Rev. Edward-Richard Hinds, says he discovered his calling at young age. He was born in Jamaica where he joined the youth ministry at his local church. At just 15-years-old, he was mentoring the other young children.

“I had my overall desire for seeing people become the best images of themselves that they were designed to be,” Hinds said.

Hinds currently serves as the Youth Pastor, Choir and Worship Leader at The Rugby Deliverance Tabernacle in Brooklyn.

“It’s about building a relationship with them. And gaining and earning their trust,” he said.

He currently mentors five young men one on one and is also helping dozens more, as part of “The GodSquad,” a faith-based project that works to lessen neighborhood tensions and acts as a bridge between communities and law enforcement. He says many of the young men ages 13 to 22 are raised by single mothers.

“Mothers do tremendous job as single parents. But there is something about a father, a man talking to a young man, shaping them,” he said.

He says there’s no better reward than to see a young man he’s mentored thrive as an adult, such is the case of Vaughn Thomas. Hinds was 22-years-old when he mentored Thomas when he was 12-years-old. Though Thomas has a relationship with his father and stepfather, Hinds has been there to challenge, coach and support.

“The way he explained it and laid it out made it easy to follow versus it being an i’m going to stand over you with a big stick and you’re going to do what I say kind of vibe,” Vaughn said.

Reverend Hinds has a daughter but no biological son of his own, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a father figure for many.  

“The best lasting legacy that you can leave in life is not the accumulation of wealth. It is not leaving behind assets for your future generations it’s about have you changed someone’s life for the better can someone say my life has been better because of this person,” Hinds said.