When DelMesha Swain applied to the Community Leadership Academy (CLA)— a leadership development program created by Live HealthSmart Alabama in partnership with Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED—she was living thousands of miles away in the Czech Republic. After more than 15 years abroad, working in places like Oman and Prague, she was preparing to return to her hometown of Anniston, Alabama.

During her time overseas, Swain often found ways to support children with special needs, but she felt a pull back to the community where she was raised. With her mother now in her 90s and a deep desire to continue making an impact at home, she knew it was time to return and revive her nonprofit, CLICK (Children Lifted Innovatively and Creatively through Knowledge)—which empowers people to build confidence and create lasting change in their lives and communities.

While planning her return, Swain began searching online for new opportunities and ideas. During one of those searches, she came across the Community Leadership Academy and was intrigued enough to explore Live HealthSmart Alabama’s website and social media.

“I was looking at opportunities to get reestablished in the community,” she recalled. “When I saw the Academy, I thought, ‘this will reignite me. As soon as I get back, I can just keep going.’”

Swain was accepted into Cohort 3 of the CLA and, over the course of seven sessions, was provided with tools for public speaking, team building, conflict resolution, and effective communication. As participants in the Academy, Swain and her cohort members also identified pressing issues in their communities, focusing on nutrition, wellness, education, or physical activity, and presented an actionable plan to address it.

For Swain, the timing couldn’t have been better. The CLA offered her not just professional training but a reset on how she approached leadership itself.

One of her biggest takeaways was learning to be comfortable asking for support.

“I really had a hard time with that,” Swain admitted. “I used to just put in my own money or take on things I knew I could handle, because I felt prideful about asking for help. But as you grow, you learn that there’s an asking part of it. When someone gives to CLICK, they’re not just giving to me; they’re helping the organization touch more lives. Realizing that I do need help, that was something I learned, and I’m still learning.”

From classroom to community garden

During her time in the CLA, Swain focused on food access in Anniston, a city she remembers once being full of neighborhood grocery stores but is now marked by food deserts and environmental challenges.

“I realized it’s not only about the food and about eating healthy, it’s about community,” she said.

That realization evolved into a neighborhood garden, founded by Swain, with the intention of bringing people together around healthy living. Visitors can expect a warm welcome, fresh produce, and creative spaces—including Zen and pollinator gardens.

“I want people to realize it’s a place to connect with nature,” she explained. “Every time we put our hands in the soil, we’re connecting with something that feeds our bodies and our souls.”

The garden also became an extension of CLICK’s educational mission. Swain began discussing “brain foods” with local children at school lunches, encouraging them to see the connection between nutrition and learning.

“Now they come running in, ‘Miss Del, I had brain food today!’” she said. “I can tell they’re thinking about it all day, and that makes a difference.”

That spark led to CLICK’s Garden Ambassador Program, where children help care for the garden, and AgriTech Next, a new initiative combining agriculture and technology.

“Kids need to see that technology is more than their phones,” Swain said. “It’s in farming, it’s in food systems, it’s in health. When they realize that, their whole perspective opens up.”

Lasting impact

Looking back, Swain credits the CLA with giving her the confidence and skills to bring these projects to life.

“As a leader, I used to feel like everything depended on me, that I had to deliver it all,” she said. “Now I know it’s about reaching out, asking, and connecting the community. That’s what really makes the difference.”

Her advice to future participants is simple: “Anyone who’s thinking about joining the CLA, don’t think about it, just do it. At my age, I didn’t think I could acquire much more information, but they presented it in such a way that you’re engaged, you’re involved, and you’re learning. And when we learn, then we can share.”

Through her journey, Swain has shown how Live HealthSmart Alabama empowers local leaders to bring about lasting change in their communities, whether through classrooms, community gardens, or conversations that remind children they have the power to grow strong and thrive.