By ADRANISHA STEPHENS
The Journal
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Rousawn M. Dozier of Martinsburg, created Empower U–a mentor and leadership program for young men throughout the community.
According to Dozier, Empower U is a new learning, networking and mentoring program created specificaly for high school aged young men.
“The program will provide the necessary tools, strategies and coaching opportunites to help participants matster the level they are currently on as well as prepare for their futures,” Dozier said.
Dozier graduated from Martinsburg High School and graduated in 2006, and then recieved his bachelor’s degree from Marshall University shortly after.
“I was born and raised in Martinsburg, West Virginia,” Dozier said.
“After I attended Marshall University, I worked there for some time and then decided to move back home with my family. I began working in the marketing and branding industry, as well as doing a lot of public and motivational speaking and pastoring–those are my passions. I also launched with my family a business called ‘West By God.’
We do everything from clothing, to christian hip-hop, to the empowerment section–which is what I do now and Empower U falls under that.”
Dozier said the Empower U program will also have once-a-month meetups.
“This is where I will lead presentations and invite special guests for our members to connect, network and engage with one another,” Dozier said.
Dozier said he currently has parternships with local schools throughout Berkeley County at this time, but hopes to expand further.
“I work very closely with Martinsburg High school,” Dozier said.
“I mentor some students there already and I will be doing some stuff for Hedgesville High School soon. However, the invitation is open to every high school in the region. So, it is not just particular schools that I am already partnered with. I would love to get more involved with other schools that I haven’t been in yet, like Musselman or Jefferson High. I am really looking forward to networking and engaging with the young people.”
Dozier said he wants to start his program local, but hopes to expand his business nationwide one day.
“Just taking a look at the technology that is available now is amazing. Maybe 10 or 15 years ago my goal would have been to get as many people as possible to join us for our monthly meetups. Now, websites are so interactive and have grown so much, with the on-demand videos and the ability to do video conferencing and live videos. This is something that I hope can be scaled and at least modeled throughout the state of West Virginia. That is my ultimate goal is to do it through our state. I really want to impact our people. If this is something that can be taken nationwide– well that would be really phenomenal.”
As far as other future plans, Dozier hopes to expand his audience to not just men.
“My goal is to eventually bring in some female leaders as well to do this with me,” Dozier said.
“I know right now, there are things that I want to talk about and engage with the young men, that I dont know if they would be open or as comfortable in doing if young women were there. The goal before the end of the year is to do a conference and invite both young men and women and bring them together. Right now, Empower U is just for men. However we were thinking within maybe the next 24 months we open up Empower U to everyone.”
Dozier said his main mission of Empower U is to promote self-awareness.
“One of the main things I want to teach these kids is self-awarness,” Dozier said.
“I preach that a lot, but it is one of those things where you have to take inventory of your life and you have to understand what your goals are. They don’t have to look like anyone elses, you dont have to do something everyone else wants you to do. Life post- high school may not necessarily be an institutional education. It may be entrepreneurial, it may be something completely different and it may be mission work. What I want to do, is help cultivate and develop leaders. That starts with self reflection and we just go from there.”
Dozier said Empower U will have leaders coming in from various industries to speak to the young men.
“I spoke with some people already, and will have people from the secret service come in and also counselors in high school. I want various speakers to come in and speak and engage with these kids,” Dozier said.
“I also have friends that are coming in that never went to college that are very sucessful entrepreneurs that will speak to them. We will do everything from resume building and interview trainings, to hands on training–serving our community with different service projects, things like that.”
The first meeting for Empower U will be on Saturday, Sept. 23 at The Hub in Martinsburg.
Dozier said he is excited to get started.
“If this was something that was available to me when I was 14 years old, I think I would have made some better decisions,” Dozier said.
“I know learning from the mentors that I had and have now is really helpful, that’s why I think Empower U is so important for these kids.”
Empower U is still currently looking for sponsors and members at this time.
For more information on the program or to learn how to become a sponsor, please visit: www.wbgempoweru.com.
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