Eric Motley is an amazing man and gracious as they come. He grew up in the freed slaves’ town of Madison Park, Alabama. From this beginning in the Black community, he rose to become a special assistant to President George W. Bush. Currently, Eric is an executive vice president of the Aspen Institute based in Washington, D.C. He is a Samford University graduate, and as a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, he earned a Master of Letters and a Ph.D. as the John Steven Watson Scholar.

Our conversation focused on Madison Park and the deep importance of community. We covered prejudice and education and the movement of God in our lives. His memoir, Madison Park: A Place of Hope, is an excellent read!