Title: INITIATING A LEGACY OF POEMS WAS DESIGNED TO: � Provide a written record of my life- transforming decisions and experiences for my descendants. It is something that I wished had been available for me to assist in my positive self-development as a young man. � Record the lessons on life learned from my father and his father to be passed down to future generations. � To serve as a guide and template for others who desires to reflect upon their relationships and experiences. � Encourage other men in refining and expanding their sense of purpose and destiny. � Serve as an example to many of my cultural and spiritual brothers of the importance of recording a written legacy. Legacy Journal of Personal Transformation is an open-ended work of poems and other literature that will be used in the context of speaking with my offspring and their progeny to fill in the dash between the date on which I was born and the date on which I physically depart this dear earth. It is my intention to continue to record my personal life�s journey, the significant events in my life and the decisions that resulted. May my vulnerability expressed in these writings assist my heirs and others in becoming more aware of the presence, plans, power and purpose of God. May they treasure the blessings of many past generations who have prayed for them and labored knowing that they would never see this day. 1. Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Biography Claude L. Dallas, Jr. Claude was born and raised in the small Village of Lincoln Heights in 1946. This was same year that the Village was established. Lincoln Heights is a suburb on the northern edge of Cincinnati, Ohio. This small, once rural, racially homogenous environment was an excellent nurturing and formative area for the family that included both parents and four older sisters. His maternal grandfather was the only grandparent to have seen Claude. He passed away six months later. His extended family constantly challenged the author to achieve more than the members of their generation. His maternal grandfather had just missed having been born a slave by four years. All of his aunts and uncles knew plantation life. The author felt a great sense of duty, urgency and responsibility for carrying forth the social and intellectual foundations of the entire family. He was the bearer of the moral trust of the family. It was as if he had been handed a baton and told to continue the race into the future. Claude was named after his father, who was named after a paternal uncle; He was the first to attend college in his generation. His father had a sister Sally, who graduated from what is now Montgomery State University and taught in Cincinnati. Claude obtained a bachelor of science degree in Zoology from The Ohio State University He immediately continued his education and completed a master�s of science degree in biology from the University of Cincinnati. Shortly after graduation the author reported for duty as an officer in the U.S. Army where he was trained to be a Battalion Communications Officer. Fort Bragg, N.C. was his primary base. Additional education was pursued at Liberty University with a masters of arts in religion. Claude began pursuing a doctorate of education at Liberty University during the beginning of 2012. Currently Claude is an Adjunct Professor at National College of Cincinnati. He teaches chemistry, microbiology, environmental science and various pharmacology classes. Claude became a Certified Pharmacy Technician with Walgreen�s Specialty Pharmacy in 2000 where he has served as a trainer and Customer Service Representative for seven years. Claude�s professional career has also included the sale of specialty chemicals with Pfizer, Inc. in Los Angeles, the sale of medical products with the medical products division of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co, Claude made a transition from professional sales in 1984 to the Christian Ministry. This has included being on staff at Great Commission Bible Church, Hamilton, OH, as an Administrator. Claude has served on staff with World Vision as a National Program Manager for the U.S. Ministries Division in Los Angeles. In this capacity he supervised a staff responsible for promoting the networking of Churches in local communities, LOVE INC. These suburban, homogeneous Christian networks serve the needs of the poor in their areas. Claude was charged to develop a network model more appropriate for the urban environment. He brought together Christian leaders from six major cities around the country. During the course of two years, the model of CITYLINC was formed. While pursuing a master�s of arts in religion at Liberty University, Claude became their Director for Urban Ministry Program. He taught courses and led students in local urban missions training during the academic year. These same students served at key ministries during the summer months in Atlanta, Georgia with Dr. Charles Stanley�s First Baptist Church of Atlanta; in Los Angeles with the now deceased Rev. E.V. Hill of Los Angeles, in New York City with Rev. Tom Mahairis, Pastor of Manhattan Bible Church, in Detroit with Pastor Haman Cross, Jr. Pastor of Rosedale Park Baptist Church; Chicago with Rev. Charles Lyons, Pastor of the Armitage Baptist Church and a number of other churches. Many of the students joined the staff at urban Churches where they served or planted new Churches. Some of them discovered their life partners from amongst those teams. He graduated with a master�s of art in religion in 1989 from Liberty University�s School of Theology. While pursuing a doctorate of education in 1990 with Nova Southwestern University, Claude initiated a cross-cultural program which prepared the students of the Department of Education of Liberty University for working with African-American students. He has also worked for City Gospel Mission, Cincinnati, OH as the Director, Community Ministries. His experience of initiating new ministries was expanded with development of a non-profit Church planting organization, Ecclesia, Inc. in 1993, Cincinnati, OH, as the Executive Vice-President. This new non-profit organization was initiated from the very beginning to identify and train Church Planters to initiate Churches as a model of Great Commission Bible Church. Claude developed operational funds for management of Ecclesia and Church Planters by writing proposals and visiting foundations and networking. This ministry facilitated the establishment of two Churches: one in Atlanta, GA with the assistance of Perimeter Church and another Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Claude has served as the Alumni Director for Southern Ohio of Liberty University. In 1980, he led in the organization of the Black Alumni Society of the Ohio State University. He led in the assembly of a group of alumni for the purpose of organizing an alumni chapter. This organization is now known as the African-American Alumni Society. This is just a portion of the creative expression of Claude both organizationally as well as personally. The author has been married to the former Sheilah A. Ferebee of Washington, D.C. for more almost 43 years. They have raised three daughters and one son and are the proud grandparents of nine. Claude has traveled on missionary trips to Port of Prince Haiti, Montego Bay, Jamaica, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mexico City, Addis Abba, Ethiopia, and Nairobi, Kenya, a long way from his birthplace. His dreams of other cultures in Lincoln Heights have become realized.