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Who We Are

Mission

“To Empower, Encourage, & Strengthen Youth in Spite of Story, System, or Choice”

Realism Is Loyalty (RIL) is a Black-founded nonprofit in Grand Rapids, Michigan, dedicated to empowering youth and families through intensive mentorship and therapy.

Rooted in transformation and redemption, our work is centered on meeting people where they are and equipping them with the tools to build a better future.

How We Do It

Intensive mentorship programs

Utilizing credible agents with personal lived experience, we create consistent, active, and intensive engagement with the youth.

Individual & family therapy services

Our licensed professionals provide a safe space for reflection, resilience, and real growth—equipping individuals and families with the tools they need to heal together.

Learn More

Realism Is Loyalty (RIL) was born in the mind of JD Chapman Jr. during a time of self-reflection while serving ten (10) to thirty (30) years in Michigan Department of Corrections.

RIL began as an informal mentoring initiative, launched by JD and a group of like-minded returning citizens committed to guiding young men in their community. Early efforts included a collaborative partnership that expanded the work to include young women.

As the organization evolved, RIL deepened its focus on youth violence prevention, driven by lived experience, continued education, and a growing understanding of the needs facing youth and families. This momentum led to the official establishment of Realism Is Loyalty as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization on April 14, 2014.

The name “Realism Is Loyalty” comes from the culture and a personal code developed while JD was incarcerated. For us, being “real” and “loyal” isn’t a trend, it’s a way of life. It’s about defining one’s values and living them out with integrity, not just saying the words. We teach our youth to hold themselves accountable to who they say they are, and to build character that lasts.

Realism Is Loyalty continues to grow, informed by ongoing education, lived experience, and honest self-reflection.

Today, RIL offers mentoring, mental health services, and family engagement programs, shaped by amazing leaders like Antoinette Chapman, whose impact helped take us to the next level.

Through it all, Realism Is Loyalty remains true to its name: a movement grounded in authenticity, fueled by growth, and built to impact generations.

VISIT

OurOffice

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Office Entrance
Main Office
Group Room
Youth Drop In Center

Our Team

AMAZING

our TEAM

jd chapman jr.

Founder & Executive Director

jd chapman jr.

Founder & Executive Director

JD Chapman Jr. is a lifelong resident of Grand Rapids’ 3rd Ward and the Executive Director of Realism Is Loyalty. Once a juvenile offender and returning citizen, JD transformed his life after serving 10 years in prison, using that time to reflect, grow, and embrace personal accountability. Since his release in 2007, he’s dedicated himself to mentoring youth and building a stronger community. In 2014, JD co-founded Realism Is Loyalty, turning a vision he began developing in prison into a thriving nonprofit. He continues to live and lead in the community he calls home, alongside his wife Antoinette and their four children.

Antoinette Chapman

Co-Executive Director & Lead Mental Health Clinician

Antoinette Chapman

Co-Executive Director & Lead Mental Health Clinician

Antoinette Chapman MA, LPC, CAADC is a Grand Rapids native, Licensed Professional Counselor, and the lead mental health clinician at Realism Is Loyalty. She also owns Life Changing Counseling and Consulting and holds a Master’s degree in Counseling with a specialization in substance use. With both personal lived experience and professional expertise, Antoinette is deeply committed to helping youth and families heal from trauma and generational cycles. Her background with Kent County’s 17th Circuit Court – Family Division fuels her advocacy for systemic change, particularly around juvenile justice, community violence, and mental health disparities. She is a passionate voice working to break the stigma around mental health in underserved communities.

Jason King

Team Lead

Jason King

Team Lead

Jason King was raised on the southeast side of Grand Rapids during the 1990s and early 2000s, where he faced the realities of poverty and the survival mindset that often dominates underserved communities. After spending his twenties incarcerated, Jason made a life-changing decision to live with purpose and give back to the neighborhoods he once harmed. Today, he serves as a mentor, using his story to shift mindsets and help young people see beyond their current circumstances. Jason is passionate about restoring hope and guiding the next generation toward a future rooted in purpose, not just survival.

James Johnson

Articulation Navigator/ Group Facilitator

James Johnson

Articulation Navigator/ Group Facilitator

James Johnson was born and raised in Grand Rapids, growing up in a home marked by instability, with a young mother and a father cycling in and out of prison. Frequently moving between relatives and schools, James faced challenges that pushed him to seek validation in the streets rather than through the sports he once loved. After years entangled in the drug trade and multiple arrests, James made a turning point in 2011 when he walked away from that life. Since then, he has committed himself to being a positive force in the very community that shaped him. Today, James empowers youth through mentorship and stands as a powerful example that your past does not define your future.

Don Ward

Articulation Navigator/ Group Facilitator

Don Ward

Articulation Navigator/ Group Facilitator

Don Ward is a devoted husband and proud father of four—three daughters and one son—whose life’s work is rooted in love, purpose, and a deep sense of responsibility to his community. With over 20 years of experience working with at-risk youth, Don brings not only professional knowledge but a heart full of empathy and unwavering dedication. His path could have led anywhere, but it brought him to Realism Is Loyalty, where personal mission and professional purpose meet. For Don, this work isn’t a career, it’s a calling shaped by his own lived experiences. He sees the youth and families RIL serves not as clients, but as kin, walking beside them with compassion, commitment, and care. Through this journey, Don finds purpose in pouring into others and helping light the way forward.

Robert Price

Articulation Navigator/ Group Facilitator

Robert Price

Articulation Navigator/ Group Facilitator

Robert Price is a proud father of six and a dedicated Lions fan with a personal journey through homelessness and drug recovery. With experience in de-escalation and activity planning, he’s found a deep passion for building stronger, more connected communities. Robert joined RIL with the belief that true community transformation begins with investing in our youth. He’s driven by witnessing growth in those he mentors and is committed to helping unite and uplift the community he calls home.

Jesse Kinyua

Communication Specialist

Jesse Kinyua

Communication Specialist

Jesse Kinyua brings a global perspective and a deep passion for community-centered work to his role as Communications Specialist at Realism Is Loyalty. Originally from Kenya, he has experience in both nonprofit and corporate spaces, with a focus on equity, organizational development, and strategic storytelling. At RIL, Jesse helps shape clear, consistent communication that uplifts underrepresented voices and strengthens connections with partners, families, and the broader community.

Our Board

EXECUTIVE

Board ofdirectors

JD CHAPMAN JR.

Founder & Executive Director

JD CHAPMAN JR.

Founder & Executive Director

JD Chapman Jr. is a lifelong resident of Grand Rapids’ 3rd Ward and the Executive Director of Realism Is Loyalty. Once a juvenile offender and returning citizen, JD transformed his life after serving 10 years in prison, using that time to reflect, grow, and embrace personal accountability. Since his release in 2007, he’s dedicated himself to mentoring youth and building a stronger community. In 2014, JD co-founded Realism Is Loyalty, turning a vision he began developing in prison into a thriving nonprofit. He continues to live and lead in the community he calls home, alongside his wife Antoinette and their four children.

Antoinette Chapman

Co-Executive Director & Lead Mental Health Clinician

Antoinette Chapman

Co-Executive Director & Lead Mental Health Clinician

Antoinette Chapman is a Grand Rapids native, Licensed Professional Counselor, and the lead mental health clinician at Realism Is Loyalty. She also owns Life Changing Counseling and Consulting and holds a Master’s degree in Counseling with a specialization in substance use. With both personal lived experience and professional expertise, Antoinette is deeply committed to helping youth and families heal from trauma and generational cycles. Her background with Kent County’s 17th Circuit Court – Family Division fuels her advocacy for systemic change, particularly around juvenile justice, community violence, and mental health disparities. She is a passionate voice working to break the stigma around mental health in underserved communities.

Christine Helms-Maletic

Board Secretary

Christine Helms-Maletic

Board Secretary

With a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master’s in Teaching, Christine began her career teaching middle and high school students with learning and behavioral challenges. Since moving to Grand Rapids in the late ’90s, she has been a full-time parent, community activist, board member, fundraiser, and nonprofit consultant for organizations like the Midtown Neighborhood Association, Fulton Street Farmers Market, and Uptown Grand Rapids Inc. Now in her fourth year on Realism Is Loyalty’s board, Christine serves as board secretary and leads much of the organization’s grant writing and reporting.

Wendy Taylor

Board Chair

Wendy Taylor

Board Chair

Wendy graduated from Ferris State University and began a long career as a corporate paralegal with several West Michigan companies before stepping away to focus on family. She has served on multiple boards over the years, most recently as board chair of the Grand Rapids Red Project and as a trustee for the Gerber Foundation. Her connection to RIL began through fundraising events, where the team’s passion and commitment to meeting participants where they are deeply resonated with her and inspired her to get involved.

Julia Kelly

Board Treasurer

Julia Kelly

Board Treasurer

Julia Kelly is the Chief Public Defender at the Kent County Office of the Public Defender, with over 19 years of experience representing adults and youth in criminal cases. She holds a Juris Doctor from MSU Law and a Bachelor’s from the University of Michigan. A proud resident of Grand Rapids’ 3rd Ward, Julia lives with her husband Tim and their son. She has known JD and Antoinette for nearly a decade and is honored to serve on the RIL board. Outside of work, she also contributes her time to the ACLU Lawyers’ Committee and the Mayfly Project—and is often cheering from the sidelines at her son’s games.

Aaron Jonker

Board Member

Aaron Jonker

Board Member

Aaron brings a wide range of professional experience in civil engineering, land development, construction, and business leadership. After 15 years at Wolverine Building Group—where he rose from Project Manager to Co-Owner and President—he sold his ownership stake in 2022 to pursue new ventures. Now focused on affordable and market-rate housing development, Aaron also supports minority-owned construction businesses and emerging developers. He was drawn to Realism Is Loyalty’s holistic, youth-centered approach and continues to champion community-based efforts. In addition to RIL, Aaron serves on the boards of Habitat Kent, the Pine Rest Foundation, and the Grand Rapids Planning Commission.

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