About Community Development Initiatives at Red Tail Legacy

Red Tail Legacy Partners, LLC was formed in 2024 as the next step in the life trajectory of its founder, Jonathan Beard. Beard, the son of a Tuskegee Airman and a mother whose ancestors were original founders of the Lakeview Community -- a Freeman's Settlement in southern Illinois dating from the 1820s, is a community and economic development professional dedicated to community empowerment. Over more than 25 years, he has worked at the intersection of real estate development, workforce development, and career-technical education.

After studying political science at the University of Pennsylvania, Jonathan Beard has watched with concern as the nation's structures, initially designed to support small states and White, male, property owners, are being manipulated to enshrine a backwards-looking "minority rule" in an increasingly diverse America. Penn was founded by Benjamin Franklin, known for the kite and the key; however, Beard quickly learned that Franklin is a founding father, and the political science curriculum focused heavily on the Constitutional design and structure of the nation. Since then, Beard has viewed the nation through that unique perspective.

After earning his Masters in Public Administration at The Ohio State University and running a nonprofit that secured and administered Columbus, Ohio's Round II Urban Empowerment Zone designation, Beard became one of a handful of practitioners to run a "comprehensive community development initiative" in this generation. In this capacity, he was selected by his peers across the country to testify before the Select Revenues Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Dissatisfied with the local government's response to the needs of disadvantaged communities, Beard recognized this issue stemmed from a flaw in the electoral system (

As a father, a little league coach, and a mentor, I have watched this generation of young adults grow up, and I love them. They are smart, funny, and caring. I wish those trapped in their bubbles of fear could see you through my eyes - then they wouldn't be scared; they would be proud, happy, and encouraged. This younger generation embodies the community empowerment that my generation aspired to achieve. Instead of growing up during a period of separation and fear-based 'White flight' to the suburbs, you have forged friendships that transcend appearances. I've seen you stand up for one another, whether as teammates in sports or as leaders in the largest social justice movement in America's history through Black Lives Matter. You are protesting the genocide in Gaza, demanding an end to our country's complicity in ethnic cleansing. Your concerns about the health of the planet and the impact of guns in our society are valid. You embrace differences in gender and sexuality, support a woman's right to choose her reproductive healthcare, and reject the notion of turning young women into baby-makers, a fixation of some older generations. You care little about which God people pray to and believe in the right to vote, wanting to support candidates who share your values and perspectives. You see strength and beauty in our nation's ethnic diversity and envision an America for all. You learn quickly and work hard, yet you deserve fair opportunities to live affordably without crushing college debt. I believe it is the duty of my generation, including voices like Jonathan Beard, to organize for community empowerment alongside you. The know-how and resources of older generations should support the aspirations of younger generations like yours. Through this movement, we can leverage the Constitutional design to restructure our country politically, helping you eliminate the stupidity, hatred, and bitterness in national politics and build the community and the country that you can be proud to call yours, a vision I associate with the Red Tail Legacy.