Meet Chris Gilbert | Community Leader & Philanthropist of the Working Class

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Gilbert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, what inspires you?
What am I inspired by? I am inspired by being able to help. Help what you say? anyone, anything and everything that needs help. Growing up, I worked and worked and worked. I know what the real is, I know what the struggle is. Rolling coins and paying for gas with change. Going a day or two without eating until I got paid. I did farm and ranch jobs, worked as security in a night club in Houston, Repossessed Vehicles and Performed multiple physical labor jobs until graduating from college. When I graduated and started getting good jobs that allowed to earn enough to start giving back I have. I like to consider myself the “Philanthropist of the Working Class” as I am always looking for things to support either financially, with my time or both. I have had many people from all walks of life in and from many different geographic areas help me out. Many people I didn’t even know who were complete strangers to me all for the pure kindness of it. One situation that always sticks out to me is when an elderly black gentleman came rushing over to me in his wheelchair moving his arms as fast as he could saying “Don’t do that, Don’t do that” “Your going to crack your block” “Start it up first” what it was is that my truck was overheating and I was about to pour water in the radiator before starting it back up. Situations like that and what seems like a million others is what inspires me to “Pay if Forward” to pay the kindness and helpfulness forward. I have always felt blessed by the the people who have came into my life and lent me a helping hand and I try to do the same thing back everyday.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In my professional career I work for an Engineering and Construction Firm. I started in construction at a young age and the first day on the job I was assigned to a crew to pick up trash, empty trash cans and make water jugs. I then was able to get into more of a craft helper role before I was able to get into a journeyman role then more into supervisory and management roles. I worked all the way through college. Work all day then night school at night at a community college and finding whatever work I could while at the university level. I feel good everyday I wake up knowing that everything I got is mine and I got it from hard work and with help from others and also a few lucky breaks here and there along the way. The first time I got to fly on a plane as part of my work duties I thought “Wow! I am being paid to fly across the country, that is a long way from those bus rides in and out of the plant” I remember where I came from and the struggle that ensures when working in the craft and I think about it everyday to be grateful and thankful of what I have been given and the opportunities I have. I always try to help and look after those people who are working hard to better themselves in life. I don’t know where this life will lead me but wherever it does I will never forget where I come from and I am always willing to help out someone struggling and someone trying to come up in life. I have done it many of times and I will continue to do it throughout my life and treat people right.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So for starters I have to say we will definitely support our sports teams. If it started on a Sunday in the Fall I would start with Sideline Passes and Club Seats at a Texans Game then eating afterwards at somewhere like Trulucks or Eddie V’s then maybe check out some slab cars in Third Ward on Sunday Funday. Through the week we would go to places such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Natural Science, Menil Collection, Montrose Area. Contemporary Arts Museum, Rice Village, Space Center Houston Look at the Houston street art such as Aerosol Warfare and Gonzo 247 and walk around discovery green. Improv Houston, Alief, Chinatown, The Galleria area and River oaks are also some spots we would go to.

Restaurants are Taste of Texas, Steak 48, Turkey Leg Hut, Breakfast Klub, Trill Burgers, Drinks at Biggio’s before an Astros Game.

Parks: Eleanor Tinsley Buffalo Bayou Park and Cistern, Memorial Park and Hermann Park

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
HTX as a whole deserves a Shoutout! I have been to every major city in this country and H-Town and the surrounding areas have the best people hands down in the country and are always willing to offer a neighbor a helping hand. As far as deserving credit in my story besides my friends and family I would first start off by recognizing those great educators we have out there. First in my mind is at my High School Graduation My Senior English Teacher Eddie Penuel told me “Come Here and Give Me A Hug, and then said “ You are very smart and If you would have applied yourself you could have been in the top 10 percent of this class” She didn’t know my home life but I thought “Me, Chris Gilbert, Smart? College?” I graduated in the bottom 10 Percent of my class with all I had going on I was just trying to scrap for gas money and whatever I could get. But that is what fueled me to go enroll in college. I have a certificate, Two Associates Degrees, A Bachelor’s Degree and A Master’s Degree and am planning on furthering my education sometime in the future. Secondly was Dr. Nedom Muns a Professor I had in both my Undergraduate and Graduate Studies I could write a whole book on the impact he had on not just my life, but helping chart the course of my whole career. As far as organizations go religious and sports groups helped teach me many things about life in general. One organization I would like to mention by name helping me get on the right path from an at-risk student to Eagle Scout was the Boy Scouts of America. I got my Eagle Scout paperwork turned in just before my 18th Birthday and Got My Eagle Scout awarded to me Three months later after my Board of Review. The people in that group as a whole did wonder for me. There are many great organizations out there doing great things for the community. I encourage everyone to find something they can give whether it be a tangible item, money or time give what you can when and where you can.

Other: I am just not a social media guy. you can contact me at skywayenergyllc@gmail.com

Image Credits
Photo Credits Erica Gilbert