Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Dickerson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jennifer , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I found my purpose by living through my own challenges. Becoming a teen mom forced me to grow up quickly and taught me resilience, faith, and determination. I realized my struggles weren’t just for me, they were preparing me to help others. When I lost my mom, my purpose grew even deeper. Her passing helped me discover how to turn pain into purpose and how to help others navigate loss as well. That experience gave me a new perspective on life, and it fueled my passion to build Heart & Sole as a space to uplift, empower, and inspire the next generation.
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?
Heart & Sole is more than a program…it’s a movement, rooted in compassion, creativity, and community. Heart & Sole is to dedicated to the holistic well-being of children, focusing on their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth. What started as a simple afterschool initiative to support behavior modification and academic improvement has grown into a transformative force that bridges the gaps between children, parents, and the communities they live in. The steps that led me here began long before Heart & Sole even had a name. They were the quiet, faithful strides of a teen mother navigating uncertainty, the determined walk of resilience through life’s challenges, and the bold steps of vision and purpose. My journey…marked by struggle, faith, and perseverance…planted the seeds for an organization that now inspires, uplifts, and empowers others.
I built Heart & Sole with a clear mission: to walk alongside individuals, especially youth, as they face life’s challenges, and to provide them with safe, supportive spaces where they can grow, express themselves, and thrive. My own life shaped this vision. As a teen mom, I discovered the strength required not just to survive, but to rise above. My passion for service began with volunteering, mentoring, and organizing community efforts. Eventually, those efforts grew into something bigger: an organization that blends advocacy with entrepreneurship and creativity with care.
My professional experience working in a Title I school, where over 86% of students lived below the poverty line, showed me the urgent need for structured, supportive programs. I saw how lack of resources and supervision could lead to lost potential. Heart & Sole became my answer: a space where youth could engage in creative dance and step routines, enjoy a healthy snack, and receive help with homework.
To me, Heart & Sole is more than a name…it’s a philosophy. “Heart” reflects the empathy, compassion, and emotional strength that fuels my mission. “Sole” represents the journey, the steps we take individually and collectively toward growth, healing, and transformation. Together, they symbolize the balance between inner passion and outward action.
Dance, step, rhythm, and expression are powerful tools of communication. They give young people a way to tell their stories without words. Every stomp and every clap is a declaration of identity, struggle, and triumph. These performances are more than artistic displays—they are acts of healing, empowerment, and unity.
But Heart & Sole extends beyond the stage. It is a bridge that connects families, supports parents, and strengthens communities by offering structured outlets for youth. It’s where art meets advocacy and movement becomes medicine. Through performances and community engagement, Heart & Sole is shaping a generation of confident, connected, and compassionate leaders.
And the journey is far from over. With a foundation built on faith, resilience, and creativity, I’m committed to expanding Heart & Sole’s reach and deepening its impact. Because I believe with all my heart: every heart matters, every soul matters, every step matters. That’s the heartbeat of Heart & Sole a legacy of love, movement, and meaningful change.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities that carried me the furthest have been resilience, creativity, and compassion. Resilience came from becoming a teen mom and later losing my mother; two experiences that could have broken me but instead taught me to bend without giving up. Creativity allowed me to take what felt like pain and reimagine it into purpose, which is how Heart & Sole was born. And compassion….my ability to truly connect with people and understand their struggles has been the foundation of every relationship, opportunity, and impact I’ve made.
The advice I would give to others is resilience is built by leaning into challenges instead of running from them; ask yourself not “Why me?” but “What is this teaching me?” Creativity grows when you give yourself permission to think differently and take risks, practice it daily in small ways. And compassion is strengthened by slowing down and really listening to others. When you lead with empathy, you’ll find that doors open naturally, and the impact you create will be far greater than you imagined.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Right now, my biggest challenge is securing consistent funding to expand and sustain the work we do through Heart & Sole. The demand for our programs is growing, and while that’s a blessing, it also requires more resources staffing, space, and tools to truly meet the needs of children and families in our community.
To overcome this, I’ve been intentional about building partnerships with local businesses, schools, and community leaders who share our vision. I’m also investing time into learning the funding landscape including grant writing, sponsorship opportunities, and even creative fundraising initiatives….so that we’re not just depending on one stream of income. Most importantly, I’m making sure our story is told clearly and powerfully, because when people understand the impact, they want to be part of the mission.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beacons.ai/heartandsole
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/heartsolestep
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/heartsolestep
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/heartsolestep
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/heartsolestep
Image Credits
Jenna Wright, Jordan Ray
