Philadelphia native Alphonso Newsuan is the President and CEO at Movement Community Development Corporation.
Newsuan attended John Bartram High School and is an ex-Marine, serving in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. Newsuan credits his Pastor and State Representative Dr. Dan K. Williams with having a strong impact on his career.
“There was a sermon that he preached, and one of the points he made from the pulpit centered around how sometimes you have to fight even if you don’t win,” he said. “Sometimes you have to stand, even if you stand alone. With these words from Pastor Dan, I’ve spent my ensuing years attempting to give a voice to the voiceless, and I am now looked upon to add my voice to situations. I’m looked upon to help assist those in my community to find resources or to point residents in the right direction to help solve their problems.”
One of Newsuan’s proudest professional moments his purchasing an athletic footwear franchise and opening it up in the city where he lived.
“This made me proud because when I came to Coatesville in 1988, I came as a homeless drug addict,” he said. “I lived in shelters and eventually in a domiciliary at the VA Hospital for homeless veterans. This is why I look at this as one of the most improbable things to have happened in my life. Since then, I’ve been sober for 34 years, and now I’m looked upon in my neighborhood with respect and as an advocate for those who are underserved in our community. My voice is sought out in areas that I could only dream of in my past.”
Newsuan believes listening and remaining open to the ideas of those in your orbit to others is crucial to being a good leader, as well as delegating to others and encouraging their growth.
Of the 12 Principles of the Scout Law — Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent — Helpful resonates the most with Newsuan.
“When I opened my footwear franchise in 1994, it gave me the resources and opportunities to help my community,” he stated. “I had the opportunity to put shoes on underserved kids’ feet. I Was able to help families in various ways through my business, such as sending shoes overseas to help flood victims. Helpful is what I’ve attempted to do and to be on purpose.”
The Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America will honor Newsuan and the 11 other BSA VISTA Leadership Megastars at an awards reception on Thursday, Oct. 17, at its new Program, Activity, and Resource Campus (PARC) in Exton. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available at Boy Scouts of America. For more information, contact Kristin Conran at [email protected].
