Name: Minister David N. Street
Profession: National Director of African American and Faith Engagement for Enroll America
Age: 30
One word that describes you: Driven
Faith, family, and community are the three pillars that set the foundation for what inspires David Street. As the Director of African American and Faith Engagement for Enroll America, Street focuses on maximizing the number of Americans who enroll in and retain health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
As an eighth grader, Street met a man by the name of William Lockridge who served on the DC School Board. This chance meeting had a profound influence on the course of his life.
“Mr. Lockridge spoke to my class about standing up for what you believe in, but most importantly standing up for others,” Street tells BE Modern Man. “I’ll never forget that speech or that meeting. Since then, I’ve always looked for ways to do these two things.”
Always looking for ways to expand and amplify his engagement within the community, Street believes that you must create opportunities for yourself to grow.
“Outside of my work for Enroll America, I serve as the Executive Director for P.E.N DMV, a nonprofit which provides mentoring and soft skills workforce training for young men. This is a labor of love that has allowed me to give back to a city (Washington, DC) that I love so much. When my boys succeed, I succeed and that’s a tremendous feeling.”
As a leader in the community, Street works with fervor to reach his personal and professional goals.
He says, “I know that with God’s grace and a determined heart, that sky is the limit.” “Writing down your goals, putting people first, and most importantly being yourself is how the impact is made.”
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Men of color continue to make extraordinary things happen throughout all industries around the world.
“There are so many young black and brown brothers all over this country that need to see men that look like them doing amazing things,” Street tells BE Modern Man. “If they see it, they can achieve it and when they do our world becomes a better place.”
Street continues to push forward with the hope that stories like his serve as a breath of fresh air amid the rubbish mainstream media feeds us on a consistent basis.
“Over the past two years, I’ve seen images of young black boys shot dead from the bullets of those that were supposed to protect them, says Street. “I’ve seen nonstop images of presidential candidates talking down to immigrants and disrespecting women, and I’ve seen protestors be labeled as heathens.”
Street never bought into the shortlist of stereotypes and limits that were placed upon people of color.
“I would read Black Enterprise magazine as kid in the grocery store while my grandmother would shop for the house. I saw the black images of success and always admired the individuals who were being spotlighted or who were giving advice.”
Now Street is giving the advice and engaging the very youth that he looked like not too long ago.
“To be featured as a BE Modern Man is incredible,” says Street. “I don’t take it lightly because there might be another young man reading my story, telling himself that he can taste success just like the people in this magazine.”
The BlackEnterprise.com team commends David N. Street for actively engaging African Americans and reaching them where they are. With the consumer in mind, Street is helping to design tools that the African American community will benefit from. We know that with David Street’s leadership capabilities we will see a reduction in the health disparities that have plagued the African American community for far too long.
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