Sierah Barnhart
Community Development Coordinator
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Can you share your journey into the work you do? What experiences, moments, or values led you here?
I didn’t step into this work so much as I was carried to it by life itself. I grew up in Fort Wayne's public housing program (Miami Homes and Brookmill Court Apartments) and later a single family house on Chestnut Street made possible by my mom’s Housing Choice Voucher. One afternoon, a Sheriff came to our door with an eviction notice. Our landlord had been taking our rent but not paying the mortgage. That moment didn’t just change our address—it changed my understanding of how systems can steady a family or pull the ground out from under them.
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My first job after college was with the Fort Wayne Housing Authority, the same agency that once supported my family. My mother built her career there, and her example helped guide me into a life of public service. From there, my path led me into nearly a decade of civil rights work, investigating discrimination in housing and employment. I learned how systems fail people, how they can protect people, and how much difference it makes when someone is willing to listen and act. Later, joining the federal workforce with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was a full circle moment. Today, in my role as Community Development Coordinator at Midwest America Federal Credit Union, I continue to help connect people to tools and resources that strengthen our community.
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But the work that feels closest to my heart is the work I do right outside my front door. My neighborhood journey began with a small job posted on our Facebook page, a call to revive a handful of pocket gardens that had grown wild and weary. I spent that season on my hands and knees, clearing weeds and bringing neglected beds back to life. What began as paid work became something deeper; the gardens flourished again, and so did my sense of belonging. From there, those small acts of care slowly unfolded into a deeper rhythm of service.
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My guiding belief has stayed the same through all of it: Work hard. Do the most good.
Who or what has most influenced your leadership and commitment to this work? This could include mentors, community, lived experience, books, faith, or movements.
My mother was my first teacher in public service. She began her career at the Fort Wayne Housing Authority picking up trash as a Maintenance Tech and retired as a Property Manager responsible for hundreds of units. Even now, former tenants see her out in public and tell her how much they miss her and the way she led. Watching her move through those roles with steadiness and humility showed me what it looks like to care for people, with dignity, through your work.
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As a bi-racial woman, racism shaped my identity in quiet but powerful ways. It influenced how I understood belonging, how I read a room, and how I learned to move through the world. Those experiences deepened my commitment to creating spaces where people are respected and valued.
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The work being done in my neighborhood has strengthened my commitment to service. For years, I lived there without slowing down enough to notice where I could contribute. From that first thistle-ridden garden bed, the work expanded. Planting trees. Installing benches. Throwing block parties. Updating bylaws. Helping build programs. Stepping into leadership roles. Your neighborhood is part of the social fabric of your life, and caring for it with intention strengthens both you and the people around you. These efforts make a real difference in how connected and supported a community feels.​
For those who feel called to doing this work, where would you suggest they begin? Is there a book, organization, practice, or resource that helped shape you?
If you feel called to this work, start by following your curiosity and show up even if you’re scared. Most of us step into new spaces without knowing anyone or knowing exactly where we will fit in. That uncertainty is normal. You have something to offer, even if you aren’t quite sure what that is yet. Your time, your talents, and your lived experiences carry more weight than you realize. If your passion is pulling you to enter a space, you can be confident that it will sustain you once you step inside. Service is love in action. And when you start showing up, you’ll find exactly where your love is needed.
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If you’re looking for reassurance along the way, two books that shaped me are Dare to Lead and The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown. They reminded me that courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s choosing to keep showing up with honesty and intention.
What wisdom or encouragement would you offer to the next generation of Black women leaders entering this space?
To the next generation of Black women stepping into this work: you’ve got what it takes. Even if you feel unsure or are still finding your footing, trust that what you bring is needed. Your perspective, your lived experience, and the way you see the world all hold value.
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Community work rarely comes with perfect conditions or ready-made solutions. So much of it depends on resourcefulness and creative problem solving. More often, it asks you to look at what you have, imagine what’s possible, and piece together a path forward with care and intention.
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Leadership grows each time you show up and engage with intention. There will be moments when you feel out of place or wonder if you belong. You do. You belong in conversations where decisions are made. You belong in the work of shaping stronger, healthier communities. Lead in a way that feels true to you. You don’t have to imitate someone else’s style to be effective. Quiet leadership is still leadership. Gentle leadership is still leadership. Show up, stay curious, and take your time.
How can people stay connected to and support your work? Please share your website, social media, current campaigns, or other ways to get involved.
If there is one thing I hope people take from my journey, it’s this: your community needs you. Strong communities are built by people who notice what’s around them and choose to take part in its care.
There is work to do on every block, gardens to restore, trees to plant, neighbors to check on, meetings to attend, decisions to shape and sidewalks to fix. You don’t need a title or even a plan to begin. Wherever you live, there is something within reach that you can help nurture.
If you’d like to stay connected with me, you can find me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sierah-barnhart