Innovative Changemakers founder recounts path from juvenile system to youth mentoring programs

Brian Gatewood Sr., founder and president of Innovative Changemakers, discussed his personal journey and the nonprofit’s programs in an interview on the Tacoma Report broadcast.

Gatewood said his organization grew from his lived experience navigating the juvenile justice system and from seeing a lack of mentoring and prevention programs for youth. “I started thinking about how I could utilize my journey and the things that I’ve experienced to give back,” he said.

Gatewood described several programs offered by Innovative Changemakers: a peer-mentorship program with about 20 youth who receive training in trauma-informed care, communication and de-escalation and are paid to co-facilitate events and late-night sites; the Innovative Cuts program, which teaches barbering fundamentals alongside communication, entrepreneurship and a mental-health component; and Young Kings, an in-school mentorship program operating in five Tacoma Public Schools and planned for four Franklin Pierce School District schools.

Gatewood said the organization provides job-readiness services, mock interviews and placements — “they’re in, five days a week in the all the different, late night sites,” he said — and that the peer mentors are paid for the work. He emphasized involving youth in program design: “Once you give them a platform to speak and let them know that their voice is powerful, they have no hesitation. We’ll let you know what they need,” Gatewood said.

On future plans, Gatewood said he envisions a central community empowerment center with classrooms, a basketball court and space to host programs and volunteers for the wider Pierce County community. He did not provide a fundraising timeline or a site for the proposed center.

Host Laura Proctor introduced Gatewood and asked about program impact; Proctor praised the work and invited future updates on the community center plans.