Meet Maurice Clark-Wilkinson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maurice Clark-Wilkinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Maurice, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

Well, first I’d like to say thank you for taking the time to sit down with me. It is truly a pleasure to do this interview.

But great question. You might find it crazy, but my work ethic comes from the mindset I’ve developed after reading my bible, can’t read the bible and not abide by the Kingdom Principles that God put in place. Then you have books like The Black Art of War, by Hannibal. The Art of War by Tsun-Szu, The Art of War and The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli —those books taught me how to be tactical, disciplined, focused, and strategic. Then I listened to artists such as Jay-Z,
50, and Diddy. Their business acumen taught me how to think, analyze, negotiate, lead, and build structure. I also listen to Malcolm-X a lot and apply his teachings both mentally and spiritually. Then I have mentors such as Shavar Jeffries, Kevin Jenkins, and Andre Little, all from Newark, New Jersey, who taught me consistency and patience, and encouraged me to speak my mind, never being afraid to face challenges or take on opposition that may come my way.
So, as you can see, my work ethic comes from being a sponge; I soak up everything I was taught and apply it to my life. Plus, when you find your passion, it awakens something in you and makes you want to grind hard and work smart.

Now, I can’t exclude my heart for people because that is also where my work ethic comes from. See, when you do this type of work, you have to love people and the community. When I see parents not being able to feed their children, children in tears because they don’t have the things they need, and an increase in homelessness, it breaks my heart, and so I continue to put boots on the ground, ensuring that the people in need are not forgotten. That comes from watching my mother during her time as a Captain in the Newark Police Department. I paid attention to how she operated. She was fair, fierce, and she ensured the people in her community were taken care of, and excuse my language, she also didn’t take any S*** from anyone, and neither do I.

So, this work ethic was developed based on a strong foundation that includes a deep faith in God, discipline, education, and morals. This work is 24/7 and will never stop. That is why I organize the events that we do, such as community baby showers, food drives, toy giveaways, and much more. and I plan to take it with me soon to the City Council, then to the Office of Mayor of Plainfield, NJ, and finally as either a United States Senator or Congressman. Yes, I do have those aspirations to be a public servant, and by God’s Grace, I will get there because it is time for a Kingdom Agenda. I refuse to keep seeing elected officials take advantage of Black People while our communities are being sold to developers and these Zionist Jews. I want to see my community do well and see the people in it prosper. My work ethic is so that I can not only create a great future for the generations to come, but to secure it. So, this work ethic of mine, I hope it spreads like wildfire, encouraging people who are 35 and younger, so that they can begin to make changes in places like Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, LA, and the Bay Area. All these officials who have been in office for 20 or 30 years need to go, and since they refuse to pass the torch, we will take it by seizing the moment.

It’s time to get away from the victim mentality and overthrow governments; it’s time for real regime change in a lot of these cities so that we can rebuild and restructure. It’s time for crime to be reduced, it’s time for market-rate housing, new infrastructure that is sustainable, no more tax abatements, and it’s time to bring in businesses, recreational programs, better education resources, and more.
So, to you mayors and councilmembers, in Plainfield, NJ (except for Council President Steve Hockaday and Council Vice President Darcella Sessomes), and Newark, NJ (except for West Ward Councilman Dupre Kelly, Councilman at-large Luis Quintana, and North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos), The Clock has started ticking, and Your Time Is ALMOST UP!!!!

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

We are a non-profit organization that gives back to multiple communities here New Jersey. Such as Plainfield, Newark, and Asbury Park, we host community baby showers, food drives, toy giveaways, sponsor a teen-parent program, and much more. We do the work because we understand number one how it is when times are hard, and secondly, because there is a need out there that is not being met. We also raise awareness about social issues and speak out against racism, police brutality, financial and economic freedom, criminal justice reform, housing, and education.

The most exciting thing about what we do. Well, it’s simple, it’s the work that we do, knowing we are spreading joy by helping the people and planting seeds of hope instead of seeds of doubt. This organization is about God’s Kingdom, and so therefore we stay humble, we seek him in all that we do, we fast and pray leading up to our events, then we pray after because God always makes a way for us to do the things that we do. This work brings us joy, and as long as we are still breathing, we will continue taking care of the community. I always hear people say they’re going to pray for the people, but faith without works is dead, and I’m thankful that God continues to put me in a position where my team and I can do the work, so as long as his hands are upon us, you will forever see us in these streets.

I just want people to know that while we may not have a big platform, we make a big impact throughout the year, every year. So, you don’t have to look for the celebrities and influencers; the work is being done regardless of whether or not we are being recognized. We don’t do this to be popular, nor do we do this for clout; we do this because it’s KINGDOM BUSINESS!!! it’s been 5 years, but we are just scratching the surface, and there is more to come.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three most impactful qualities were empathy, respect, and kindness. Empathy, because you have to meet people where they are, respect, because to get respect you have to give respect, and nobody is better than the next person, we are all out here figuring out this thing we call life, and well, respect goes a long way, and lastly kindness, because you never know what a person is going through some are losing hope, some are scared believing that there is no tomorrow, and some just believe that nobody cares. But Take It To The Streets is here to show people that hope, empathy, and kindness still exist in this world.

The advice I’d give to those who are just starting their journey is to put God first and be patient because nothing happens overnight, secondly, always read and have a plan, third, never be afraid to seek wisdom or ask for help, fourth, don’t tell everything, keep things to yourself, Fifth, something that my father always told me and that was never settle for less, weigh your options, and never take no for an answer, so I definitely encourage them to take that advice because the more you settle the more you diminish your value. Lastly, to quote the late Notorious B.I.G., stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart’s in it, then live the phrase sky’s the limit.

Before I go, I would like to thank my team because Lord knows it isn’t always easy dealing with me lol. I run a tight ship but they are there, first Shayla McDaniel for non-stop support and helping bring the vision to life, my little brother Jasir Clark-Washington for his counsel, Raymond Foxx for always being of assistance, Kristian Thompson for her constant support and running the administrative side of things, Czezre Adams, Alicia Jones my aunt for her wisdom and no-nonsense demeanor, and Destiny Grant who is a current student at Rutgers University she keeps us young and youthful she is definitely on the rise and will soon be a great leader in her own right.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

The number one obstacle I face is having such a big heart in a cold and calculating world. I love giving back to my community and putting smiles on people’s faces, but when you are such a loving and giving person, you are vulnerable. People try to attack you, spread rumors, take advantage of you, try to destroy your character, and make negative comments. Yes, you become frustrated and suffer some fatigue, but I continue doing the work of the Kingdom and keep bringing the vision God gave me to life. The way I see it, if people aren’t talking about you and they don’t hate you, then you are not living up to your full potential, and well, the devil wouldn’t mess with you if you aren’t doing something right and if he didn’t see you as a threat. In the current climate we live in, you have to be resilient, develop thick skin, and have a prayer life and a relationship with God. So, knowing that God is always with me and he will never leave me nor forsake me, and that there is an anointing over my life, keeps me going. It’s been 5 years since we’ve been in operation, and we are just getting started.

Now, before we get out of here, I want to shout out some special people who help me keep this going. My little brother, Jasir Clark-Washington; Raymond Foxx, Kristian Thompson, Shayla McDaniel, and Alicia Jones. This is my team right here.

Family and friends who keep me encouraged: My sister Melissa Leach-Douglas. My cousins Alfred Ishmal III, Samantha Rogers, Thomik Mollett, and Thyler Mollett. My Aunt Leslie Clark-Headley. Steve Wilson, Brandon Rogers, Jermaine Crews, Dexter Dodd, Anthony Bradshaw, Czezre Adams, Symone Jackson, and Alexandria Wallace.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://takeittothestreetsnj.com
• Instagram: Take_It_T0_The_Streets_Inc