“Stop Waiting for Change” — Ron Reynolds on Taking Back Our Communities

In this powerful episode of What in the Health is Going On?, we sit down with Ron Reynolds for an honest and eye-opening conversation about the current realities facing our communities.

Recorded during the grand opening of the Grace Community Outreach Greenspoint Community & Business Development Center, this episode explores the real challenges affecting marginalized communities today — including policy changes, funding cuts, rising unemployment, and systemic barriers.

Rep. Reynolds shares powerful insights on the importance of leadership, economic empowerment, and community collaboration during what many are calling a modern-day civil rights moment.

In This Episode

•  How federal funding cuts are impacting community programs and resources 
•  Why small businesses remain the backbone of economic progress 
•  The role of collaboration between leaders, businesses, and local communities 
•  The urgent need for ownership, unity, and action in today’s social climate 

Throughout the conversation, Ron Reynolds emphasizes that meaningful change requires collective effort. Instead of waiting for change to happen, communities must come together and take action — continuing the legacy of influential leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

This episode is more than just a discussion — it’s a call to action for business owners, community leaders, and anyone passionate about making a difference.

Listen If You:

•  Care about community development and social impact 
•  Are a small business owner or entrepreneur 
•  Want to stay informed about issues affecting underserved communities 
•  Believe in the power of leadership, collaboration, and civic engagement 

Stay Connected

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that inform, inspire, and empower communities.

Watch the Episode

Watch the full conversation here: https://youtu.be/93YdIz_u8Hs

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

We'd like to welcome you to the number 10 episode of What in the Health is going on. Today we have a special guest with the State Representative Ron Reynolds. And I jokingly tell him, are you actually the councilman or the representative for District 18 or now District 29? I see this guy everywhere. I could be at a restaurant, a community event. Hey, I go to a concert and go to the restroom. I'm running into our state representative. So I would like to welcome to the uh to the stage today. State representative Ron Reynolds. Welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

I'm super excited to be here today, man. It's an honor. I consider it a privilege. You don't know I have a clone out there. So okay. You got breaking news. I have a body double, and he sees him a lot too.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

Well, I actually just I'm very appreciative to it because one of the things I really admire and appreciate about what he's doing in the community is not spit to a specific district. He's everywhere. He's actually motivational because I see him in spaces having that conversation of the things that we're concerned about and what in the health is going on. It's not just about what is physically going on, it's about the health of our community as a whole. That's right. And today we have the grand opening of Grace Community Outreach, Greens Point Community and Business Development Center. And he came and shared with us today. What I'd like to do, what is going on in the in government right now that's affecting our community as it relates to job opportunities?

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Well, I'm gonna first of all, congratulations. Today's grand open ribbon cutting was exciting. I'm so proud of you. Thank you. And and and the village, the team that you have for Grace Community Outreach. You all are amazing, doing some phenomenal things. And I think that you're gonna be such a beacon of light and a blessing to our community. What's going on? I'm gonna keep it real with you. We're in some dark times. We're in some challenging times right now. We've seen this administration roll back a lot of the uh social safety net, a lot of the programs that were benefiting, helping marginalized communities with this notion of ending DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. So I'm gonna be very straightforward with you. That's anti-black and brown and poor communities that are being targeted from these cuts. And so these cuts are coming at the federal level where they're eliminating these programs, this funding from the federal government, diverting them to other things like the Department of Uh Interior, uh, Department of War, I mean the Pentagon. They're they're diverting a lot of the funding that was going into the community to help keep people out of jail through programs, implementing uh safe spaces, uh grants for for after-school programs and wraparound services. And those programs are now on life support, and many of them have already shuttered. So to have grace come into uh existence is really a critical time in this country.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

One of the things we want to do in our organization is that we want to be a callous for changing ownership. Yeah. Many times in our community, we're looking for someone else to help solve our problems. That's it. I'm a believer that, particularly those of us who are small business owners, we all know small business is the backbone of America.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

Definitely.

SPEAKER_00 3:39

We got to start meeting with our government officials, meeting with our schools, meeting with our faith-based leaders and really strategically come together.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

That's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

So, what we've done over the last four years is that we've funded everything out of our pocket, 100% out of our pocket. We're now looking at other tools and resources in order to be able to get additional support because we realize our resources is limited. But in our community, it's very, very different. I had an idea, I was thinking if you go area by area and look at the population, and when we have an easy, think about it. You mentioned earlier today that there are more African Americans in Texas than any other state. Number one. I would say we're probably in the top two or three when it comes to the Hispanic Latino population. Two number two. Number number two. What are some things you think we can do to take ownership of resolving our issues from within?

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Well, I think personally, there are so many people who are waiting on the next savior. They're waiting on someone else to do it. You know, my faith teaches me to whom much is given, much is required. You're leading by example. You said you've been funding this out of your pocket. I I don't know a lot of people that are willing to do that from a philanthropic standpoint, uh, to come out of their own pocket, out of their own proceeds to pay it forward for someone else. That is an example of servant leadership. So, in order for us to have this kind of change, we have to have the village concept that it takes a village to raise a community, that each one reach one. Uh, that is what it's gonna take because we're in some challenging times. We're in a time where people are suffering. Black women are have the highest unemployment rate in decades. Right now, because of these policies that are systematically targeted black and brown communities with this quote unquote merit-based nonsense. But really, you have many qualified African Americans that are being played replaced by white men. And so this is a critical time where it takes all of us, all hands on deck, to give back, to pay it forward. All of us stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. All of us stand on the shoulders of those who make good and necessary trouble so that we can break down those barriers of Jim Crow. And it was it was that village concept that helped get us out. Well, in 2026, it's gonna be that same type of commitment. This is our civil rights moment right here, right now. If you ever wondered what you would do during the 60s when they were having these race riots and all that, this is our time. So we have the baton now. This is on our watch. So I want to commend you for what you're doing, and I want to challenge others to partner and collaborate. This is a time of collaboration. And I hope that many others will step up because government alone, they're not gonna solve the problems. Waiting on the savior is not gonna solve our problems. Waiting on the next Martin Luther King or Malcolm X, that's not happening. We have to be the change that we want to see.

SPEAKER_00 6:47

You know, when I first heard the statistics that it relates to our African-American sisters that are impacted, I don't think we really understand the significance of that. I don't know the statistics specifically, but I know there's some spaces where there's 60, 70, 80% of the homes are single-parent homes headed by an African-American female. That's right. The impact of that, you know, that's that's strategic, that's warfare. Yeah.

unknown 7:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

That's chopping off the head of the snake. That's warfare. So one of the things I want to do is I want to look into the Kramble directly. If you are a small business owner in our community, I want to meet with you. I want to have conversations, I want to bring the politicians, I want to bring the churches, I want to bring the nonprofits and the business together. We must do what it takes to solve the issue ourselves. We don't have to have the$200,000,$100,000 vehicles. We need to start investing back into our community because we are investing really for our children. I'm 39 years older than my daughter, and my concern, I feel I ask God on a daily basis. As I invest back into my community, I'm asking God for a favor for my children and for my grandchildren. It's important that we pay it for. So I'm willing to make their sacrifice. And it's you as making their sacrifice. I want to thank you for the contribution that you're making to the community because I know he's an alpha, we shake hands. An alpha, alpha, and a kappa, we believe that fraternities and sororities need to come together and be about the business of doing what all of our organization meant. That we come together and we lead and solve our problems. God bless you and have an amazing day.