Tobi Hanna-Davies

, TRHT Leadership Team

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ISAAC & TRHT Housing Task Force co-chair with Patrese Griffin.

Ending homelessness has been my passion since the 1970’s, because of my wonderful dad being homeless in his elder years–even though he went to Harvard and Yale.

Ending racism has been my passion since the 1960’s, because of powerful high school and later experiences living with BIPOC–in an orphanage in Puerto Rico, sharecropper community in Missouri, public housing in Connecticut, and an island in Micronesia. Along with Civil Rights progress then, those experiences were transformational.

I majored in Religions at Carleton College then joined the Peace Corps, living in the village and teaching 3rd-6th grade. Then for 6 years I directed a nursery school in Connecticut and made it welcoming and equitable for BIPOC families and teachers, while I also did my Masters in Education. The next 6 years, I was founding Director of EMU Child Development Center, serving wonderfully diverse families, students and staff.

In the 1980’s, Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament taught me the power of public speaking and lobbying. I joined Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice in Ann Arbor, became Director for 10 years and hired the first BIPOC staff, including a former Black Panther just back from 18 years in prison. The inspiring staff, clergy and lay leaders there taught me the power of interfaith organizing. I concurrently served on Ann Arbor City Council, 1992-2000, and focused on housing. My partners representing our ward were Black, and graciously taught me much more I didn’t know.

I moved to Kalamazoo in 2000 and discovered ISAAC being formed by clergy–Black & white, Christian & Jewish. I joined the Executive Committee and co-chaired the first ISAAC Housing Task Force, and continued when it became the joint ISAAC & TRHT Housing Task Force. I am energized by all our accomplishments, what I’m learning from TRHT, and the inspiring BIPOC leaders of ISAAC & TRHT.

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