RICHMOND, Ind. – Nathan Hogg has learned to listen before he leads.
As a student at Indiana University East and a longtime community advocate, Hogg has spent years moving between classrooms, nonprofit organizations, community meetings and government offices.
In each space his goal is to make sure people who aren’t always represented have a voice.
“When I’m in these rooms and I’m leading, I try to listen more than I speak,” Hogg said.
That philosophy has shaped more than a decade of community involvement for Hogg, who is a senior studying communication with a minor in political science. He has served in IU East student government, worked with the NAACP, helped preserve African American history through the Black Legacy Project of Wayne County and spent three months interning in the Indiana Statehouse.
But Hogg’s involvement in Richmond started long before college.
“I’ve been doing this work since I was 12 years old,” Hogg said.
His motivation comes partly from the values his parents instilled in him.
“I try to carry what I’ve learned from my parents,” Hogg said. “And to be involved in this community as this community has helped raise me and has embraced me and celebrated me in so many different ways.”
Hogg said his parents taught him to work hard for what he wanted. As a young teenager, he organized a lemonade stand that benefited the Alzheimer’s Association and began working at the Leland Legacy at age 14.
While working at the Leland, Hogg noticed other young people regularly asking how they could find a job. That experience eventually led him to create Hogg Helps, a project he started in high school to connect young people with workforce opportunities.
He posted about the project on Facebook without knowing how quickly it would spread.
“When I woke up the next morning, it had over 300 likes, had a bunch of shares,” Hogg said.
The response brought invitations to Chamber of Commerce luncheons and connected Hogg with community leaders. The work later helped inspire a program at the Boys and Girls Club that connects students with the workforce through job shadows and mock interviews.
“I’m thankful that my impact, even though I don’t do that work anymore, my impact is still being rippled throughout the community,” Hogg said.
For Hogg, creating those opportunities is connected to the opportunities others created for him.
A 21st Century Scholar and Groups Scholar, Hogg said mentors played a major role in his decision to attend college. One of those mentors, Yemi Mahoney, encouraged him to participate.
The program connected Hogg with university resources and faculty and helped him become more involved on campus.
That involvement eventually opened another door to the Indiana Statehouse.
Through IU East, Hogg spent three months interning in the House of Representatives. He took constituent calls, attended meetings, worked with advocacy groups and learned more about the legislative process.
“I got to hear people’s real needs. This is what our community needs,” Hogg said.
The experience also reinforced his belief that effective leadership starts with understanding what people actually need instead of assuming.
“I feel like a lot of times we think we know what people need, and that’s not always the case,” Hogg said.
Hogg said he tries to bring the perspectives of people who aren’t typically represented into the rooms where decisions are made.
“I make sure that I have a presence at the tables that people are not at sometimes and make sure I have a strong presence out in our community,” he said.
That approach is evident in Hogg’s work with the Black Legacy Project of Wayne County, where he is a founding member.
The organization works to archive, represent, organize and energize people around African American history in the community. Hogg said the work is about recognizing the people whose contributions came before them while making sure younger generations understand that history.
“When I think about the work I do in the community, I am reminded that the blueprint has been written for my survival, and I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors to carry on their meaningful work.”
He also has been involved with organizations and initiatives addressing food insecurity, housing, mental health, health care and workforce development.
Hogg’s community work was recognized in 2024 when he received the MLK Building Bridges Award.
The recognition was meaningful to Hogg because of his admiration for the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and King’s emphasis on building community. Hogg said MLK’s legacy is his call to action.
“I make it my life priority to make sure that I’m showing more compassion than hate, showing more love than hate. I try to make sure that I’m building more community than chaos,” Hogg said.
Image provided by the Indiana House of Representatives
Now, as Hogg prepares to graduate in May, he is entering a new season of his life without having every detail of his future mapped out.
“One thing that I’m learning about myself is that it’s okay to not have everything figured out,” Hogg said. “And it’s okay to not know what’s next.”
What he does know is that he wants to continue advocating for his community.
“It’s needed more than ever right now. I look forward to continuing to build that work.”
“When doors open up for me, I have a deep responsibility to bring in other young people or other people with experiences to come through these doors,” Hogg said.
For Hogg, the goal isn’t simply to have a seat at the table. It’s to make room for someone else. He encourages people to listen and embrace opportunities to make a difference.
“Lead with love, lead with purpose, to take time to listen to more than to speak, and especially in these times, we must continue our to stay informed on the issues that matter most," Hogg said.
