There are times I feel like a stranger in my own hometown

Power Station

Every person has a story to tell and the same is true for organizations founded by local leaders to tackle inequities in their communities. In Power Station’s first episode of 2024, the remarkable Lynn French shares both her own origin story and that of Hope and a Home, the changemaking nonprofit she leads. Her personal journey started in segregated Washington, DC where she grew up in a family of educators and civil rights activists who embraced the ethos of standing up for what is right. During her tenure in city government, Lynn pushed bureaucratic boundaries to bring equitable community development to Washington DC. She drafted the Homestead Preservation Act, allowing nonprofits to reclaim abandoned homes for families locked out of the housing market. When she retired from government, she was asked to lead Home and a Home, a nonprofit that emerged from the closure of Junior Village, an orphanage that systemically abused vulnerable children and families. Now Lynn French strengthens families by providing stable housing and multi-generational training, education, and support. These families, who may be your neighbors, are now thriving, and they have an important story of their own.