Tianna McCullough's Address at the Michael Redd Foundation Gala

(Brother Mark Carrico, Executive Director

of the House of Peace, and Tianna McCullough)

Good Evening.

My name is Tianna Rae McCullough and I am honored this evening to speak with you all about the House of Peace Community Center and how it continues to leave an everlasting impression on my life. I stand before you this evening, the youngest of six, an honors student, sophomore, English major/French minor at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia with hopes of going on to law school. I was born and raised in Milwaukee in an extended family residing just a few blocks away from the House of Peace.  The House of Peace Community Center has been my second home since I can remember.  I’ve gained so much from the House of Peace; however, tonight I would like share with you all what I believe are the most important ideas and qualities that I have acquired through my experiences and work within the House of Peace.

Community, Compassion, Leadership.  These words describe for me the essence of the House of Peace mission, and the ways I have internalized and sought to apply these principles to my life. 

The first quality, community, comes from my work within the center as a multi-tasking assistant. Since the summer of my sophomore year in high school, I have had the privilege of working with the wonderful staff to deliver services to our guests. From this experience, especially my ability to work personally with our guests, I’ve learned to take responsibility for my community by addressing their most basic needs – food, shelter, clothing, safety and security.

The next quality, compassion, comes from being in an environment that not only offers services to meet the physical needs of our guests, but also their emotional and spiritual needs.  I’ve come to understand that through compassion for my brothers and sisters, I too may share in the work of making the world a better place.

The last quality, leadership, has continued to resonate with me through my involvement in the House of Peace Teen Leader program.  In this program, I had the opportunity to shine as a leader. I was constantly exposed to methods for conflict resolution, then given the task of teaching these skills to my peers through workshops and meetings throughout the state.

As a college student, I am constantly reminded of, and able to, apply the qualities I believe that only the House of Peace could have taught me. I exercise my qualities of community in the residence halls. I demonstrate compassion through my everyday interactions with my peers in the classroom and on campus.  And I demonstrate my leadership skills in the Spelman College Writing Center where I work as a tutor, the Georgia Department of Human Resources where I work as an intern, and within my volunteer work and extracurricular activities.  I take these qualities – community, compassion, and leadership – onward in my pursuit of higher education and my happiness in life.