Herbert Robinson: From Growing Pains to Growing Solutions

Herbert My name is Herbert Robinson. I'm a native Washingtonian, a social entrepreneur right now along with Growing Pain Solutions, the 501(c)(3) that I run. I also have AGG Transportation — we offer ADA-accessible transportation. And I work for Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.

Emily Amazing. So we'll start with Growing Pain Solutions — how did you come up with the name for that?

Herbert Learning about transferable skills. A lot of the things I did in my past that led me into incarceration, I found out they could be used in my day-to-day life. So the same things that became my growing pains became my solutions. That's what it's been like. I'm trying to teach that, trying to show those same transferable skills, introduce that same social-emotional awareness, by offering workshops. Our workforce development trainings — making myself a part of the community and allowing the community, the way they function and think, to be a part of it.

Emily That's beautiful. Can you walk me through how you built the organization from the very beginning?

Herbert I had a friend named Monica Butler. She was from Philadelphia. At the time, she was here in Washington, DC, working at the SEED School. While she was doing that, I was going through policy and advocacy training that DC Justice Lab has. While taking that course, I was able to fight for something that had hindered me, seeing my mother and being there, being able to go to my mother's funeral. I was incarcerated in FCI Ray Brook in New York when my mother passed away, and because of that distance — being in a federal institution — it's not even a thought to the institution or the courts about letting us go to our family members’ homegoing. We’re basically just left being stuck in that institution.

So the 500 mile rule the First Step Act says that DC residents aren’t supposed to be over 500 miles away. Over 40% of us are. With that policy, at the time, Eleanor Holmes Norton had introduced H.R. 3339. Working with DC Justice Lab I was able to build a one-pager and start advocating and organizing groups around that, along with trying to communicate and connect with the community, raise awareness about the effect not just of that part of the First Step Act, but also the good-time credits and program and things like that. Then, through further education, I learned about the Revitalization Act of 1997, which kind of started all of this. It was like, wow.

While working with Monica with the SEED School, her thing was social-emotional awareness. And it was like yeah, it was needed. The communication barriers that are out here. With GPS, I think it's about building inclusive communities. Being in rooms with doctors, lawyers, being able to communicate and share my stories, share my thoughts, share my pain. Seeing how vital that was to the community, but also seeing how vital it was to me and how it made me feel to be able to share and being able to release certain things. Sharing certain personal things and stuff like that too, and letting it be public like that. Like, hey, it is what it is. Like these are my struggles.

But I also found that in sharing, others who know you have those kinds of struggles will assist you. You get a lot of guidance. You could build social capital to help you do a lot of things.

Emily Absolutely. It's very powerful that you were able to turn your personal experiences into your advocacy now and share that with other people. I'm wondering, what's one challenge you faced while working on building Growing Pain Solutions, and how you addressed that.

Herbert Compliance. The computers, having to go back and check, having to keep spreadsheets and things I really didn't know about. Things I was seeing and was forced to learn, and that took time and focus. Like I said, I used my social capital, connected with people who do know, and allow them to assist me through the process.

Emily It’s always the hidden part of the job. You don't really expect it, but it takes up so much time, I'm sure.

Herbert Right, even incarcerated, when it comes to law, we're always told ignorance is no excuse in the law. So it’s like if you don't know something, do it a certain day or time, or if you don’t know this is what you’ve got to do to be able to take it, that’s nobody’s fault but your own. You’ve got to go figure it out. So I try to make sure I'm around people I see in certain places where I want to be, so I can ask them questions.

Emily That seems like a really good leadership trait to have. And actually, my next question is also about leadership and how you keep up morale on your team and foster a positive dynamic with both the people you work with and the people who are your clients of Growing Pain Solutions?

Herbert With community. What you say matters. And I don't know you better than you know you. That's my leadership. We're partners in this, in building you and building me and building our community. We've got to work together — teamwork.

Having that social-emotional awareness, being able to understand when you're frustrating somebody, when you are pushing their buttons, when they need to step back, but also when I need to step back. But also understanding sometimes when you need to push forward and make sure you don't leave things on bad terms. Grace. That's what I look at as leadership. Treat people how you want to be treated.

Emily 100%. I think all of those things, if I were on the receiving end, would definitely create a more positive environment in general. What is your favorite part of leading GPS?

Herbert Building the community, the people I meet, and like I said, the social capital. Finding myself in places I never would have imagined, like going into the Wilson Building, going into the Capitol. I never thought about those things when I was younger. Those weren't thoughts. So now, doing that, being in those spaces, sitting down and talking and working with lawyers, doctors, people who hold degrees that I’m still not thinking about going to get. I'm using my experience in another way, but it's helpful to them, and their experiences are helpful to me. We're making it work.

Emily I saw that you recently testified at the DC Council. Is that your first time doing that?

Herbert No, I've done it a couple of times.

Emily What's that experience like?

Herbert It's cool, I guess. It’s advocacy. It's education. I want to be able to have it where a lot more people are willing to tell their story, are willing to share their experiences, their struggles, what’s helped them, who have helped them. If we all come forward and share that, then everybody will know we know the pathway. No need to keep secrets. Tell people how you did it, so they'll know how to do it too.

Emily What did you advocate on this time, and do you think they were receptive to it?

Herbert I think so, yes. That was the OBSJG hearing, Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants. I'm a recipient of it all in every way. Like I spoke about, I was Cohort 6 in the Georgetown Pivot Program. Changing Perceptions has helped me, especially with insurance issues I had with my business. I went through the Black Fatherhood program with the Washington Urban League. So it's a lot of organizations that assist those that are returning home, those in the community who are struggling. I'm a recipient of those organizations as I built mine. Just need to tell them that.

Emily I'm sure going through all of those programs also informed you while you were building your own. So I’m curious how your personal experiences affected the way you approach the work that you do now?

Herbert Trying to be open, being straightforward, like laying it on the table. Sometimes I've been told I disclose too much. But I think when you're open, everybody knows what's going on, knows what’s there, and they’re able to make their own decisions based on all the information, and not just certain parts of it, it works out better. It's just about finding the right people who won't allow the greed and instant gratification to cloud their judgment, and who'll invest in what you're trying to do. Let's all play our part and move forward. That's how you make it compound. Let’s build.

Emily 100%. What would you say is one misperception about the justice system?

Herbert About the justice system? I guess you can say the reentry effort they have — the resources are here, especially in DC. There's a lot of resources here, and that’s all coming from the justice system or the Justice Department. When it comes to the institutions, I don't think it's a misconception other than we blame the institutions for people not having the will, determination, and the drive to do better for themselves. We blame the institution for housing and warehousing people, and they’re coming home without learning or growing. A person's got to have that within them. That’s got to be something they want to do. You can't make a person do the work.

Especially with the laws, you don't want to do something, you go to the hole. You sit inside of solitary confinement. The fact that I've advocated and I’ve fought against solitary confinement, like I know people who like those conditions better than being in population. But I know there are people who don't want to be in those conditions too. So it’s a difference, and it's a fight. You’ve got to pick which side you want to be on.

Emily Do you think there are enough resources within prisons for people who do want to rehabilitate and learn?

Herbert For those that want to, yeah. And I say that because a lot of those who commit crimes and things that they did are a lot of things that they can use. Like there are people there that do plumbing all day long. Like they actually fix your toilet if you have a problem. They can do maintenance. They can teach plumbing, and carpentry. They can teach HVAC. They actually do. I got EPA-certified while I was in Lee County. And it was another resident in the institution that was teaching the course. But like I said, it’s all on the person and what they want to do. It’s on their determination. It’s on their drive. That’s the misconception. A lot of us fault the institutions, they fault the government. But it’s like, no, you’ve got to want it.

Emily I think that's a very interesting perspective, especially since you've been through all of it and were one of those people who really used those resources.

Herbert And there’s going to be the argument, don’t get me wrong, there’s those on the inside that want it. And they have hurdles and barriers they’ve got to jump through to get it. But I tell people all day long, I’ve been extorted for the past three years, trying to get all my certificates and stuff together to ask them to run a business. But it’s the hurdles and things we’ve got to go through. Nothing comes easy. It’s all about what you want.

Emily Yeah, it’s interesting that maybe the odds may be stacked against you in some way, but it's there if you want it. And it takes extra effort, maybe but it sounds like you think people can do that.

Herbert Yeah, keep pushing. That's it. Just keep pushing. It comes together. You keep working at it, and you’re going to figure it out.

Emily It's inspiring. It’s very cool. And kind of going back to the work you're doing now, what was one moment you remember that captures what you enjoy most about your job?

Herbert The experiential workshops. I haven't been allowed yet to make it into DC Jail or CTF to do workshops, I've been into a couple Maryland institutions, the men’s institution and the women’s institution MCIW. Those moments. Being able to go back into the institution and host those workshops, be a facilitator of them. I actually went back in and became a facilitator. I took my Advanced and my facilitator’s T4F [Training for Facilitators] for AVP [Alternative to Violence Project] and became an AVP facilitator in the institution.

Being able to go back and be a facilitator— that's been the best moment. I'm working to get into DC Jail and to the federal system. When I first took my AVP basic, I was in a federal institution. So I know AVP can make it into federal institutions. Right now it’s H.R. 3012, and that’s to bring incarcerated DC residents closer, to make it within 250 miles. With AGG Transportation under my bus, I'm hoping to bring the workshops to the institutions.

Emily That's really cool. It feels very full circle. Can you explain what AVP is, really quickly?

Herbert AVP is the Alternative to Violence Project. It was actually an international organization. When I came home, AVP was here in DC, but they had done all the paperwork to become incorporated under the national charter. So now, with the help of another brother, we've actually built it out under the national charter. We've done a basic and an advanced workshop. Shoutout to Bread for the City for letting us use their space to host our workshop. And in September we have a T4F, and we're looking to train 14 more facilitators.

But yeah, trying to train more facilitators. We’re trying to build out, build more facilitators, going into the institutions. We’re going out into these schools. My biggest thing with Growing Pain Solutions is building inclusive communities. If you can't get a standard of communication, a standard of agreements that everybody can shop around and everybody can market together. This will be a way of doing things, a way of life, a way of communicating, and we can build our community.

I’m hoping to use everything. That’s why I call myself a social-preneur. Trying to grab a lot of different angles. But I give a shoutout to DC Justice Lab, CCE, Free Minds. They showed me about coalitions. They showed me what coalitions are about. So yeah, I’ve been finding the people to build this coalition. A coalition of people who can actually do our work, do our own work here in the city, those who are from our city.

Emily Coalitions are very important, especially in a city as interconnected as DC. Which brings me to my section on what you like and don't like about DC. So what’s one thing you enjoy about living here? You grew up here, been here your whole life.

Herbert One thing I enjoy, the convenience. I love the convenience of the city. Everything has been here, at all times. You don't have to go anywhere. The convenience of the city.

Emily The transportation is pretty good, it does feel pretty convenient.

Herbert Even if we didn't have it here, it's right on the outskirts. It ain’t too far. You don't have to go far for nothing. Or you can get it brought to you. Like I'm into transportation, I learned transportation, but we know how to get it brought to us as well. But yeah, the convenience has always been over here.

Emily Absolutely. And if you could change one thing about DC, what would you change?

Herbert I’m not sure. I guess, if I could change one thing, the mindset. The drive, the motivation, that need to get up and go. That sense of entitlement that a lot of us got here in this city — it has been a crutch, and the city has spoon-fed us. So I think, on the flip side, using what they give us to build with it, instead of just using it to be consumers. That’s what I’d change. Let’s start using what they’re passing out to build with. There’s been a lot passed out, and it’s just been given to us to be consumers with it. It’s fed to us by pennies, so we spend it just like that. But it’s too much being passed out, getting passed to us like that. No, like give it to us and let us build with it. If we could take it and build with it, then you don’t have to keep giving it to us. We could be sustainable ourselves.

Emily Yeah, there's that — and we’re at the river right now, so it’s an apt metaphor — but there’s that phrase “You can either give someone a fish or teach them how to fish.” Build those skills, right. That’s also really interesting to hear. I also was curious if you could talk about one person or multiple people who have been an inspiration to you personally.

Herbert I've got two. I’ve got an uncle and a friend. My uncle’s name is Edgar, that’s my mother’s brother. No matter his ups and downs, in and out of incarceration and everything, he came home. I don’t know, he changed his life. He actually had a government job and ran a barber shop, and owns a home. Like okay, this can be done. While I was incarcerated, being able to sit back and watch somebody doing it and knowing where he came from and what he did. Like I watched my whole life. So I knew it could be done.

I have a friend that, when he was younger, he put everything down and went back to school. He had IT work and his life had just grown. Like got his own business, asking people to do IT work. Being an entrepreneur, and the way to keep myself out of time to occupy my time. That’s what I watch. I can feel my days doing something else. And that’s what I’ve been doing. I named a few other organizations, but my job has been the current organization. Like seeing them and how they give in so many different ways, how they post second chance jobs.

Emily And you said your uncle as well? It's very cool. I think having mentors or people that are role models are so important.

Herbert Like I say, you have to see a path. That’s one thing I can do. I can follow directions. There's a time and place for everything. Not all the time the focus is going to be there, so you’ve got to wait until the focus is there. But as long as somebody is showing the path, people catch on. It’s just like, when? How can we get them to catch on a little faster?

Emily Totally. Just a couple more questions now. What's one personal goal you're working toward right now?

Herbert Turning everything into a social enterprise. You know AGG Transportation can offer transportation and workforce development by second chance hiring. Growing Pain Solutions will be trainings and things like that. It would be all under one umbrella. Keep growing and building that community, building that community. Building community and creating opportunities.

Emily No better mission. And what advice would you give to other justice advocates here in DC?

Herbert Back, I want to say like 2011 or 2012, the DC Chamber of Commerce had a booklet and it spoke about all the infrastructure that they wanted to do up and down 14th Street and Georgia Avenue and stuff like that. Just recently, DC was going around and they had some people — a group put together to talk about a 25-year plan. For 2025, they wanted 150,000 more people in DC and they wanted to know how the residents felt about the housing structure. Like what type of housing they wanted, what type of transportation, gas stations, grocery stores, things like that. That opened my eyes to how our vision is short-term. They’ve got us brainwashed with living for the day, thinking for the day.

People plot 25, 30 years down the line of how our lives are going to be and how the positions and everything we’re going to have access to. And we’re not being a part of that. We're not even thinking about what we're going to be doing 25 years down the line. So yeah, start thinking further down the line. And it’s like, what I’ve noticed and what they really made me understand is when you think that far and you make the action steps to get there, you can celebrate the small steps along the way. And it's really enjoyable.

I just recently got my for-hire tags. For a while, I felt like I was being extorted. It took so long to get everything together. But get my WMATC number, activate my DOT, like all those steps, getting my CBE. It’s all been cool. On Monday, I’m in Aspire Incubator right now, so we’re having a pitch competition. So like celebrating those small steps — it’s like building communities and creating opportunities. That’s something I want people to keep doing for the next hundred years. So yeah, small steps.

Emily Congratulations on all of the things you just listed, sounds like you're up to a lot. A lot of acronyms you just said that I don't know what they mean, but it must be hard for you to keep track of if ordinary people can’t figure out what they mean.

Herbert Maybe we can come back one day and I can share some of them. But you have to know which ones.

Emily Sounds like you have a lot of projects going, which is awesome.

Herbert I keep busy. I keep out of trouble.

Emily That's good. Before we end, I would love for you to explain why you brought me here to this location, and what the significance is to you.

Herbert So right now we're on the M Street corridor on the Anacostia River. When you first come in, it’s the DC Yacht Club, and all the way at the other end, there's a boathouse where Gonzaga and a few other schools use to do their rowboating. But it’s a diamond in the rough if you ask me. You've got the train tracks, you’ve got the bridge, you’ve got the water, and you’ve got all this green. Growing Pain Solutions just got funding through the Chesapeake Bay Fund to do an urban forestry project, with workforce development and entrepreneurship. We’re going to be working with the community, six to ten residents, building that out. We have funding to plant 100 trees and do some restoration work.

That's why I brought you down here, so you could see the environment. It has a walk trail, a bike trail, you’ve got the water, you have people fishing. And then on the other side, it's always well-manicured and stuff like that. This is my way of building my community and giving back. We’ve got a project. We’ve got the funding. Our work will be done here. So the tree season in DC is October to May. So we’ll probably get started in September with some of the preparation and training and things like that, and run October until the ground freezes sometime in December. And then come back in the spring and finish up. You’re welcome to come check it out.

Emily That's incredibly exciting. I would love to come see how that goes. It sounds like it'll be beautiful. It is definitely a diamond in the rough like you say, such a cool spot here. And last question, how can people support the work you do, whether it's Growing Pain Solutions or your other advocacy work?

Herbert Growing Pain Solutions has a website, growpainsolutions.org, and in our next newsletter, it’ll be linked to our Givebutter account so people can donate. AGG Transportation has a website as well. I would love for people to book rides. We’re offering transportation to like bingo nights with seniors. Like I said, I work with Dreaming Out Loud. Dreaming Out Loud has farmer’s markets, they have the farm at Kelly Miller. They have the grocery store, the market right there on Marion Barry Avenue, 1303. And they also do fish fries every other Friday. And we’re offering transportation.

Emily Sounds like a party. Build community and create opportunity — I love it.