motivation for bridge building leaders
If you’re a leader seeking to move beyond your silo to authentically cultivate relationships across differences and more effectively lead within our diverse world, this weekly journal is just the tool you need to encourage the continued development of your bridge-building muscle!
What great leaders are saying…
“Dae leads with authenticity, humility and curiosity which feeds his creativity, his love of people and optimism of the human spirit.”
— Jenny Ward
SVP of Digital & Global Marketing, Bank of America
“When at risk of inequitable outcomes and incomplete insights, Dae stepped up to help design and implement equitable solutions.”
— Michael J. Smith
CEO, Charlotte Center City Partners
“Curiosity, and a quiet disposition to solve problems through re-imaginative conversation is what makes Dae a remarkable leader.”
— Michael A. Devaul
Exec. Dir, Boys and Young Men of Color, YMCA
“Dae brings innovation, creativity, and intentionality into every conversation. He’s a calm, powerful force for positive change.”
— Molly Shaw
Fmr. President, Communities In Schools Charlotte
about the author
From the corner to the cul-de-sac, to building bridges of hope
David “Dae-Lee” Arrington is a 40 Under 40 Business Journal honoree, GRAMMY-nominated and Telly Award-winning artist, creative entrepreneur, and community servant. Though it may sound like a complex life, he simply sees himself as a bridge-builder wherever he exists.
THE TALE OF TWO LIVES
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Dae-Lee was raised as the knee baby of four children in Huntersville, a low-income Black neighborhood. Fast forward to 2001, where as a result of family turmoil, life would pick him up and drop him on the steps of the predominately white and affluent Ballantyne community in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Experiencing the shock of this 180° racial, cultural, and socioeconomic shift, the move would expose him to the realities of the “other side of the tracks” that most Americans only theorize about. Struggling to adjust, his awareness regarding the negative impact of his and others’ implicit biases in this new reality would soon challenge some of his core beliefs about how much we really cared for one another within society. Thankfully, with much patience, Dae-Lee learned to open himself up and welcome the differences around him, and embrace the value within this new cultural experience.
CHANGE HAPPENS IN AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIP
Whether it was at the Art Institute where Dae-Lee studied Multi-Media & Web Design, Elevation Church where “The Black rapper guy in white evangelical worship services” was born, or living with two white roommates after college— he realized that when you open yourself up to engage in authentic relationship, eyes are opened and opportunities for growth are presented. Within the honesty and safety of a relationship, you begin to understand that most people are not hateful or mean-spirited, most are just sadly disconnected from the realities and innate value present within every human regardless of race, culture, or socioeconomic status.
As a result of his unique journey, Dae-Lee is passionate about “Cultivating Authentic Relationships & Radical Connections” in his human-centered work.
