November 21, 2023 • 29 mins
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Priscilla Tyson is a lifelong resident of Columbus, The middle of child of five, Priscilla Tyson grew up in the Near East side neighborhood of Shepard, and graduated from Eastmoor High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Franklin University, after also attending what is now known as Columbus State Community College. She and her husband, Attorney Renny J. Tyson, Sr, are the proud parents of five adult children and four grandchildren. They are also Deacons at First Church of God, Columbus.
Priscilla R. Tyson’s career has spanned over four decades, touching the sectors of banking, healthcare, public service, the arts, local government, and human services.
Her dynamic career includes more than 16 years of distinguished service in banking and healthcare, before helping to found and lead City Year Columbus – an organization that inspires diverse young people, and helps them understand the importance and impact of community service. While serving as the Executive Director of City Year Columbus, Tyson became a member of The Columbus Civil Service Commission, appointed by then-Mayor Greg Lashutka.
She was appointed to Columbus City Council in January of 2007, and then popularly elected by the citizens of Columbus in November of the same year. Since her initial election, Columbus City Council Member was reelected by the voters three more times, being the top vote-getter in each election.
Council Member Tyson’s signature achievements are wide ranging, and have benefitted all parts of our community. Most recently, Tyson established the 25-member Commission on Black Girls to study and assess the quality of life of Black girls, 11-22, in Central Ohio. The Commission’s recommendations are currently being used by the City to impact and improve the quality of life for Black girls in Columbus and Central Ohio.
Priscilla R. Tyson has been a community advocate for Columbus at the federal, state, and international level. Ms. Tyson served on the board of the Greater Columbus Arts Council for 14 years. Currently, Tyson is a member of the Columbus Chapter of The Links, Inc, The Columbus, Ohio Section of The National Council of Negro Women, Inc, and The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Central Ohio Chapter. Throughout her career, she has been honored with numerous awards, from an exhaustive list of local, national, and international organizations.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I think that most importantly was to trust God,
put him first, learning that Ithink with God, all things are
possible.
So making sure that you put himfirst, you don't really have to
worry about what's going tohappen in your life, that he
will take care of you if you aredoing the things that glorify
him.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hello everyone, this is that Coach Tim Brown and I'm
excited to have on today's showformer city councilwoman
Priscilla Tyson.
She was a four term citycouncilwoman.
She was the longest woman toserve on Columbus City Council.
Her career of service hasexpanded over four decades, and
so today, priscilla and I willtalk about building a lifelong
legacy.
And, most importantly, she is adeacon with her husband, rene,
(00:43):
at the First Church of God inColumbus.
So she's a strong woman, infact.
So, priscilla, welcome to theshow.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Thank you, tim.
It's really a pleasure to behere and I'm so excited about
being here because of the workthat you've been doing on this
show, to be able to exposeindividuals to other people in
the community that are doinggreat things alongside you, who
are doing great things with thisshow.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Thank you.
Thank you.
I know you're a strong woman offaith.
Can you talk about your faithjourney growing up?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Well, yes, and so I grew up in a household, not only
in my own household with mymother, but also my grandmother,
and so when I think about faithand also thinking about just my
, my ancestors, it was nothingbut faith that bought them here,
and so I'm just a legacy ofthat faith, and my, my ancestry,
(01:35):
on my mother's side, goes to aplace called Chubtown, georgia,
and it has.
The one of the oldest churchesin Georgia is in Chubtown, which
is outside of Cays Springs, andmost people know about Chubtown
because of Nick Chubb.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
You're right, right, and that's all part of my and
that and that's all my family.
Yes, yes, yes, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
What were?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
some of those life lessons that you grew up, that
you learned growing up aboutfaith, about God.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Well, I think the most important life lessons was
to trust God.
To.
You know, we were always goingto Sunday school and then, as I
grew up, you know, as a youngadult I mean I was always going
to Sunday school went to TrinityBaptist Church, then I attended
St Philip's Episcopal Churchand then went back to Trinity.
(02:25):
I taught Sunday school atTrinity Baptist Church and then
I came to First Church of God,which is probably over 26, 27
years ago.
But I think that mostimportantly was to trust God,
put him first, learning that Ithink with God all things are
possible.
So, making sure that you puthim first, you don't really have
(02:46):
to worry about what's going tohappen in your life, that he
will take care of you if you,you know, if you're doing the
things that you know, thatglorify him.
Hey there.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
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Speaker 2 (03:35):
You are a lifelong resident of Columbus, now what
has kept you here at this city?
I know you had otheropportunities, but what's kept
you here in the capital city?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Well, I would say this I love Columbus and I what
probably kept me here is that,you know, I went to high school
here.
I, as I went out and worked inthe community.
I've been working since I was14 years old, so I was picking
up trash at the neighborhoodhouse, and then I got another
(04:05):
job from right down the street,from Eastmore High School, and
so I worked while I was alwaysin college, so to help to be
able to support, you know, myfamily and allowing me to attend
college, and so, based uponthat, it's just been a place
that I've known as home, andthen it's afforded me the
opportunities to be able to havesome amazing work opportunities
(04:29):
, which led to amazing careeropportunities, and so I really
have never thought about leadingColumbus I.
You know I love to travel andsee other places, but, again,
there isn't any place like home.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
That's good you know.
Speaking of that, you have acareer that has included banking
, healthcare, public service.
How has God used you in theseareas impacting?
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Well, I tell you, tim , God has used me in many ways
and, first and foremost, Ibelieve that he's given me the
opportunity, first of all, theopportunity to be able to help
people and to recognize that theopportunity came from him and
that I truly believe that we'reput on earth to serve, and so by
(05:14):
that, he's given me theseopportunities, and I think the
opportunity gave me that arereally important is to make sure
that you're looking out for theleast of those, that you're
looking out, especially forblack and brown individuals in
this community and, again,people that are the least of
those.
So people that may be havingchallenges with their health or
(05:37):
their mental health or physicalhealth, people having financial
challenges, just to look out forpeople and try to be able to
implement programs to be able tomove people forward.
As a banker, I'll just mentionthis one that there is a
development.
Now there's a lot ofdevelopment going on, but while
(05:57):
I was a banker, a couple ofthings that I was able to do
with my other banking colleaguesand one was there really wasn't
any development happeningwithin the East Side, and so I
don't know if you're aware ofthere's a development of homes
that was on Atchison Avenuecalled Capital View Estates, and
(06:20):
so I participated in thattransaction which really allowed
people to be for one new builds.
People allowed to be able topurchase those homes and, if
they, with financing, that wouldwipe away their mortgage.
They live there, you know,significant period of time and
those houses would be there sothat people could build equity,
(06:43):
so things of that nature.
That's one and another one thatyou remember.
Home ownership, which isimportant to building wealth,
was to be able to how do youlook at financing, especially
people of color loans, to beable to look at them a second
time, do a re-evaluation ofthose loans to be able to help
provide them with opportunitiesto be able to build housing.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You know, I know you're also very much invested
in young people and you kind ofled and founded City Year in
Columbus and I see those kidswith the red, with the red
jackets, all in the schools andwhatnot.
What was the vision behind CityYear?
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Oh, you know I absolutely love City Year and
City Year is 30 years old.
This year and City Year.
I had the opportunity.
I was a banker for 16 years,which is what now is P&C.
Back then it was Ohio National.
I was recruited to go to workfor what is now Ohio Health and
I was recruited by Erie Chapman,and Erie Chapman's son was an
(07:45):
was attending Harvard and CityYear started in Harvard and I'm
starting in Boston.
And so he asked me.
So I left banking.
I've been a banker for 16 years.
He recruited me and I will haveto say that, being recruited by
Erie, I had to think long andhard about it.
I really wasn't thinking aboutleaving the bank, but I realized
(08:06):
that this is going to be anopportunity that only God would
have sent to me, and how thiscame about.
And so while I was at when Iwas at what's now Ohio Health
that he asked me to go and seethis program in Boston.
I saw the program in Boston, Icame back and I was now the
first vice.
I went to work as a for OhioHealth.
I was the first AfricanAmerican vice president for Ohio
(08:28):
Health and then one of my roleswas to help bring City Year to
Columbus and that's how we began.
I started it.
The core members, or coremembers, came from Boston to
help me start it.
They lived in my house and webegan to work with the community
to bring City Year here.
(08:49):
It is an amazing program.
So brings diverse groups ofpeople to work together to do
service in the community butalso to break down the barriers
that sometimes prevent peoplefrom getting to know people, for
whether it be diversity ofeducation, race, sexual
(09:09):
orientation, religion, it breaksall that down in terms of
service and then to do greatwork in our community.
So I loved it and I was able todo that work for about 13 years
, not only in Columbus, but Ialso led five other cities
across the country.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Now, it's a great program.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
It is, I see them all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
They're so happy, those kids are so happy and the
children, the students thatthey're working with are just as
happy Just to see somebody, andI think it's really near peer
mentoring.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Because they're getting near to their age and
they can really relate to thembecause they really were high
schoolers a couple of years ago,fresh out of college, with them
.
So it's really been a blessing,you know.
And then you shipped the gearson this.
You work from that.
Well, you've done so much.
You appointed the city councilin 2000.
2007 and here's the.
Here's the other thing that wasamazing to me you got reelected
(10:01):
three more times being the topvote getter.
You know now what is it aboutcouncilwoman?
The silly Tyson that the peoplesaw you and just kept electing
me well, I think one.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
You remember, you that wasn't the first question.
You're asking what kept me inColumbus, and so I think that
one, being someone from Columbusand you know, just knowing lots
of people from variousbackgrounds, I think they do
they knew me and I think sothat's important.
But I also believe that peoplesee me as a person that wants to
(10:38):
be able to listen to everyone.
I mean, you may not get exactlywhat you wanted, but you've
been heard.
I believe that people know thatI'm a woman of faith and that
they see me as a person who hasbeen that they feel is a person
of integrity.
And so, and I would say, Idon't view myself as a
(10:58):
politician do I this politicsinvolved?
Sure, I view myself as a publicservant and I believe that
people see that.
And so when you see me, youknow I'm always gonna be willing
to, to want to help, to want tolisten, and I really care about
making the community a betterplace you always say that I tell
(11:19):
young people this people know,know, know you.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
People know a lot of people.
But the question is not who doyou know, but what they know
about you.
What do they know about?
They know you now, but what dothey know about you?
Obviously people know you, aswhat you just said, as a public
servant the politics is involvedwith everybody.
But but councilwoman Tyson is apublic servant, you know she's
for the people and you know Tim.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
I really I will say this I wasn't interested at all
in being an elected official.
It was not something that youknow some people this is.
They know that's what they wantto do.
This wants to be theirprofession.
I really ran away from it.
And I ran away from it forabout 10 years and then, three
different times, people statedto me presul this, something
(12:03):
you'd be great at.
You've got your between yourbusiness background.
You know, with for-profit,nonprofit, this, you know you're
caring about community, thiswould be a great place for you,
but I just couldn't see it.
And people saw it in me, whichsometimes happened with women,
but I didn't see it.
I'm thinking this cannot be forme.
But after the third time itcoming to me, I thought, well,
(12:28):
let me just think about thepeople that have brought this to
me in the past.
And then, lastly, I'm thinking,you know, since this keeps
coming and based upon where Iwas at my own faith walk, I'm
like I don't want to be likeJonah because God's gonna get
you where he needs you to besooner or later.
So I need to really think aboutthis and and I, and I did, and I
(12:52):
, basically I really put myapplication in about the last 45
minutes before the deadlinebecause I wasn't sure.
But what I did do is pray tosay, god, if this is what you
want me to do, then I will do it, and but don't have.
But I also said, but, god, ifyou don't want me to do this
because I also know how hardlife is when you, when you are
(13:13):
not doing God's work, when he isnot, you know he is not saying
this is what I need you to do hedefinitely I said don't have
him, pick me, take me out of itif this is not your desire.
And then I then you know, I was, you know, selected.
And then I soon realized thatGod had been preparing me on my
(13:35):
life to do this work and I thankGod for allowing me to do the
work and and to be able to help,help people and help our
community.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Speaking of that, while you're in city government,
who were some of your mentors?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Well, I would tell you my mentor that I just dearly
, dearly love, is the firstAfrican-American councilwoman,
les Wright, and Les was justhonored by the mayor last
Thursday to be in the ColumbusOhio Hall of Fame.
But Les, not only was she thefirst African-American woman on
(14:16):
city council, but I'd known Lesbefore that, and so Les went to
Trinity Baptist Church.
She's still, if she doesn'tlive here now, but Trinity is
our Columbus home.
She taught in the nurseryschool.
She told me my son was in ourclass and we had a relationship
together.
So Les is someone that I wouldsay has been a mentor to me,
(14:37):
someone else that, even thoughwe're the same age, we went to
Eastmore together.
I have a lot of respect forShelly de Tavares.
She is another person that is awoman of integrity, cares about
community, not afraid to standup for what she believes is
right.
So I do appreciate her advocacyand her work in the community.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
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Speaker 2 (16:00):
You know, this podcast is about building a
lifelong legacy.
What would you say is a legacyof Percelatizing.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Well, let's see, I think my legacy is one.
You know, I had the opportunityto chair some committees that
really touched the people, so alegacy, I would say, at least
from my public service time,would be one my very first.
(16:27):
One of the first committees Ichaired was Recreation and Parks
, and that touches the people,and something that I did there
that was really important wasmaking sure that our facilities
had air conditioning and put aplan in for them to get air
conditioning, and so put it thatin the capital budget.
That's just you know, anotherwas to make sure people weren't
(16:50):
discriminated based upon theirrace, sexual orientation,
disability.
So I can go.
I can mention a number ofthings, but as I look at how the
city has grown, especially overthe last 15 years, I think my
legacy is that I know I played arole in it from my different
positions on council to be ableto improve the community for the
(17:13):
betterment of all.
So between Health and HumanServices, you know, thinking
about zoning, thinking about asa finance chair, just different
roles, that thinking about allthe people in this community and
individuals and businesses, ofhow our city continues to grow.
Is it perfect?
(17:33):
No, it's not, but we certainlyhave a city and we have leaders
that are moving us forward.
So I think that is a legacy.
I think that a legacy thatpeople care.
At the end of my, before I wasleading council, I have
something that was near and dearto me and that was the creation
(17:55):
of the commission on Black.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Girls?
Yeah, I know that was one ofyour signature achievements.
Was that commission on blackgirl study?
It was a study impact andimprove the quality of life of
black girls in Columbus andcentral high.
What was the reason for thestudy?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Well, I was the chair of health and human services
and when you begin to look atSome of the issues that are that
were facing a special blackwomen in our community, I
thought about how do we begin tochange this trajectory.
So things like we're looking atyou know infant mortality, that
(18:31):
you know that our babies aredying.
You know two to three times outof white babies.
I look at maternal mortality,black women dying you know two
times more than white mothers.
I look at the Looking at our,the wages that women make in our
community and black womenmaking.
You know, if you think, about60 cents on the dollar compared
(18:53):
to a white man, and so I can goon and on about this, the
disparities, home ownership.
I can go on and on about thedisparities between, you know,
black families and Caucasianfamilies, and so if you're
really going to ever begin tochange a trajectory, especially
of a black girls life, we needto understand right now how do
(19:15):
we work on programs that arefocused on women now, but also
how do we change theirtrajectory, and to be able to do
that, we need to have anunderstanding of what their
quality of life happens to be inColumbus, ohio, and so we
worked with.
We had a great commission of 25amazing individuals in our
community and then we Surveyedover four, got surveys back for
(19:42):
464 girls.
We also talked with individualswho worked with our girls and
and a major player, and that wasthe Columbus East school system
.
That's where our girls spend alot of their time.
But we got a lot of informationfrom our girls and people who
work with our girls and theparents, etc.
And based upon that, we wereable to now have what's called
(20:04):
the commission on black girls, areport About our girls, and
there's a lot of great thingsour girls are doing.
There's some stillness andchallenges and how do you move
those challenges for?
And so it's a tool now that'sbeing used by non-profit
organizations.
Like Erin pink that you know.
Our girls are asking forleadership opportunities and so
(20:27):
there is a so through herprogram providing leadership
opportunities for our girlsthere, for a brown girl
mentoring.
There's lots of a non-profitorganizations that are using
that report and making, helpingto Enhance a girl's life.
There's also the sororities,churches, so it was really the
(20:49):
schools Taking this informationto understand what's going on in
their lives and how do we helpto improve those lives, help
them to see that make them feelgood about themselves and Help
to move them forward.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
You know we do a lot of study.
We've got a lot of reports, youknow, to come out.
The blessing of this is thiswasn't just a report, this was a
plan of action.
Mm-hmm, I just I just talked ona piece of paper, and the
beauty of this whole thing thatI love about this report is that
we listen, we asked thechildren, we ask kids, because
real change happens when thepeople who need it lead.
(21:24):
So we had to ask them, and youdid a great job of making sure
this wasn't just taught.
You know that there was, therewas gonna be something after,
after we got to study.
Now what?
Now what?
So can you talk briefly aboutsome of those programs and how
they have impacted black andbrown girls in the city?
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Well, thank you.
Yes, so even while I was stillthere, we had for the first
couple years we did a couplethings.
One, we had a television showthat focused on our girls and
our girls helped to lead, and soyou can still see that on on
Columbus's ctv and On topics thegirls cared about.
But we also had two leadershipsummits for our girls and again
(22:05):
we let them participate and helpto lead those sessions and we
we also one of the one of theareas that black girls were very
much concerned about was, youknow, their hair and the crown
act.
So I was able to pass the crownact and counsel my favor.
She coast, she co-sponsoredthat legislation with me.
But I had black girls be able.
(22:27):
They made a, a videotape aboutwhat it's like to be able, about
their hair and of course thatwas shown to help us to pass
that legislation.
But again, besides kind of sothose programs, but also being
able, while I was still thereand now that we still, even
though I'm no longer there, I'llshare this that we now have a
(22:48):
permanent a commission on blackgirls, I would say initiative
program within the city ofColumbus, that is, that is led
by out of the Department ofNeighborhood, led by Nicole
Harper, is a program officer.
So still, the city is stilldoing a lot of work in that area
(23:09):
for our girls, as well asfunding other programs, just
like the Erin pink program,which is a leadership program
for girls, and so it's givingthem.
I'm elevating thoseorganizations that are
supporting girls, providing themwith significant funding to be
able to support and in and moveour girls forward, and then
(23:30):
setting that you know get by,giving them money, allowing that
then other organizations wouldalso find those programs.
So it's.
It's really about kind of thelegacy of how you, you know,
have a report that is Meaningfulto give people kind of the
blueprint of what our girls aresaying.
(23:51):
They need it.
And the last thing I'll say, tim, when I first decided to create
this commission on black girls,there were people that said you
shouldn't call it that, maybeyou shouldn't do that, and I'm
like well, the data is clear.
The data is so clear here, youknow, I have to talk about this
(24:13):
is about black girls and and andand.
If we can help black girls moveforward, all the work that
we're doing will help all girlsto move forward, but you don't
start at the girl that's, that'sexcelling and everything.
You have to be able tounderstand that our girls are
being, you know, suspended morethan any other girl.
(24:35):
I mean, you have to understandwhat's happening and what you
understand was happening.
We can now begin to take thisdata and begin to, you know,
begin to enhance their lives,because I never want to say that
our black girls lives.
They don't have good lives Allwe all have good lives but can
they all could be better, andthat's what this was really
about.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Wow, that's powerful.
Just see your heart.
I know your heart is.
You know, as we kind of wrap up, you have given so much to
Columbus.
You know longtime residentsresident of the city.
What is next for facilitation?
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Well, what is next for me is that I'm gonna take
some time, you know, retiredfrom the city, and of December
2021, and prior to that I alsohave been for nine years I
create a prop program for Elvis,for cover family and children's
program, and it was to supportwomen and their children women
who were dealing, who were justcoming out of the prison system,
(25:32):
and Also women who haveaddiction, illness, to be able
to work, to make sure that theirchildren would be, you know,
move forward and be successfuland what was needed for them.
And so, for nine years, I alsocreated this program and ran
this program with some amazingindividuals, and so I just
retired from there and they and,and so one it's really good to
(25:56):
be able to leave.
I believe this, you know,leaving the world, about me,
leaving a place when then youfound it, and that and and so,
and also I believe in leavingwomen, you know, at the right
time, which was, which, I think,for both jobs.
I have both.
What I'm doing now is, when youare a public servant and I've
always worked two jobs that youdo what you have to do, and what
(26:22):
I had to do was go to work anddo the best, best job I could.
It also meant doing the best Icould for my family, you know,
also making sure I'm doing myassignments, or for my church
and for God, and so what happensis you really don't have enough
time to spend with your family,like you with.
So right now, focusing my familyand my friends, and I'm
(26:45):
focusing on my faith as well asmy overall wellness.
So my physical wellness, myfinancial wellness, just the, my
wellness period, traveling'scaught in part of that wellness.
But, and then I did create,because there are a couple
initiatives that are near anddear to me, and I created
(27:07):
Priscilla Tyson consultingreally to focus on this one
project and that the city Be oneof me to kind of continue to
work on, and so I'm very excitedto be doing that.
And then I'll be doing maybe,maybe a couple things, but
mainly focusing on my family, myfriends, my faith and Whatever
(27:29):
God has in store for me.
Because, again, you know it'sall about what God wants me to
do.
I mean, I was things I'mthinking I know need to be done,
but but God, god, whatever,what does God say?
So I'm letting him continue,leading guy in my life to do the
things he needs for me to doand Tim, I also will be spending
more time at the, a culturalarts center.
It's now named the Priscillaart Tyson cultural arts center
(27:52):
and I want to make sure that Iam going there for their
Programs and because I'm reallygrateful that the mayor named
the facility downtown in anhonor of my service.
So I'll be doing that too,thank you.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Well, priscilla, I want to thank you for your time.
This has been a wonderfulepisode, great wisdom, great
knowledge that you share.
But I want to thank you alsofor answering the call, the call
that God has on your life.
Just answering that call andbeing obedient.
Being obedient, you say you gotin there the last 45 minutes of
four hours.
You know for that, counselor,that's truly God.
So I want to thank you for yourtime.
(28:32):
Thank you all for listening,for listening to the be a baller
podcast with a special guest,assistant Tyson.
Thank you for your time.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Thank you, it's been pleasure.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
If you enjoyed this episode, please share this
podcast with family and friends.
Be a baller podcast isavailable on all major podcast
stations.
Be sure to come back next weekas we continue to discuss on how
to build a lifelong legacy.
Until then, don't forget to bea baller.
This podcast was created bycoach Tim Brown.
(29:04):
It was edited by Tehran how andproduced and recorded by the
video production class ofWorthington Christian High
School.
I think that most importantly was to trust God,
put him first, learning that Ithink with God, all things are
possible.
So making sure that you put himfirst, you don't really have to
worry about what's going tohappen in your life, that he
will take care of you if you aredoing the things that glorify
him.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hello everyone, this is that Coach Tim Brown and I'm
excited to have on today's showformer city councilwoman
Priscilla Tyson.
She was a four term citycouncilwoman.
She was the longest woman toserve on Columbus City Council.
Her career of service hasexpanded over four decades, and
so today, priscilla and I willtalk about building a lifelong
legacy.
And, most importantly, she is adeacon with her husband, rene,
(00:43):
at the First Church of God inColumbus.
So she's a strong woman, infact.
So, priscilla, welcome to theshow.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Thank you, tim.
It's really a pleasure to behere and I'm so excited about
being here because of the workthat you've been doing on this
show, to be able to exposeindividuals to other people in
the community that are doinggreat things alongside you, who
are doing great things with thisshow.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Thank you.
Thank you.
I know you're a strong woman offaith.
Can you talk about your faithjourney growing up?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Well, yes, and so I grew up in a household, not only
in my own household with mymother, but also my grandmother,
and so when I think about faithand also thinking about just my
, my ancestors, it was nothingbut faith that bought them here,
and so I'm just a legacy ofthat faith, and my, my ancestry,
(01:35):
on my mother's side, goes to aplace called Chubtown, georgia,
and it has.
The one of the oldest churchesin Georgia is in Chubtown, which
is outside of Cays Springs, andmost people know about Chubtown
because of Nick Chubb.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
You're right, right, and that's all part of my and
that and that's all my family.
Yes, yes, yes, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
What were?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
some of those life lessons that you grew up, that
you learned growing up aboutfaith, about God.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Well, I think the most important life lessons was
to trust God.
To.
You know, we were always goingto Sunday school and then, as I
grew up, you know, as a youngadult I mean I was always going
to Sunday school went to TrinityBaptist Church, then I attended
St Philip's Episcopal Churchand then went back to Trinity.
(02:25):
I taught Sunday school atTrinity Baptist Church and then
I came to First Church of God,which is probably over 26, 27
years ago.
But I think that mostimportantly was to trust God,
put him first, learning that Ithink with God all things are
possible.
So, making sure that you puthim first, you don't really have
(02:46):
to worry about what's going tohappen in your life, that he
will take care of you if you,you know, if you're doing the
things that you know, thatglorify him.
Hey there.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
Clark Kellogg here.
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yourself.
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Speaker 2 (03:35):
You are a lifelong resident of Columbus, now what
has kept you here at this city?
I know you had otheropportunities, but what's kept
you here in the capital city?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Well, I would say this I love Columbus and I what
probably kept me here is that,you know, I went to high school
here.
I, as I went out and worked inthe community.
I've been working since I was14 years old, so I was picking
up trash at the neighborhoodhouse, and then I got another
(04:05):
job from right down the street,from Eastmore High School, and
so I worked while I was alwaysin college, so to help to be
able to support, you know, myfamily and allowing me to attend
college, and so, based uponthat, it's just been a place
that I've known as home, andthen it's afforded me the
opportunities to be able to havesome amazing work opportunities
(04:29):
, which led to amazing careeropportunities, and so I really
have never thought about leadingColumbus I.
You know I love to travel andsee other places, but, again,
there isn't any place like home.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
That's good you know.
Speaking of that, you have acareer that has included banking
, healthcare, public service.
How has God used you in theseareas impacting?
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Well, I tell you, tim , God has used me in many ways
and, first and foremost, Ibelieve that he's given me the
opportunity, first of all, theopportunity to be able to help
people and to recognize that theopportunity came from him and
that I truly believe that we'reput on earth to serve, and so by
(05:14):
that, he's given me theseopportunities, and I think the
opportunity gave me that arereally important is to make sure
that you're looking out for theleast of those, that you're
looking out, especially forblack and brown individuals in
this community and, again,people that are the least of
those.
So people that may be havingchallenges with their health or
(05:37):
their mental health or physicalhealth, people having financial
challenges, just to look out forpeople and try to be able to
implement programs to be able tomove people forward.
As a banker, I'll just mentionthis one that there is a
development.
Now there's a lot ofdevelopment going on, but while
(05:57):
I was a banker, a couple ofthings that I was able to do
with my other banking colleaguesand one was there really wasn't
any development happeningwithin the East Side, and so I
don't know if you're aware ofthere's a development of homes
that was on Atchison Avenuecalled Capital View Estates, and
(06:20):
so I participated in thattransaction which really allowed
people to be for one new builds.
People allowed to be able topurchase those homes and, if
they, with financing, that wouldwipe away their mortgage.
They live there, you know,significant period of time and
those houses would be there sothat people could build equity,
(06:43):
so things of that nature.
That's one and another one thatyou remember.
Home ownership, which isimportant to building wealth,
was to be able to how do youlook at financing, especially
people of color loans, to beable to look at them a second
time, do a re-evaluation ofthose loans to be able to help
provide them with opportunitiesto be able to build housing.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You know, I know you're also very much invested
in young people and you kind ofled and founded City Year in
Columbus and I see those kidswith the red, with the red
jackets, all in the schools andwhatnot.
What was the vision behind CityYear?
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Oh, you know I absolutely love City Year and
City Year is 30 years old.
This year and City Year.
I had the opportunity.
I was a banker for 16 years,which is what now is P&C.
Back then it was Ohio National.
I was recruited to go to workfor what is now Ohio Health and
I was recruited by Erie Chapman,and Erie Chapman's son was an
(07:45):
was attending Harvard and CityYear started in Harvard and I'm
starting in Boston.
And so he asked me.
So I left banking.
I've been a banker for 16 years.
He recruited me and I will haveto say that, being recruited by
Erie, I had to think long andhard about it.
I really wasn't thinking aboutleaving the bank, but I realized
(08:06):
that this is going to be anopportunity that only God would
have sent to me, and how thiscame about.
And so while I was at when Iwas at what's now Ohio Health
that he asked me to go and seethis program in Boston.
I saw the program in Boston, Icame back and I was now the
first vice.
I went to work as a for OhioHealth.
I was the first AfricanAmerican vice president for Ohio
(08:28):
Health and then one of my roleswas to help bring City Year to
Columbus and that's how we began.
I started it.
The core members, or coremembers, came from Boston to
help me start it.
They lived in my house and webegan to work with the community
to bring City Year here.
(08:49):
It is an amazing program.
So brings diverse groups ofpeople to work together to do
service in the community butalso to break down the barriers
that sometimes prevent peoplefrom getting to know people, for
whether it be diversity ofeducation, race, sexual
(09:09):
orientation, religion, it breaksall that down in terms of
service and then to do greatwork in our community.
So I loved it and I was able todo that work for about 13 years
, not only in Columbus, but Ialso led five other cities
across the country.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Now, it's a great program.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
It is, I see them all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
They're so happy, those kids are so happy and the
children, the students thatthey're working with are just as
happy Just to see somebody, andI think it's really near peer
mentoring.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Because they're getting near to their age and
they can really relate to thembecause they really were high
schoolers a couple of years ago,fresh out of college, with them
.
So it's really been a blessing,you know.
And then you shipped the gearson this.
You work from that.
Well, you've done so much.
You appointed the city councilin 2000.
2007 and here's the.
Here's the other thing that wasamazing to me you got reelected
(10:01):
three more times being the topvote getter.
You know now what is it aboutcouncilwoman?
The silly Tyson that the peoplesaw you and just kept electing
me well, I think one.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
You remember, you that wasn't the first question.
You're asking what kept me inColumbus, and so I think that
one, being someone from Columbusand you know, just knowing lots
of people from variousbackgrounds, I think they do
they knew me and I think sothat's important.
But I also believe that peoplesee me as a person that wants to
(10:38):
be able to listen to everyone.
I mean, you may not get exactlywhat you wanted, but you've
been heard.
I believe that people know thatI'm a woman of faith and that
they see me as a person who hasbeen that they feel is a person
of integrity.
And so, and I would say, Idon't view myself as a
(10:58):
politician do I this politicsinvolved?
Sure, I view myself as a publicservant and I believe that
people see that.
And so when you see me, youknow I'm always gonna be willing
to, to want to help, to want tolisten, and I really care about
making the community a betterplace you always say that I tell
(11:19):
young people this people know,know, know you.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
People know a lot of people.
But the question is not who doyou know, but what they know
about you.
What do they know about?
They know you now, but what dothey know about you?
Obviously people know you, aswhat you just said, as a public
servant the politics is involvedwith everybody.
But but councilwoman Tyson is apublic servant, you know she's
for the people and you know Tim.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
I really I will say this I wasn't interested at all
in being an elected official.
It was not something that youknow some people this is.
They know that's what they wantto do.
This wants to be theirprofession.
I really ran away from it.
And I ran away from it forabout 10 years and then, three
different times, people statedto me presul this, something
(12:03):
you'd be great at.
You've got your between yourbusiness background.
You know, with for-profit,nonprofit, this, you know you're
caring about community, thiswould be a great place for you,
but I just couldn't see it.
And people saw it in me, whichsometimes happened with women,
but I didn't see it.
I'm thinking this cannot be forme.
But after the third time itcoming to me, I thought, well,
(12:28):
let me just think about thepeople that have brought this to
me in the past.
And then, lastly, I'm thinking,you know, since this keeps
coming and based upon where Iwas at my own faith walk, I'm
like I don't want to be likeJonah because God's gonna get
you where he needs you to besooner or later.
So I need to really think aboutthis and and I, and I did, and I
(12:52):
, basically I really put myapplication in about the last 45
minutes before the deadlinebecause I wasn't sure.
But what I did do is pray tosay, god, if this is what you
want me to do, then I will do it, and but don't have.
But I also said, but, god, ifyou don't want me to do this
because I also know how hardlife is when you, when you are
(13:13):
not doing God's work, when he isnot, you know he is not saying
this is what I need you to do hedefinitely I said don't have
him, pick me, take me out of itif this is not your desire.
And then I then you know, I was, you know, selected.
And then I soon realized thatGod had been preparing me on my
(13:35):
life to do this work and I thankGod for allowing me to do the
work and and to be able to help,help people and help our
community.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Speaking of that, while you're in city government,
who were some of your mentors?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Well, I would tell you my mentor that I just dearly
, dearly love, is the firstAfrican-American councilwoman,
les Wright, and Les was justhonored by the mayor last
Thursday to be in the ColumbusOhio Hall of Fame.
But Les, not only was she thefirst African-American woman on
(14:16):
city council, but I'd known Lesbefore that, and so Les went to
Trinity Baptist Church.
She's still, if she doesn'tlive here now, but Trinity is
our Columbus home.
She taught in the nurseryschool.
She told me my son was in ourclass and we had a relationship
together.
So Les is someone that I wouldsay has been a mentor to me,
(14:37):
someone else that, even thoughwe're the same age, we went to
Eastmore together.
I have a lot of respect forShelly de Tavares.
She is another person that is awoman of integrity, cares about
community, not afraid to standup for what she believes is
right.
So I do appreciate her advocacyand her work in the community.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
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Speaker 2 (16:00):
You know, this podcast is about building a
lifelong legacy.
What would you say is a legacyof Percelatizing.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Well, let's see, I think my legacy is one.
You know, I had the opportunityto chair some committees that
really touched the people, so alegacy, I would say, at least
from my public service time,would be one my very first.
(16:27):
One of the first committees Ichaired was Recreation and Parks
, and that touches the people,and something that I did there
that was really important wasmaking sure that our facilities
had air conditioning and put aplan in for them to get air
conditioning, and so put it thatin the capital budget.
That's just you know, anotherwas to make sure people weren't
(16:50):
discriminated based upon theirrace, sexual orientation,
disability.
So I can go.
I can mention a number ofthings, but as I look at how the
city has grown, especially overthe last 15 years, I think my
legacy is that I know I played arole in it from my different
positions on council to be ableto improve the community for the
(17:13):
betterment of all.
So between Health and HumanServices, you know, thinking
about zoning, thinking about asa finance chair, just different
roles, that thinking about allthe people in this community and
individuals and businesses, ofhow our city continues to grow.
Is it perfect?
(17:33):
No, it's not, but we certainlyhave a city and we have leaders
that are moving us forward.
So I think that is a legacy.
I think that a legacy thatpeople care.
At the end of my, before I wasleading council, I have
something that was near and dearto me and that was the creation
(17:55):
of the commission on Black.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Girls?
Yeah, I know that was one ofyour signature achievements.
Was that commission on blackgirl study?
It was a study impact andimprove the quality of life of
black girls in Columbus andcentral high.
What was the reason for thestudy?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Well, I was the chair of health and human services
and when you begin to look atSome of the issues that are that
were facing a special blackwomen in our community, I
thought about how do we begin tochange this trajectory.
So things like we're looking atyou know infant mortality, that
(18:31):
you know that our babies aredying.
You know two to three times outof white babies.
I look at maternal mortality,black women dying you know two
times more than white mothers.
I look at the Looking at our,the wages that women make in our
community and black womenmaking.
You know, if you think, about60 cents on the dollar compared
(18:53):
to a white man, and so I can goon and on about this, the
disparities, home ownership.
I can go on and on about thedisparities between, you know,
black families and Caucasianfamilies, and so if you're
really going to ever begin tochange a trajectory, especially
of a black girls life, we needto understand right now how do
(19:15):
we work on programs that arefocused on women now, but also
how do we change theirtrajectory, and to be able to do
that, we need to have anunderstanding of what their
quality of life happens to be inColumbus, ohio, and so we
worked with.
We had a great commission of 25amazing individuals in our
community and then we Surveyedover four, got surveys back for
(19:42):
464 girls.
We also talked with individualswho worked with our girls and
and a major player, and that wasthe Columbus East school system
.
That's where our girls spend alot of their time.
But we got a lot of informationfrom our girls and people who
work with our girls and theparents, etc.
And based upon that, we wereable to now have what's called
(20:04):
the commission on black girls, areport About our girls, and
there's a lot of great thingsour girls are doing.
There's some stillness andchallenges and how do you move
those challenges for?
And so it's a tool now that'sbeing used by non-profit
organizations.
Like Erin pink that you know.
Our girls are asking forleadership opportunities and so
(20:27):
there is a so through herprogram providing leadership
opportunities for our girlsthere, for a brown girl
mentoring.
There's lots of a non-profitorganizations that are using
that report and making, helpingto Enhance a girl's life.
There's also the sororities,churches, so it was really the
(20:49):
schools Taking this informationto understand what's going on in
their lives and how do we helpto improve those lives, help
them to see that make them feelgood about themselves and Help
to move them forward.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
You know we do a lot of study.
We've got a lot of reports, youknow, to come out.
The blessing of this is thiswasn't just a report, this was a
plan of action.
Mm-hmm, I just I just talked ona piece of paper, and the
beauty of this whole thing thatI love about this report is that
we listen, we asked thechildren, we ask kids, because
real change happens when thepeople who need it lead.
(21:24):
So we had to ask them, and youdid a great job of making sure
this wasn't just taught.
You know that there was, therewas gonna be something after,
after we got to study.
Now what?
Now what?
So can you talk briefly aboutsome of those programs and how
they have impacted black andbrown girls in the city?
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Well, thank you.
Yes, so even while I was stillthere, we had for the first
couple years we did a couplethings.
One, we had a television showthat focused on our girls and
our girls helped to lead, and soyou can still see that on on
Columbus's ctv and On topics thegirls cared about.
But we also had two leadershipsummits for our girls and again
(22:05):
we let them participate and helpto lead those sessions and we
we also one of the one of theareas that black girls were very
much concerned about was, youknow, their hair and the crown
act.
So I was able to pass the crownact and counsel my favor.
She coast, she co-sponsoredthat legislation with me.
But I had black girls be able.
(22:27):
They made a, a videotape aboutwhat it's like to be able, about
their hair and of course thatwas shown to help us to pass
that legislation.
But again, besides kind of sothose programs, but also being
able, while I was still thereand now that we still, even
though I'm no longer there, I'llshare this that we now have a
(22:48):
permanent a commission on blackgirls, I would say initiative
program within the city ofColumbus, that is, that is led
by out of the Department ofNeighborhood, led by Nicole
Harper, is a program officer.
So still, the city is stilldoing a lot of work in that area
(23:09):
for our girls, as well asfunding other programs, just
like the Erin pink program,which is a leadership program
for girls, and so it's givingthem.
I'm elevating thoseorganizations that are
supporting girls, providing themwith significant funding to be
able to support and in and moveour girls forward, and then
(23:30):
setting that you know get by,giving them money, allowing that
then other organizations wouldalso find those programs.
So it's.
It's really about kind of thelegacy of how you, you know,
have a report that is Meaningfulto give people kind of the
blueprint of what our girls aresaying.
(23:51):
They need it.
And the last thing I'll say, tim, when I first decided to create
this commission on black girls,there were people that said you
shouldn't call it that, maybeyou shouldn't do that, and I'm
like well, the data is clear.
The data is so clear here, youknow, I have to talk about this
(24:13):
is about black girls and and andand.
If we can help black girls moveforward, all the work that
we're doing will help all girlsto move forward, but you don't
start at the girl that's, that'sexcelling and everything.
You have to be able tounderstand that our girls are
being, you know, suspended morethan any other girl.
(24:35):
I mean, you have to understandwhat's happening and what you
understand was happening.
We can now begin to take thisdata and begin to, you know,
begin to enhance their lives,because I never want to say that
our black girls lives.
They don't have good lives Allwe all have good lives but can
they all could be better, andthat's what this was really
about.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Wow, that's powerful.
Just see your heart.
I know your heart is.
You know, as we kind of wrap up, you have given so much to
Columbus.
You know longtime residentsresident of the city.
What is next for facilitation?
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Well, what is next for me is that I'm gonna take
some time, you know, retiredfrom the city, and of December
2021, and prior to that I alsohave been for nine years I
create a prop program for Elvis,for cover family and children's
program, and it was to supportwomen and their children women
who were dealing, who were justcoming out of the prison system,
(25:32):
and Also women who haveaddiction, illness, to be able
to work, to make sure that theirchildren would be, you know,
move forward and be successfuland what was needed for them.
And so, for nine years, I alsocreated this program and ran
this program with some amazingindividuals, and so I just
retired from there and they and,and so one it's really good to
(25:56):
be able to leave.
I believe this, you know,leaving the world, about me,
leaving a place when then youfound it, and that and and so,
and also I believe in leavingwomen, you know, at the right
time, which was, which, I think,for both jobs.
I have both.
What I'm doing now is, when youare a public servant and I've
always worked two jobs that youdo what you have to do, and what
(26:22):
I had to do was go to work anddo the best, best job I could.
It also meant doing the best Icould for my family, you know,
also making sure I'm doing myassignments, or for my church
and for God, and so what happensis you really don't have enough
time to spend with your family,like you with.
So right now, focusing my familyand my friends, and I'm
(26:45):
focusing on my faith as well asmy overall wellness.
So my physical wellness, myfinancial wellness, just the, my
wellness period, traveling'scaught in part of that wellness.
But, and then I did create,because there are a couple
initiatives that are near anddear to me, and I created
(27:07):
Priscilla Tyson consultingreally to focus on this one
project and that the city Be oneof me to kind of continue to
work on, and so I'm very excitedto be doing that.
And then I'll be doing maybe,maybe a couple things, but
mainly focusing on my family, myfriends, my faith and Whatever
(27:29):
God has in store for me.
Because, again, you know it'sall about what God wants me to
do.
I mean, I was things I'mthinking I know need to be done,
but but God, god, whatever,what does God say?
So I'm letting him continue,leading guy in my life to do the
things he needs for me to doand Tim, I also will be spending
more time at the, a culturalarts center.
It's now named the Priscillaart Tyson cultural arts center
(27:52):
and I want to make sure that Iam going there for their
Programs and because I'm reallygrateful that the mayor named
the facility downtown in anhonor of my service.
So I'll be doing that too,thank you.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Well, priscilla, I want to thank you for your time.
This has been a wonderfulepisode, great wisdom, great
knowledge that you share.
But I want to thank you alsofor answering the call, the call
that God has on your life.
Just answering that call andbeing obedient.
Being obedient, you say you gotin there the last 45 minutes of
four hours.
You know for that, counselor,that's truly God.
So I want to thank you for yourtime.
(28:32):
Thank you all for listening,for listening to the be a baller
podcast with a special guest,assistant Tyson.
Thank you for your time.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Thank you, it's been pleasure.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
If you enjoyed this episode, please share this
podcast with family and friends.
Be a baller podcast isavailable on all major podcast
stations.
Be sure to come back next weekas we continue to discuss on how
to build a lifelong legacy.
Until then, don't forget to bea baller.
This podcast was created bycoach Tim Brown.
(29:04):
It was edited by Tehran how andproduced and recorded by the
video production class ofWorthington Christian High
School.
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