History of YEZ
In the spring of 2004, during a series of town hall meetings, City of Columbia
First Ward council representative Almeta Crayton expressed concerns that the
youth in her ward were often unemployed despite a willingness to work. So began
the Youth Empowerment Zone.
In response to this outcry in the First Ward, a local non profit, Boone County
Community Partnership contracted two Columbia residents, Lorenzo Lawson and
Nathan Stephens, to serve as youth advocates and help youth ages 14-24 obtain
employment. First Ward residents and BCCP chose Lawson and Stephens to lead the
program because of their strong ties and commitment to the First Ward community.
Both community activists built the program around ideas of empowerment and
designed it to effectively serve those specifically at greatest risk and need.
Most traditional service delivery systems are not successful with this hard to
reach population. These youth tend to deal with the most difficult barriers and
thereby are transient and distrustful of large systems. In building YEZ, staff
had to be nontraditional in their approach and work outside of what is typically
expected of a ‘program.’ They worked unconventional hours, sometimes visiting
the homes of youth at 9 o’ clock at night to talk with parents or look for youth
who were heading down the wrong path. YEZ staff members also make jobsite visits
to act as an advocate for youth and a liaison between youth and their employers.
During Youth Empowerment Zone’s first year in operation, 40 at risk youth were
placed in gainful employment across Columbia. Because of their success in
helping youth successfully transition to adulthood through employment BCCP
accepted a contract to sponsor and implement the YEZ program.
Youth Empowerment Zone has grown to staff five people. Its mission is to
proactively reach easily-neglected, at-risk, urban youth by connecting them to
the ideas and activity of empowerment, and provide them with resources and
networks that will help them transition successfully into adulthood. The
organization continues to garner local and nationwide recognition for its
efforts in helping youth succeed in work and life.
Staff
Lorenzo
Lawson is the Founding Director of Youth Empowerment Zone. He received a
Bachelors of Science in Sociology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His
passion is to see youth in his native Columbia succeed.
Ayesha
S. Harmon is YEZ’s Program Director. She was raised in Chicago, IL and moved to
Columbia to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia. There she received a
Bachelors of Science in Education and a Masters in Social Work. She has been
working with and for youth for the past 13 years.
Purvis
Hunt III is the Youth Development Coordinator for YEZ. He is originally from San
Bernadino, CA. As a teen, Purvis turned his life around with the help of a
mentor. He later moved to Missouri where he received a Bachelors of Science in
Criminal Justice from Columbia College.
Demetria
Stephens is a Youth Development Specialist with YEZ. She hails from Cape
Girardeau, MO. Demetria has been working with young people for the past ten
years. Later this year, she will graduate from Columbia College with a Bachelors
degree in Interdisciplinary Education.
Shannon
Crossman-Williams has been working as an administrative assistant at YEZ for almost a year. At her last position, Crossman-Williams was responsible for coordinating and implementing training programs for employees in various levels of the organization. Prior to coming to Youth Empowerment Zone, Crossman-Williams had been doing volunteer work in community-based organizations for almost 20 years.
Board Members
Officers Jerry Taylor, Board President CEO- MFA Oil
Bill Costello, Vice President Director of Business Development, Woodruff
Sweitzer
Tom Schwarz, Treasurer Business Development Officer, First National Bank & Trust
Company
Verna Harris-Laboy, Secretary Community Activist
Anthony Carr, Youth Liaison Miller’s Professional Imaging
Tina R. Ehrhardt Human Resources Manager, ABC Laboratories
Nicci Garmon Operations Manager, Zimmer Radio Group
Steve Henness Program Coordinator, 4-H Center for Youth Development
Michael Holden President, Land Choice-Guaranty Land Title
Gregg Palermo News Director, KCRG- TV
Lester Woods Senior Pastor Urban Empowerment Ministries