Innovative Change Makers founder outlines mentorship, in-school programs and plan for a community center

Brian Gatewood Sr., founder and president of the nonprofit Innovative Change Makers, described the organization—s peer-mentorship, in-school and workforce-readiness programs and said he hopes to establish a central community empowerment center in Pierce County.

In a studio interview on TV Tacoma, Gatewood said his work draws on his personal experience navigating the juvenile justice and reentry systems. "I saw a void and I saw how I could utilize my strengths to fill that void," he said. Gatewood described programs that train youth in trauma-informed care, communication and de-escalation, then pay them to co-facilitate community sessions and serve as first responders in schools.

Gatewood highlighted the Innovative Cuts program, which teaches barbering fundamentals, entrepreneurship and a mental-health component that positions barbershops as community hubs. He said the organization has a peer-mentor cohort of about 20 youth who receive job-readiness training, mock interviews and placements at evening sites; Gatewood said the group is currently active at late-night sites five days a week.

The organization—s school-based program, Young Kings, operates in five Tacoma Public Schools and will expand to four schools in Franklin Pierce School District, Gatewood said. He described complementary adult programs, including men's and women's support groups, and said the group has grown from a handful of participants with no funding to serving hundreds of youth and adults.

Looking ahead, Gatewood said he envisions a community center with classrooms and a basketball court that would host programming, volunteer opportunities and community-run events. "I see it as a community space, like a community center— — that empowerment center is what I want it to be," he said.

Gatewood attributed program growth to involving youth in program design. He said staff solicit input from peer mentors about what skills youth feel they are missing and then design programming around those needs.

The interview did not report a formal funding source for a permanent facility; Gatewood said the organization is pursuing development and called the center a future vision.