Community of Change
Bringing Changes to Communities One Person at a Time
Lateacia Sessoms is a powerhouse who is on a mission to change the lives of people in need. She founded Community of Change in Portsmouth in 2016 to provide a wide range of programs and community events to individuals and families.
A year earlier, Lateacia had created Connecting Communities, a business that offers mental health services. As a licensed professional counselor with extensive experience in therapy and psychotherapy, Lateacia built the business around helping people in crisis, but she realized that people coming to her had other needs too. “Through my work at Connecting Communities, it became evident that a significant number of individuals we assisted were in need of more than just traditional forms of support. This realization inspired the inception of Community of Change, which is aimed at providing innovative wellness-focused interventions to address the unique needs of those we serve.”
Lateacia Sessoms (far left), founding president, leads Community of Change with energy and enthusiasm as she focuses on helping Portsmouth residents. The busy schedule of activities at Community of Change includes trauma-informed mentoring for children, and adolescents, outpatient therapy, parenting classes, adulting 101, professional development, case management, gun violence intervention, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.
While these programs are popular and making an impact, Lateacia readily admits that the community engagement events that Community of Change sponsors are her favorites, including:
- Community Mental Health Walk – An annual event to enhance awareness of mental health while promoting well-being, sharing mental health resources, and fostering community support.
- Trunk or Treat – A Halloween event that provides a safe place for children and their families to come out dressed in costumes and visit creatively designed trunks filled with treats. Dinner is also provided.
- Cops and Kids – Community of Change collaborates with the Portsmouth Police Department to provide a secure shopping experience for 50-60 children. Each child is paired with a committed police officer, giving them the power to choose their own items with guidance and support. This event not only ensures a safe and fun shopping outing but also promotes positive relationships and community involvement.
- Portsmouth Pride – An annual festival that is a vibrant and inclusive event that aims to bring together individuals and allies from the local community in a spirit of happiness and acceptance while honoring and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Lateacia has a passion for unifying communities and believes that a community can be impacted and transformed by changing one family at a time. “Many individuals who come into our care are emotionally shattered, confused, and lack the understanding of how to express love appropriately. When I see transformation in them where they begin to think and behave differently, that’s the wow for me. Then the gratitude we see at our events, all the smiles. That really brings joy to my heart and motivates me to think about what’s next.” 
Community of Change works closely with local police departments to build trust through their Cops and Kids program.
Brad Hunter, vice president and commercial banker, is Lateacia’s banker, and she met him through a friend’s recommendation. “With all the work we do, community is important to me, so I was looking for a more personal banking experience. I absolutely love TowneBank,” she says. “When I walk through the door, I feel valued, that I matter, and I’m not just a number. All the tellers know me and call me by name. I get the TowneToday newsletter and read every article. When I saw a story about a nonprofit, I would think, ‘That’s going to be me one day.’ Thank you for letting me share my story.”
For more information and to see how you can help, visit CommunityofChangeInc.org.