Rev. Isaac I. Scott
Reverend Isaac I. Scott is a multidisciplinary visual artist, researcher, and community advocate rooted in Harlem, New York. Ordained at the 204th Session of the New York Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, Isaac is an itinerant deacon at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church and is the Director of Community Initiatives for the church’s outreach ministry, Another Choice Youth and Family Outreach Inc. Through this work, he leads initiatives focused on youth and family engagement, food insecurity, social justice, public safety, and community wellness through strategic arts engagement and grassroots collaboration. Isaac is a husband and father of seven in a blended family. Alongside his wife, Haydee Lee Scott, he continues to support children, young people and families through workshops, mentorship, faith based engagement, and community rooted initiatives that center healing, purpose, wellness, and intergenerational & cross cultural connection.
Isaac is also the founder and CEO of Isaac’s Quarterly (IQ), a creative arts, leadership, and consulting company grounded in cultural sensitivity, design justice, and community transformation. Through IQ, he works across three primary areas: leadership in business, leadership in faith, and leadership in the home. His work supports nonprofits, justice impacted individuals, artists, churches, entrepreneurs, and community based organizations through media production, strategic planning, digital design, storytelling, public engagement, and leadership development. Through Isaac’s Quarterly (IQ), Isaac founded The Confined Arts (TCA), which began as a series of exhibitions uplifting the work and voices of justice impacted individuals and has since evolved into a broader initiative using art, research, and participatory engagement as tools for advocacy, reentry support, and healing centered community building. Through this work, Isaac also helped develop the Arts Justice Safety Coalition (AJSC), a national collaborative effort focused on public safety, justice reform, and community engagement through the arts. He currently serves as President of the Justice Arts Coalition (JAC) and as a member of the U.S. Prisons Program Advisory Council of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.
Isaac earned his Master of Divinity in Youth and Family Ministries from Liberty University in 2026 and is pursing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Strategic Media. He also holds a B.A. in Visual Arts from Columbia University and an Associate degree in Computer Networking and Technology from Taylor Business Institute. His training also includes the Coro Neighborhood Leadership Program, where he strengthened his practice in neighborhood leadership, cross sector collaboration, and civic engagement. Isaac’s education and advocacy leadership continue through his current work as a Data Fellow with Goddard Riverside and #DegreesNYC, where he’s conducted research on college readiness and higher education access for justice impacted individuals through the study Empowering Pathways: Enhancing College Readiness for Justice Impacted Individuals in NYC.
Isaac's work has been featured in local and national media outlets, academic publications, public exhibitions, podcasts, and advocacy campaigns that explore the intersections of art, justice, faith, community development, and systems change. Through interviews, articles, exhibitions, and public scholarship, he continues to contribute to conversations about public safety, youth development, incarceration, reentry, and the transformative power of the arts.
Press & Media
Fundraising and Grant Writing
Over the course of his career, Isaac has successfully secured, stewarded, and helped distribute hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, sponsorships, and community investments supporting arts organizations, grassroots initiatives, youth development programs, public safety efforts, research projects, community organizing campaigns, and justice impacted communities. Trained through the Grant Writing Board of The Philanthropy Lab, he has participated in local and national grantmaking efforts, helping evaluate, recommend, and direct philanthropic investments to nonprofit organizations and community initiatives across the country. His approach to resource development combines relationship building, strategic planning, compelling storytelling, and collaborative leadership to strengthen organizations, expand community impact, and advance long term sustainability.
Credentials & Recognition
Hello,
I hope that you’re enjoying the website thus far. Education has been one of the most important investments in my personal and professional journey. The degrees, certifications, and professional development experiences featured here have equipped me with the knowledge, research skills, and leadership practices needed to serve communities more effectively. I continue to pursue lifelong learning because stronger leaders are better prepared to strengthen families, organizations, and neighborhoods.
Academic Degrees
-
Liberty University, Expected Completion 2031
-
Liberty University | John W. Rawlings School Of Divinity, 2026
-
Columbia University | School of General Studies, 2023
-
Taylor Business Institute, 2004
Ministerial Credentials
-
Issuing Authority:
African Methodist Episcopal Church
New York Annual Conference, First Episcopal DistrictOrdaining Bishop:
Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr.
Presiding Bishop, First Episcopal DistrictDate Conferred:
April 24, 2026Description:
Ordained as an Itinerant Deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal Church after successfully satisfying the requirements of the Board of Examiners, completing the prescribed educational preparation, and passing the examination for ordination in accordance with the Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.As an Itinerant Deacon, I am authorized to:
Administer the Sacrament of Baptism
Solemnize Marriages
Officiate Funeral and Burial Services
Assist in the administration of Holy Communion after the elements have been consecrated by an Elder
Serve the Church through preaching, pastoral care, and ministry in accordance with the Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Professional Certifications and Fellowships
-
Organization:
Goddard Riverside #DegreesNYCCredential:
Certificate of CompletionDate:
June 16, 2026Description:
Successfully completed the 2025–2026 #DegreesNYC Youth Council Data Fellowship, contributing to research and advocacy focused on advancing educational equity for justice-impacted New Yorkers. As a Data Fellow, I co-designed and led a mixed-methods research project examining the barriers and supports experienced by justice-impacted students pursuing higher education, translating participant experiences into recommendations for institutional policy and practice. -
International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP)
Program:
IIRP 2025 World ConferenceCredential:
Certificate of ParticipationDate:
October 19–22, 2025Location:
Chattanooga Convention Center
Chattanooga, TennesseeDescription:
I hosted a trauma-informed workshop at the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) 2025 World Conference, bringing together practitioners, educators, researchers, and community leaders from around the world. The session explored trauma-informed engagement through the lens of community arts and restorative practices, highlighting strategies for fostering healing, strengthening relationships, and advancing community-centered leadership. -
2025 Cohort Member
Program Description
For those leading commercial revitalization efforts in their communities— whether working in a Business Improvement District, Merchant Association, local development corporation, Chamber of Commerce or other nonprofit organization—Coro’s Neighborhood Leadership program provides our city’s top talent with the resources they need to understand how to influence meaningful change and address complex challenges within their neighborhoods. Using New York as a classroom, Neighborhood Leadership participants are deeply immersed in commercial revitalization strategies and are given the opportunity to build leadership skills through intensive training and peer-to-peer learning. Participants leave the program equipped with the knowledge and skills to drive change in their own neighborhoods and an unparalleled network of engaged civic leaders from which to continue to build and grow.
-
The Philanthropy Lab
Grant Writing Board Member (Jan 2023 – Jan 2025)
-
Agency for Substance Use Prevention, 2025
-
Union Theological Seminary, 2019
-
Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN), 2018
-
Issuing Organization:
Columbia Business SchoolCredential:
Certificate of Successful ParticipationDate:
2017Description:
Completed Columbia Business School's entrepreneurship workshop focused on business planning, financial fundamentals, and venture development. The program provided practical tools that supported the continued growth of Isaac's Quarterly as a creative and community-centered business. -
Issuing Organization:
JustLeadershipUSACredential:
Certificate of CompletionDate:
2017Description:
Completed JustLeadershipUSA's Breakthrough Action Leadership Training for Emerging Leaders, an intensive leadership development program designed to prepare formerly incarcerated leaders to advance policy reform, community organizing, and systems change. The program strengthened my skills in advocacy, strategic leadership, coalition building, and public engagement. -
Issuing Organization:
StoryCorpsCredential:
Certificate of RecognitionDate:
2017Description:
Recognized for participating in a StoryCorps oral history interview documenting research on language, dehumanization, and the experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals. The interview was archived by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress as part of the StoryCorps collection (Interview ID: DDA002514). -
Center for Justice at Columbia University, 2015 – 2016
-
Issuing Organization:
Justice-in-Education Initiative, Columbia UniversityCredential:
Certificate of CompletionDate:
2015Description:
Completed the inaugural Justice-in-Education Scholars Program Humanities Course at Columbia University. The program introduced formerly incarcerated scholars to higher education through academic preparation, leadership development, and civic engagement, laying the foundation for my continued educational and professional journey. -
Issuing Organization:
Virgil Grissom Middle SchoolRecognition:
Certificate of AppreciationDate:
2015Description:
Recognized for presenting at Career Day, where I shared my journey as the founder of Isaac's Quarterly and creator of The Confined Arts. The presentation encouraged young people to explore careers in the arts, entrepreneurship, and community leadership while demonstrating the transformative power of creativity and education. -
Issuing Authorities:
Office of New York State Senator Bill Perkins
New York City CouncilRecognition:
Certificate of Achievement & City Council CitationDate:
2015Description:
Honored for leadership and service to the Harlem community during the Recognize the Real Award Ceremony. The recognition acknowledged my commitment to community engagement, youth development, and positive neighborhood leadership. -
These vocational certifications were earned while incarcerated through New York State Department of Labor workforce training programs.
Research Certificates
-
Issuing Organization:
CITI Program | New York University on behalf of #DegreesNYCCompletion Date:
August 19, 2025Expiration Date:
August 19, 2028Description:
Completed foundational training in the ethical design and conduct of social and behavioral research involving human participants. The certification covers research ethics, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, risk assessment, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) standards for human subjects research. -
Issuing Organization:
CITI Program | New York University on behalf of #DegreesNYCCompletion Date:
July 28, 2025Expiration Date:
July 28, 2028Description:
Completed specialized training on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in human subjects research. The program examines responsible AI practices, participant protections, privacy considerations, bias mitigation, and emerging ethical issues related to AI-assisted research methods. -
Issuing Organization:
CITI Program | New York University on behalf of #DegreesNYCCompletion Date:
July 28, 2025Expiration Date:
July 28, 2028Description:
Completed training on the ethical use of social media platforms for participant recruitment in research studies. The course focuses on privacy, informed consent, equitable recruitment practices, and regulatory considerations when engaging potential participants through digital platforms.
Honors & Citations
-
Citation of Recognition
Issuing Authority:
Office of the Public Advocate for the City of New YorkPresented By:
Public Advocate Jumaane D. WilliamsDate:
2025Description:
Recognized by the Office of the Public Advocate for the City of New York in celebration of Another Choice Youth and Family Outreach's inaugural gala and the organization's impact on East Harlem. The citation acknowledges my leadership as Director of Community Initiatives, recognizing my contributions to expanding community services, supporting families and justice-impacted individuals, and helping establish the ACYFO Center for Solutions and Performance Space as a resource for arts, advocacy, and neighborhood engagement.
Thank you for
Considering Isaac’s Quarterly
“Isaac’s Quarterly exists to help people transform their world through art, design, and strategy. Whether you're a justice advocate, entrepreneur, returning citizen, youth leader, or nonprofit visionary—IQ meets you where you are and builds with you toward where you want to go. I believe everyone has a story that matters, and we’re here to help you tell it, design it, and launch it into the world with purpose.” —Rev. Isaac I. Scott