Biographical Statement of Anthony J. Motley

Anthony J. Motley is a product of Southeast, Washington, D.C. He received his formal education in the District of Columbia Public Schools, graduating from the Anacostia Senior High School. Reverend Motley enlisted in the United States Military, was trained as a Combat Engineer and served two tours of Duty with the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, and received an Honorable Discharge. In the pursuit of his higher education, Reverend Motley has earned a Masters of Divinity Degree from the Howard University School of Divinity, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications, with a concentration in Afro-American Studies, from the University of Detroit.

Reverend Motley’s professional career has consisted of many exciting and groundbreaking experiences: From 1993 to 1998 he taught History and Communications in the DC Public Schools. In 1999 Reverend Motley worked to bring together Clergy, Police and the Community to address the issue of homicide amongst the youth in his community; as a result of this effort the East of the River Clergy, Police, Community Partnership was formed, where Reverend Motley served as both the founding Executive Director and Chairman of the Board. In 2001 Reverend Motley worked to form what is now the J.O.B.S. Coalition of Greater Washington, collaboration between the Faith Community, the Construction Industry and Community Leaders, with the express purpose of creating employment and training opportunities for the hard to reach, hard to employ population. Reverend Motley presently serves as the Coalition’s Founding President of the Board He is also the immediate past President of the Council of Churches of Greater Washington.

In 2003 Reverend Motley led the development and opening up of the first non-government sponsored Re-entry Center for returning Previously Incarcerated Persons, offering support and services in homeownership, employment, GED-Literacy, computers and the mentoring of children of incarcerated parents. In 2004 he co-sponsored an effort to create a Construction and Design Academy at Cardozo Senior High School in the District of Columbia teaching students the construction trades of carpentry, electrical and heating, air conditioning and ventilation. In October of 2005 he led a 20 member team of volunteers, including members of the DC Department of Corrections staff, and Faith-Based groups, to Gulfport, Mississippi to provide aid and supplies to the many individuals and families affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Reverend Motley’s numerous religious, political and civic activities range from caring for and ministering to persons living with HIV and AIDS, his working with the Coalition for the Homeless, to presiding over the Friends of the Washington Highlands Library, etc. These many involvements have earned him many awards and recognition’s throughout the entire Washington Metropolitan area and the Untied States of America. Some of his recognition’s include, but are not limited to; “Outstanding Young Man in America for 1989; the 1992 “Tribute to Excellence” award from the Greater Southeast Healthcare System, and the “George Durley” award from the Howard University School of Divinity (recognized by the faculty, as the most outstanding Baptist student in his graduation class). In 2001 the Washington Post Newspaper featured the work and ministry of this pioneer in their Sunday Magazine. In 2002 Reverend Motley was selected by his peers as one of the Howard University School of Divinity’s Outstanding Alumni “…for continued excellence in ministry…”. In 2007 Reverend Motley received the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Services Award from Training Grounds, a non-profit community based organization, and the 2007 Partnership Award of Excellence from the District of Columbia Public Schools State Office of Career and Technical Education. In May of 2008 Reverend Motley received an award from the DC Building Industry Association for the founding of the Academy for Construction and Design.

Since December of 1981, Reverend Motley has been President and CEO of Inner Thoughts, Inc. an educational and program development organization located in Southeast, Washington, DC; and from October 1993 to September 2004, Reverend Motley served as the Co-Founder and Founding Pastor of the Redemption Ministry, an evangelistic, outreach, deliverance ministry located in Congress Heights. He presently serves as an Associate Minister at the First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Washington, DC, and Chair of the Social Action Committee of the Council of Churches of Greater Washington.