Guided by a Mission Bigger Than You
From Nonprofit Leadership Podcast by Dr. Rob Harter
March 22, 2026 · 44 min
About this episode
Asiaha Butler shares her journey of transforming a community through grassroots leadership and a mission-driven approach.
Asiaha Butler In this episode Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Asiaha Butler, co-founder and CEO of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.), to explore how one resident’s decision to stay transformed into a powerful, resident-led movement for community healing, ownership, and revitalization. Asiaha shares the defining moment that changed her life: seeing a young girl playing in a vacant lot filled with broken glass and deciding that leaving Englewood was no longer the answer. Through this conversation, Asiaha unpacks how grassroots leadership, deep relationship-building, and a mission bigger than yourself can spark lasting change. From helping residents reclaim vacant lots to promoting homeownership, economic justice, and neighborhood belonging, her story offers nonprofit leaders a compelling model for building trust, preventing mission drift, and leading with both courage and joy. Key Topics Include: How a single moment in a vacant lot inspired Asiaha Butler to stay in Englewood and invest in her community The founding story of R.A.G.E. (Resident Association of Greater Englewood) and its resident-led approach to transformation Why “community development of the…
People in this episode
Host: Rob Harter
Guest: Asiaha Butler
Topics covered
- community healing
- grassroots leadership
- nonprofit leadership
- economic justice
- homeownership
- neighborhood belonging
Keywords
- R.A.G.E.
- community revitalization
- trust building
- mission drift prevention
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Englewood
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