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.
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
