediately got into good trouble by working with my church, friends and former classmates to meet with government officials about police and community relations, access to higher education, providing additional resources to support foster youth and more.

It was clear to me that when folks held their leaders accountable, sound — and equitable — policy could be created.

In both my professional and personal capacities, I serve the community to do just that — have difficult and uncomfortable conversations to advocate for our community’s needs.

That’s why the work that I do as the director of community engagement for Columbus City Council is critical.

Engaging the community allows people to succeed and maintain a sense of ownership in the growth Columbus and this region is experiencing.

I believe we all should have inclusive and critical conversations with our neighbors to understand one another better. More important, the ways in which we hold one another accountable with respect and understanding.

I also believe that we must build community together by acknowledging our transportation, education, housing and safety needs.

We must always do what’s right, no matter the consequence.

We also must recognize that we cannot do any of this alone, and it’s going to take us all getting into good trouble to make a more equitable society.

That’s what we should be striving for here in Columbus.

Stanley E. Gates II was born and raised in Columbus and received a BA in political science at Howard University and an MA in educational policy at Ohio State University. His passion lies in policy regarding higher education access, racial equity and foster youth.