DeAmon Harges is interviewed by Lisa Greenwood and Casper ter Kuile on Igniting Imagination Podcast. The 2021 Locke Innovative Leader Award Winner discusses the sacredness of remembering and storytelling as a way to reinforce the innate value of our neighbors.
Co-hosts Lisa Greenwood and Casper ter Kuile talk with DeAmon Harges, 2021 Locke Innovative Leader Award Winner. DeAmon is the original “Roving Listener” who defined the role by his posture of curiosity and his passion for discovering the gifts and talents of the people in his community. He is also the founder of The Learning Tree, a non-profit that uses the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach with city governments and organizations to improve the quality of lives of people, communities, schools and businesses.
His approach has greatly influenced how congregations, non-profits, and local governments view their work. Instead of seeing people and communities as lacking in resources, DeAmon sees their wealth of “intangible currencies” such as imagination, relationships, and stories that bring people together in a fellowship of “mutual delight.” This conversation may well inspire you to be a “Social Banker” like DeAmon, who extends the metaphor: when you invest in the intangible currencies in your neighborhood, you will find the riches of love, hope, and joy in abundance!