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Jason Harper
Jason Wade Harper was born on October 29,1971. He is an American social activist, author and ultra runner Since 1993, Harper has been a staff pastor at Capital Christian Center in Sacramento, California where his role is to develop community initiatives that serve underserved communities. As an activist he has started several organizations that focus on education equality. He is an ultra runner who trains runners to attach cause to their competition races. Harper serves on the Board for Run for Courage, Battle for Veterans, and Sacramento Valley Region Care Coalition. He is also a corporate consultant for Celera Group.
Early Life and Education Harper was born in Sacramento, CA and is the second of two sons of Gene and Sharon Harper. Harper attended Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, CA and played baseball, football, and was on the winter ski team. After graduation he attended Sierra Community College in Rocklin, CA and played two years of college baseball. After a year at University of Nevada, Reno, Harper returned to Sacramento where he graduated from California State University, Sacramento in 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. In 1994, he enrolled at Capital Bible College in Sacramento where he earned a Ministerial Arts degree in 1996.
Role with Capital Christian Center Starting in Pastoral Ministries in 1993, Harper’s area of leadership was with Middle and High School Students. In 2003, he was promoted to Director of Community Outreach and assigned to create practical ways to help kids get a better education. Concurrently, he worked with XXXChurch as a writer and a speaker. Harper is the founder of Be Change, Character Combine, and EASE.
In 1995, Harper traveled to India for the first of three trips. While in India, he was able to have a personal meeting with Mother Teresa. His meeting in Calcutta at her home for the destitute and dying shaped much of his views on compassion, empathy, and the effects of poverty. Founder of Be Change In 2005, Harper sought to bring resources to a school that had been deemed underperforming by Sacramento Unified School District based on California STAR Exams. Harper took up running so he could raise money for the school. His involvement also launched an initiative within the school where parents began enrolling their children in state- and federally-funded health care programs. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/extra-mile-run-sacramento_n_316121.html Be Change After School Initiative addresses the practical needs a student may have that is beyond the scope of a public school; accessible health care, dentistry, after school running club, and literacy tutoring. http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/20/amazing-dad-jason-harper/ To increase Be Change’s impact and scope, Harper created The Extra Mile Run; a 100 mile journey in 24 hours that finished on the campus of Oak Ridge Elementary School. Prior to Harper’s Extra Mile Run, 12% of the kids had health care on campus, according to then Principal Steve Lewis. “Principle Steve Lewis of Oak Ridge Elementary stated that one of the best ways we could help increase the children’s standardized test scores was by working to provide them health care,” Harper stated. http://www.publicceo.com/2009/07/non-profits-lessen-burden-on-local-governments/ In the year after, accessible health care enrollment went to 82%. Be Change has continued to run the after school running program in Sacramento’s inner city of Oak Park. Since the 100 Mile Run, other runners have joined Harper’s “Run for a Reason” mandate. http://enduranceracingmagazine.com/?p=244 Harper’s successful 100 Miler Run created a partnership with the California International Marathon (CIM). As an exclusive partner, Harper and CIM Founder John Monsoor agreed that Sacramento runner’s could Run for a Reason, Be Change. http://www.runcim.org/page/show/385930-run-for-a-reason-charities-with-cim-pledge-programs “I Never” In 2009, Harper started “I Never” Trip with the runners who completed the academic year and succeeded in the Be Change Run Club. http://www.stylemg.com/Style/May-2011/Mission-Possible/
‘I Never’ took kids on four day trips to destinations they had never been before (“…I have never been to the ocean, I have never been to a college campus…etc”) Harper’s bucket list events for the Be Change kids were captured in their Passport to Purpose. To date, Be Change kids have visited University of Oregon, University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles, and Stanford. http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=3753131&SPID=13533&SPSID=109358 In 2010, Harper again made news by running with one of his Be Change Runner’s, Ultrarunner Ray Sanchez. The endurance running pair ran a Double Mararthon at the CIM. Starting at 2:00AM, Harper and Sanchez ran from the finish to the starting line in time to start the official race. They then ran the official marathon for a total of 52 miles morning. http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=110450
From the Be Change Movement, Harper has emerged as a sought after endurance trainer, creating running/nutrition fuel plans for top endurance athletes, professional athletes, and people in music entertainment. http://www.stylemg.com/Style/May-2011/Mission-Possible/
One of his most notable trained athletes is Jacoby Shaddix, lead singer of Papa Roach. In 2012, Harper trained Shaddix for his first marathon distance, a road route through Southern Missouri. http://loudwire.com/papa-roach-jacoby-shaddix-completes-marathon-with-run-it-forward-campaign/ Shaddix was running for Harper’s cause. “I’ve never met anyone as selfless as Jason, especially in my business,” said Jacoby. “He’s a positive force, another piece of the puzzle in this crazy life I lead. http://www.villagelife.com/news/run-it-forward/
Founded of Character Combine Harper’s lifetime involvement with the athletic community in Sacramento gave him a network to mentor coaches. In 2005, Harper invited Joe Ehrmann to speak to area coaches. The single day event called Character Combine drew coaches and their players of influence to hear top speakers in the area of competition and character development. http://blogs.sacbee.com/preps/archives/2011/04/jamie-whitmore.html
Character Combine, through Harper, has become a voice on the subject of adolescent bullying in America. Character Combine has published three books (Taylor Made, Max Impact and Forging Iron) and an assortment of training tools to help coaches make increased character the priority on and off the field.
The event grew into an annual event and branched to Harper hosting events in Oahu, HI and in Long Beach, California. Founded EASE (Equal Access for Student Education) After seeing the achievement gap widen for students who lacked access to quality education, Harper worked to create EASE. Desiring to give urban children the same access to education as their suburban counter parts, Harper worked with Sacramento based corporations and the philanthropic community to raise educational assistance. This help pay for students to attend a private school of their choosing if they did not have access to a school they deemed excellent and they lived they were near or under the poverty line. http://www.comstocksmag.com/Archive/0112_CRC_Street-Smarts.aspx
Controversy Harper, has been embroiled in controversial encounters beginning in 2007 when he chose to pass out water bottles at Sacramento's Gay Pride parade. Church of the Divide recognized Harper as a pastor from Capital Christian Center. Soon after, COTD, began to protest, picket, and adversely oppose Harper and CCC. As the picketing continued, Harper was the center of COTD's website CCCEXPOSED.com. The website posted quotes from Harper's books, writings, and podcast.
In 2008, Harper partnered with Craig Gross of XXXChurch to author Jesus Loves You This I Know. Publisher Baker Books allowed them to plan a book tour. Harper and Gross showed up at Westboro Baptist Church and the Fred Phelps compound to deliver copies of their book. http://cjonline.com/news/local/2009-08-30/authors_tour_westboro_show_love
On the tour, the authors opposed the Phelps at The American Idol tour with their own signs that read "God Hates Hate." http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2009/08/adam-lambert-gets-picketed-in-kansas-city/1#.UBQ4e2gqjzK
The sign and their domain www.godhateshate.org trended to the #1 spot on Twitter as #godhateshate. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrUg-U9vRgk
While giving JLY books out at Atlanta Pride http://www.ajc.com/news/christian-groups-bring-different-180580.html, Harper passed out bracelets that read "I'm Sorry." Apologizing to the Gay Community further widened the gap between Harper and many in the conservative evangelical ranks. While in Atlanta, Harper and Gross were sought out and confronted by Operation Save America’s Flip Benham. In 1994, he confronted Norma McCorvey, best known as "Jane Roe" in the landmark Supreme Court abortion case "Roe v. Wade", at a book-signing.
Media & Article s http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/14419/Jesus-Loves-The-Outcast $100,000 Raised for Local School http://www.prlog.org/10075849-sacramento-man-finished-100-mile-run-in-100-degree-heat-to-secure-health-care-for-uninsured-children.html Sacramento and Company http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPax0GvEK80 NGO’s Make IMPACT http://www.publicceo.com/2009/07/non-profits-lessen-burden-on-local-governments/ Fathers Day 2010 featured on AOL’s Parent Dish: Amazing Dad http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/20/amazing-dad-jason-harper/ Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/extra-mile-run-sacramento_n_316121.html Feautred Charity for CIM: Be Change http://www.runcim.org/page/show/385930-run-for-a-reason-charities-with-cim-pledge-programs Run It Forward http://enduranceracingmagazine.com/?p=244 Local Dentist Partners with Be Change http://www.stylemg.com/Folsom-El-Dorado-Hills/February-2012/John-Bertsch-DDS/ Vision of Running for a Reason http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/print-edition/2012/05/25/health-care-heroes-mike-cicero.html?page=2 BADWATER WORLD CUP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badwater_Ultramarathon Music Industry Run It Forward http://www.villagelife.com/news/run-it-forward/
LOUDWIRE Jacoby Shaddix runs first marathon with Jason Harper http://loudwire.com/papa-roach-jacoby-shaddix-completes-marathon-with-run-it-forward-campaign/ PAPA ROACH Runs For Be Change and Run It Forward http://folsomtelegraph.com/detail/207655.html Book tour confronted Hate at Westboro http://cjonline.com/news/local/2009-08-30/authors_tour_westboro_show_love ALUMNI OF ORHS CREATES PARNTERSHIP http://www.villagelife.com/news/oak-ridge-high-students-reach-out-to-oak-ridge-elementary/
Oak Ridge to Oak Ridge http://www.villagelife.com/news/oak-ridge-students-reach-out-to-elementary-school-again/
Oak Ridge HS Alum Tackles Oak Ridge Elementary, An Underserved School http://www.villagelife.com/news/orhs-students-come-through/ Double CIM http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=110450 THIS REAL LIFE HERO http://www.sacramentoparent.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220:iron-man&catid=51:june-issue&Itemid=155 Jumped with Golden Knights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C069iSmBmBM&list=UUwhI5AiuC8BWqgCN3E5PcNA&index=4&feature=plcp KMAX 31 START OF 100 Mile Run http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn3S7jxmIxQ&feature=relmfu KMAX 31 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9JEM5HTb0&list=UUwhI5AiuC8BWqgCN3E5PcN &index=8&feature=plcp Local Dad Runs with His Daughter to Support Other Kids http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs8lBWSeTkQ&feature=relmfu KMAX 31: Harper Reached Mile 80 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9JEM5HTb0&list=UUwhI5AiuC8BWqgCN3E5PcNA&index=8&feature=plcp Character Combine Host Top Athletes and Speakers http://blogs.sacbee.com/preps/archives/2011/04/jamie-whitmore.html Character Combine Partners with Sacramento RiverCats http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110628&content_id=21106342&vkey=news_t105&fext=.jsp&sid=t105 Equal Access and Student Equality In Education Changes Child: EASE http://www.comstocksmag.com/Archive/0112_CRC_Street-Smarts.aspx Friends with Gay Community http://intermissionfrequency.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/history-repeats-itself/ Christian groups bring different messages to Pride Event http://www.ajc.com/news/christian-groups-bring-different-180580.html Hip Pastors Trend to Twitter #1 http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2009/08/adam-lambert-gets-picketed-in-kansas-city/1#.UBQ4e2gqjzK Hate Confronted with Love at Westboro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrUg-U9vRgk I NEVER http://www.stylemg.com/Style/May-2011/Mission-Possible/ Celera Group http://www.celeragroup.org/church-growth-coaching/meet-the-celera-team.aspx Secret Shopper http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122358815744820497.html HAMMER ENDURANCE NEWS INTERVIEW http://www.hammernutrition.com/downloads/ENews/ENissue69.pdf pg 32-35
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