The Purpose Gap

Patrick Reyes looks back on the death of a cousin whose life was marked by imprisonment and homelessness. The two grew up in the same Chicano community in California, yet their paths diverged sharply. Reyes examines that gap and concludes that it came down to the circumstances surrounding each of them.

Reyes was carried by a circle of family, friends, and supporters who shaped a different story for him than the one the wider world forced onto his cousin. Those people built the surroundings that allowed him not only to survive but to thrive. He also challenges a large body of leadership writing that celebrates lone heroes who supposedly succeed through their own effort, overlooking the structural barriers that keep marginalized communities from flourishing.

His central argument is that young people from such communities can reach lives of purpose only if others deliberately build the conditions that make it possible. Pastors, organizational leaders, educators, relatives, and friends are called to create new narratives and new environments in which the most marginalized can thrive.

Part inspiration and part practical guide, the book explains how to make room for failure safely, how to nurture networks that support young people of color, and how to put these strategies into practice in a congregation, school, or community organization.