Real Michiana: Driving unity back into the community

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A reverend, an activist, and an Uber driver. ABC 57's Jess Arnold hops in the passenger seat of the Reverend Gregory Brown's truck to learn how he hopes to drive unity back into the community.

"When they get in, they say, are you Gregory the five star driver with the Notre Dame song, please tell me you’re the one! And so when they get in, this is what I do," said the Reverend Gregory Brown, switching on the Fighting Irish remix song.

When he's not rapping, the reverend spends much of his time helping kids in South Bend--and they're the reason he decided to become an Uber driver.

"[I] had a couple of youth and some of the kids that go to school, they work at Notre Dame for the football games, and they didn’t have transportation," said the reverend.

So, he clocks into the Uber app starting at 10:30 at night to pick them up.

“Being a youth minister, I deal with a lot of kids, and my saying that I give them is your setback is a setup for your comeback...We’re using the community as an excuse...so what is the answer?...As being one of the leaders in the god squad. I get out ride around. I speak to the kids. I try to let them know that somebody cares," he said.

The Reverend Brown says his biggest goal is to "try to put unity back in the community."

When asked what the average community member can do to help the process, he responded, "I still try to be there as a mentor, as somebody that will talk to them, pray with them, help them, give them a ride, and this is what it takes to put the community back together. This is what I see," said the reverend.

If you'd like to submit a nomination for our next Real Michiana, you can email Jess at [email protected].