Why I Joined the Board Series: Genaro Stewart, Thursday Network President
Written by Genaro Stewart
On February 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr., preached “The Drum Major Instinct” from the pulpit of his grandfather’s church, the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. Ironically, two months before his assassination on April 4, 1968. In this sermon, he origins a new definition of greatness; offering that “everybody can be great because everybody can serve” others, everyone can pursue love, everyone can pursue virtue — Be first in having “a soul generated by love and a heart full of Grace”. A real call to action.
I can vividly recall the importance of community service and community outreach as a young child. My mom was a trauma nurse and would often volunteer at AIDS Atlanta and would bring me along to watch her conducting tests and assisting individuals battling HIV and needing help acquiring medication, housing and financial resources. My father was and still is a city councilman and a church deacon. He would often bring me along when he was involved in many outreach projects and efforts to advocate for his constituents around the city. So giving back and seeing the humanity in people has been a pillar of my life since childhood.
My Thursday Network story is likely very similar to others; as a transplant to the city. I arrived in the Washington, D.C. area after living and working abroad in the country of Jordan. Most of my network was made of professionals that I had met and served with overseas and who had made the DMV home. In 2016, I made the decision to purchase a home and make the DC area my new residence. Shortly after I began volunteering at church, 100 Black Men of DC and some other community projects around the region. Shortly thereafter my neighbor Kristin Shymoniak, former community service chair and Thursday Network President invited me to several TN’s events. I can recall one of my first events was the August GBM when Brian Hence was elected president. I remembered how I was so impressed by the structure, formality and professionalism of the programming event. I think it’s fair to say after that encounter I started “dating” Thursday Network. I would attend events here and there but was still not sold on joining the organization as a member. But one evening at a ‘Grits and Biscuit’ party with several friends (identities protected) from Thursday Network I went to the app and paid my dues and continued the evening festivities!
My journey to become a board member was by unique circumstances. At the time, I was very active in the personal and professional development committee. The current chair at the time experienced some personal issues resulting in them having to resign from the post and Amy Lee, a former VP asked if I had the availability to step into the position; which I accepted the appointment. The creative programming envisioned by the committee would inspire me to later accept the nomination of VP and then eventually choose to run for President after careful consultation with many former presidents of the organization over the years dating back to 2011. I think it would be minimal to suggests I simply drank the Kool-Aid. To suggest that would be to discount the 30 years of impact this transformative organization and its members have had on the metropolitan Washington D.C. community at large. My decision to serve as a board member is rooted in my upbringing of the importance of service and aligns with Dr. King’s most persistent and urgent question, “What are you doing for others?” In Thursday Network I discovered an organization that was professional, consistent and passionate about educating its members, supporting the community and advancing our youth. Since day one I have seen this organization’s members committed to do the work and can’t wait to see what the next 30 years have in store for wildest dreams birthed from our founder Ms. Maudine Cooper.
Genaro Stewart
Thursday Network President
