William Emmanuel Hall, Founder of Acts of Love, is a man who loves all people, and is dedicated to serving those in need. Growing up on the Southside of Chicago, Will has witnessed the frustrations of ordinary people trying to make progress. Since the age of 4, William has lived out his commitment to uplifting, defending and restoring the poor and the truth. We sat down with this amazing man of God to discuss his newest adventure “Family Literacy Academy” and more.
Q: What inspired to you to develop Act’s of Love “Family Literacy Academy”?
A: Family Literacy Academy is a way for us to sustain communities. Community sustainability is one of our three tiers; resources and advocacy are the other two. So for us, Family Literacy Academy is an opportunity for us to build something in Chicago within the community that will sustain itself over time. Which will result in helping the community in a capacity that is very intimate. It’s one location, once a month, for four hours. We start the day off with a great breakfast, followed by dedicated time to only focus on literacy. So the reason that we are doing it up close and personal is because in this Family Literacy Academy, we are dealing with the family; parents as well as children. Parents are the key to a child’s success. To have literacy in the home requires inspired parents and right now we are faced with the rates of 15% of adults in America are illiterate. Therefore if we have 15% of adults that don’t know how to read, you have a child that you’re trying to teach how to read but then you yourself cannot read, then you have two generations of illiteracy. So it’s our way to dealing with a societal norm that is unfortunately being brushed under the rug.
Q: What do you feel are some of the main challenges those families within Chicago and urban cities face?
A: Number one is that there are no jobs. We look at this concentrated violence. We don’t see it in neighborhoods where there is good education, access to jobs, and access to adequate transportation. We’re not seeing that in poor communities. What you see in poor communities is a depletion of jobs, depletion of base needs such as good healthcare, good schools and with the restructure of the educational structure the quality of education is compromised. So there is not quality education, no access to jobs, and people in these neighborhoods struggle with addictions, mental issues, and incarceration.
Q: What does community mean to you?
A: Community means to me the two words, commune together and unity. When we look at communities nowadays unfortunately we do all our work at ground zero of poverty. For example, you go to a neighborhood in Englewood and you see only one home and the rest of the block is vacant with abandoned buildings. The next block is maybe filled with homes were there is some activity. Well, if I’m a young person and I have to walk one block, that block may cost me my life. So there’s no communing together within community. In communities we should come together to a good time, to see about our neighborhoods, to fellowship, and in a way that everybody maters. Unity!
Q: Describe what leadership means to you.
A: Leadership is focusing on building and sustaining something for the common good no matter who gets the credit. That’s what leadership is about. More can get done if leaders don’t focus on who gets the credit. Today’s generation is really struggling to be selfless which then promotes selfishness. They are more concerned about branding instead of sustaining something that can last 30-40 years. When you look back on the historic events such as the Civil Rights movement, it was built on the fact that people were selfless. We had a common goal and we all needed to do something.
Q: If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
A: Love would be our constitution. That would be a universal constitution on every continent in the world. Everyone would have to obey by the requirements of love, which are be patient, be kind, not self-centered, not boosting, not keeping records of wrong, not easily provoked. Love should be the constitution in humanity.
Q: Finish the sentence …
Before I die I’d like to ___________________
A: Inspire the world to love young people on all seven continents.
My goal each day is to __________________
A: Love until I’m empty.
For more information on William Hall or to see how you can support his organization Act’s of Love, please visit www.millionactsoflove.org.
Make sure to follow him on social media:
Facebook (Acts of Love Campaign)
Twitter (@loveyoungpeople)
Instagram (LoveYoungPeople)
YouTube (Acts of Love)
