Village Talks Ep. 4 — Cliff Goins on Wealth, Nonprofits, and Building a Real Village
https://youtu.be/VrzFyR9tDZs Village Talks Ep. 4 — Cliff Goins on Wealth, Nonprofits, and Building a Real Village What’s up, fam—Damien here. Today’s conversation hit me in the gut (in the best way). My brother Cliff Goins IV—South Side native, Whitney Young alum, investor, and author—joins Village Talks to get real about economic agency, nonprofit clarity, and how the village […]
Village Talks Ep. 3 — “Be who you’re here to be.” A Conversation with Youth Strategist Patricia Wicks
https://youtu.be/v281cHqhPo0 Village Talks Ep. 3 — “Be who you’re here to be.” A Conversation with Youth Strategist Patricia Wicks What’s up, fam—Damien here. If you’ve been rocking with Village Talks, you already know the heart: bring the village together so our young people don’t just survive—they thrive. The more we connect, share tools, and tell […]
Village Talks Ep. 2: Building Bridges Between Nonprofit & For-Profit with Vince Edwards
https://youtu.be/1LhixbvlFp4 “It takes a village to raise a child.” That African proverb shaped this week’s conversation on Village Talks, where we explored what it means to mobilize the power of community—not just in words, but through strategic partnerships and innovative ideas. I sat down with Vincent Edwards, a seasoned entrepreneur, consultant, and founder of the Empire Builders Foundation, to […]
AI, Equity, and the Urgency to Personalize K–12 Learning
Hi, I’m Damien Howard—educator, community builder, and founder of SELvie.I’ve spent the last two decades working alongside students and mentors, especially in under-resourced schools. And let me tell you plainly: our current system is not built to personalize learning at scale. The ProblemStudents are falling through the cracks.✅ 40% of Black students in Illinois are chronically […]
Introducing SELvie
https://sel-plus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/072ff37-a8c-20c-5a7c-6ab5c160d620_IMG_0438.mov Introducing SELvie: Intelligent Mentoring for Real Change “I don’t care what you do for a living—if you do it well, I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.” – Denzel Washington Across the country, schools and communities are in crisis. Students are falling behind academically, emotionally, and socially. […]
From “Programs” to a Support System: A Practical SEL Playbook for Youth-Serving Organizations
Youth thrive when the adults around them share the skills, language, and support systems to respond consistently. This practical SEL+ playbook shows how adult SEL training, wrap-around community partners, and everyday tools—plus SELvie—can strengthen the whole caregiving village.
How you can be the answer to equitable education opportunities
By Damien Howard Education is foundational to success. This is why education is one of the pillars of Together Chicago along with a partnership with Administer Justice to establish neighborhood gospel justice centers. Damien shares why equitable education opportunity is so critical. Hello Neighbor! That is how I usually greet my friends serving alongside me on the South and […]