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