Congratulations to our selection for IMPACT Leader of the Month, Michael Alexander Blake! Mr. Blake is a man of God whose family says went from no house to the White House.

His family is from Jamaica, West Indies has overcome remarkable adversity to get to where they at now – only thanks to the grace and mercy of The Lord.

Michael’s family history and journey is powerful.

He was born on Christmas Day of 1982 with a heart murmur and was named after his father’s respect of former Prime Minister Michael Manley and labor national hero Alexander Bustamante.

Michael survived four car accidents, his mother is a breast cancer survivor who also is an occasional in home nurses aide, his father just retired after 29 years of cleaning emergency rooms in Saint Barnabas Hospital and his oldest brother is a 21-year Army veteran who just returned from service in Iraq.

Michael’s elementary school in The Bronx (P.S. 79) is featured in “Savage Inequalities of Public Education” by Jonathan Kozol. But, Michael’s circumstances did not define him. He and his family continued to press on towards higher goals.

His mother, who for a time slept on church pews in Jamaica gives God thanks that the journey has led Michael to becoming the African-American outreach director for the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama.

The Bronx, New York native is an Associate Director for the White House Office of Public Engagement.

He nationally directs outreach to the African-American and minority business community.

He previously coordinated outreach to county officials, state attorneys general, secretaries of state and financial officers.

Blake worked on the Obama for America campaign, first as Iowa’s Deputy Political Director and Constituency Outreach Director and concluded as the Michigan State Deputy Director and Political Director.

Blake worked in 8 states over a 20 month period specializing in political and constituency outreach, especially to African American and faith communities.

Prior to the campaign, Michael was the Director of External Affairs for the Michigan House of Representatives serving in Michigan Speaker of the House Andy Dillon’s cabinet where he engaged with all constituencies to promote the Speaker’s agenda. Before that appointment, Blake successfully co-organized three state house of representative campaigns in the 2006 election cycle.

Before his career in public service, Michael was an Associate Producer for Comcast Sportsnet Chicago where he wrote highlights and collaborated on features for the daily sportscasts.

Michael Blake is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism from Northwestern University. He is also an alumnus of the Yes We Can political training program in Washington, D.C. He started his political career as an intern for Illinois State Senator Jeff Schoenberg.

He is a proud member of Allen Chapel A.M.E. church in Washington, D.C. where he is a steward board member and co-chair of the 2010 Men’s Day season.

Back in New York, Michael was a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist denomination and has preached around the country since the age of 13.

He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and resides in Washington, D.C.

Recently, he was selected as one of Grio’s Top 100 History Makers in the Making. He was also named as one of MSNBC’s 10 Black Politicians on the Rise.

Michael goes by the motto – Dear God, may today be a great day. Greater than the great day I had a day before. But, my goal has not been met unless tomorrow is the greatest of them all.

INTERVIEW | Getting to know Mike Blake

What inspired you pursue a career in politics and to join the Obama campaign?

With all that I have been given and the multitude of blessings, I felt indebted to our people to give back.

When I was working for a TV station, I felt that I wasn’t helping people, and it was a time for a change.

I feel that the most comprehensive way to help people is through public policy providing changes in their lives.

So, when I was working in Michigan after the President began his run for the presidency and after going through then Senator Obama’s Yes We Can training and feeling a sense of duty to help the person who gave me a chance, I had no choice but to work on the campaign.

I did not see the campaign as just a historical opportunity. I felt it was a moment to bring transformational change to our people.

There’s nothing like the Iowa caucus. There’s nothing like seeing lines of people participating in the political process. There’s nothing like being apart of history.

What have you learned about the President through your White House or Campaign experience that you did not know before you met him personally? What is the key to balancing a your professional, philanthropic and social commitments?

I learned to not just be an organizer but be one who can organize, activate and mobilize people.

You can have a remarkable story to tell but need storytellers who continue to tell it even when you’re not around.

A validation of leadership and influential impact is can you mobilize the masses even when you’re physically not there.

It’s a skill I never thought about before embarking on this journey.

But, I also learned how to understand the concerns of stakeholders, feel their passion and see how much they belief but yet stay focused on realizing that I serve the President and the country.

You must remember who you work for and why. That sense of commitment and loyalty helps you balance your emotion with your purpose.

It is easy to get pulled into the emotion of the moment even if you may feel that your heart is taking you that direction.

But, it’s important to balance your beliefs with the execution of the mission.

Convey how we are helping our people & empower them, even in the moments of disagreement.

What is the biggest mistake young professionals make?

We focus on the immediate opportunity too often rather than what is the long lasting change we want to deliver.

We will get many remarkable opportunities presented to us – that is inevitable when you’re gifted.

But, we need to focus on the end goals and then create a plan where we work backwards from there.

Our impatience mixed with a dose of ability can lead to a combination that disrupts our pre-ordained position of favor.

We can get in our way because we think we are supposed to have it now.

The time will come for it – whatever the it may be.

We just need to be ready.

What advice would you give other young professionals who desire to excel in the nation’s capitol?

In an environment that is very transactional and there can be wavering focus on our purpose – which is to help people, plain and simple – do not become discouraged rather find a specialty, find your ability and stay committed to the end goal.

I understand that you think that we should be able to find ways to get through the haze of it all.

But, people are people.

So, let us not focus on why it is so hard and why people make it hard on us purely because of our age and perception that we don’t know as well as they do.

Let us focus on the reality that in this world with these remarkable challenges, we are here now for this moment and regardless of our age, our ability will shine through the clouds of disbelief and disenchantment.

Public policy is about people.

Let us not focus on how others make it difficult for us.

Let us focus on the difficulties that our people continue to face and that we are the new faces of hope, change and game changing solutions.

What’s been the best experience of your career thus far (or the most rewarding)?

By far, being on the campaign was my most rewarding experience.

Especially, the beginning & end shall forever stay with me.

Being in Iowa and seeing the momentum build over a ten month period and then ending in Michigan, the state where I started my career in public service, I felt that I was able to start something special and leave a lasting impact in communities in need.

The moment when tears flowed from my eyes on January 3rd, 2008 when realizing that we were going to win the caucus, the moment of watching on a TV screen that the President was the nominee or even sharing with the President that Senator McCain pulled out of Michigan and realizing that we were on our way, it solidified my decision to believe in change.

When I was on the bus heading to the inauguration with Dr. King’s family, it embarked in my heart the words of Jim Wallis, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

I’ve been given this surreal opportunity to be the national director of African American outreach for the 1st African American President.

Jena Roscoe – a remarkable woman who held my job under President Clinton once told me – for some reason, God decided that of all the African Americans who have lived on this earth and all those who follow, that he chose you to direct African American outreach for the first African American president.

It is far bigger than me. It’s about our people.

What’s next for you in your career? What should we look out for?

I honestly don’t know what specifically is next but do know it will achieve two goals: helping to provide transformative policy, communication and outreach change for African Americans and ensuring that the President gets more time to help our people win the future.

Down the line, I’d like to get a JD/MBA to enhance my critical thinking skills and abilities to consider legal, business and economic solutions for our communities.

Whether it’s in one of those fields or through public office, I wish to be apart of the coalition to provide global economic development and parity.

Lastly, give me three words to sum up Michael.

Not About Me

Eric S. Casher is an associate at Meyers Nave, where he’s a member of the firm’s Public Contracts and Construction Practice Group.  Eric was born and raised in the Bay Area.  A product of public schools, he went on to U.C. Berkeley, where he majored in Sociology and minored in African-American Studies, with a 3.48 cumulative GPA.

After working for several years, he enrolled at UC Hastings College of the Law, where he was active in BLSA and student government.  While in law school, Eric served as a judicial extern, a tutor, summer in-house counsel and a summer associate for a large firm.

Eric balanced all of this with his passion for critical race theory and social justice, which led him to join the Hastings Race & Poverty Law Journal, eventually becoming Editor in Chief his 3L year.  The Hastings community recognized his leadership that same year by awarding him Student Leader of the Year for 2006.

After successfully passing the California bar, and while working as an associate at a large firm, Eric juggled his responsibilities with grassroots organizing duties as Northern California coordinator of Young Lawyers for Obama.  From there, he rose through the campaign ranks, eventually being appointed to the National Finance Committee for the Barack Obama Presidential Campaign.

After the election, he received the honor to be tapped as a U.S. Speaker and Specialist Grant Recipient for the Department of State.  This distinction included trips to Africa and Europe, with his last trip being a trip to Sweden in May 2010.  He is a founding member of Generation 44, a group of over 300 young lawyers participating in state trips during primary and general elections and responsible for executing multiple fundraising events.

Busy as he is, Eric still finds time to sit on the boards of Coro and Global Exchange, and chaired the young professionals’ finance committee that supported Kamala Harris’ successful campaign for California Attorney General.

He manages to juggle all of these responsibilities while also being a proud husband and first time father  to his son, Nico, 1.

Sinorice Moss has challenged kids across the nation to Dare to Dream! Moss, a Florida native, played college football at the University of Miami, where he was a standout wide receiver as well as a champion track star. He was selected in second round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami by the Giants and was a member of the Superbowl winning team in 2007 that cut short the New England Patriots previously undefeated season. Moss is currently on the roster of the Philadelphia Eagles and looking to set another major city on fire with his playing abilities.

A true world-class athlete, Sinorice Moss’ explosive performance on the field is matched by his unwavering commitment to the youth who are following in his footsteps. Through his own dedication and hard work, Sinorice is a living example to the youth he supports and advocates for, proving that any individual with a similar mindset can always accomplish his or her dreams.

Sinorice founded the Dare to Dream Foundation in order to help challenge children and teachers take an “I can” attitude in life. This will help to empower kids with the proper mentality of making dreams come true and to provide them with the educational tools to succeed in life.

In his spare time, Sinorice has also held guest starring roles in several TV shows and films, including the hit independent film “This Time” which co-starred Reagan Gomez. The movie dealt with the complex range of feelings that a loss loved ones whom enter the battlefield but do not return home bring about in the lives of millions of Americans.

Moss is the younger brother of Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss, who was also a standout wide receiver for the University of Miami prior to entering the NFL. He has one son, Sinorice Moss Jr.

INTERVIEW | Getting to Know Sinorice Moss:

1. What inspired you to start the Dare to Dream Foundation? What made you want to include teachers? Is there a story behind that? Two years ago, I noticed that a number of schools in Miami were shutting down due to poor test scores and a lack of funding.

I wanted to find a way to jump directly into the classrooms to provide support for individual students, because they were the ones suffering the most from the school closures. That’s when I decide to start the Dare to Dream Foundation. I wanted students to feel that they had people on their side who inspired them not only to have big dreams, but also to accomplish them.

I wanted to include teachers because they are such an important part of the equation. They come in to work every day to fight what sometimes seems like a losing battle, especially in some of the more under-funded school districts. Teachers can have such a huge impact on the development of students. One particular guidance counselor of mine in high school, Ms. Black, challenged me to think beyond graduating high school. It was because of her encouragement and support that I went on to attend the University of Miami.

2. What is the key to balancing a thriving football career with running a non-profit? My team, both on and off the field, is the biggest key to my success in football and in my non-profit. I think it’s important to surround yourself with people who support you and believe in you.

While I’m playing football, it’s difficult for me to be as involved with Dare to Dream as I usually am during the off season, so I am grateful that there are people who are willing to help me.

My football teammates and friends are also very supportive, constantly calling me about Dare to Dream, upcoming events, and ways they can help. A lot of them show their support on Twitter, and I’m so thankful that they are enthusiastic and willing to help out.

3. How has football helped you succeed in running your non-profit? You can’t just wake up and decide that you’re going to play in the NFL. You need to train, learn the plays, and work with your team, all of which takes time, effort, and determination.

The same goes for the Dare to Dream Foundation. I spent over two years building the foundation, and it took a lot of hard work from many committed individuals to get where we are today. That is the message that I want to send to the students we work with, that they can accomplish whatever they set their minds to, but it still takes a lot of time and willpower.

4. What advice would you give other young professionals who desire to start or run a foundation? I would say to make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons. A lot of people, not just athletes, start non-profits for marketing or PR reasons, and their foundations don’t end up doing anything.

The second piece of advice is to surround yourself with mentors and knowledgeable people who can help you along the way. It’s really important to have a support system and a team of advocates that will fight for what they believe in. I wouldn’t have been able to get Dare to Dream off the ground without the help and advice of my friends and family.

5. What’s been the best experience of your football career thus far (or the most rewarding)? What’s been the most fulfilling experience with the Dare to Dream Foundation?

Winning the XLII Super bowl with the New York Giants in 2007 was probably the best experience of my career so far. Winning the Super bowl has been my biggest dream ever since I was a kid, and to be able to accomplish that dream is an unbelievable feeling that I still experience every day.

I think the most rewarding experience, though, was when I was able to come back from injury last year. I got hurt and I wasn’t able to play football at all during the season. I spent those months healing and getting back into football shape, but it was a long and incredibly difficult process. Luckily, I was able to stay motivated and had a lot of people helping me along the way. It is a blessing that I will be with the Philadelphia Eagles next season and I am still able to play the game that I love.

With Dare to Dream, I think the most fulfilling experience is the ongoing one of seeing teachers and students taking the initiative, setting goals, and pushing themselves to accomplish them, just like I did.

6. What’s next for you and the foundation? What should we look out for?

I’m just excited to continue to expand the Dare to Dream programs. Most of our programs are currently in New York and Florida, but we are constantly reaching out to different communities, cities, and states. We can’t wait for Dare to Dream to become a truly national organization that is able to help students and teachers across the country.

7. Lastly, give me three words to sum up Sinorice. Compassionate, optimistic, and committed.