Meet Da’juh Sawyer | Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Founder & CEO of The Make It Foundation, INC. Da’juh Sawyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Da’juh, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

In 2017, myself and my cofounder Dontreal Fletcher were college students at Florida A&M University, wondering why we didn’t see more African American students from our hometown of St. Petersburg, FL, on the campus along with us. Realizing that economics — as well as exposure and mentoring – were a large influence on high school students’ choice and/or ability to pursue a post-secondary education, we started The Make It Out Foundation, Inc. (MIOF). The discussions to begin the Make It Out Foundation began on July 3, 2017 with a conversation focused on generating ideas to raise money for student scholarships. With the goal of providing financial assistance to those attending Florida A&M University. As of 2019, we have opened our scholarships to students who intend on pursuing a post-secondary education at any college, university, or vocational institution. The members of our team are all current or recent college graduates from Pinellas County, all with the indistinguishable mindset that giving back to our community provides a virtuous cycle that advances everyone’s success.

In addition to raising funds for scholarships the board of directors and I, travel around to neighboring facilities to mentor children and teens. After receiving a scholarship, the students are put into student-led mentoring groups where they can turn to each other for support, advice, help, and friendship. We do this by mentoring middle and high schoolers, assisting with college/vocational prep courses, hosting various community service events, co-hosting college fairs and panel discussions with students and those in the community, going to various high schools and presenting to students directly, and a host of other things to brings awareness to students pursuing a post-secondary education isn’t impossible. We each share personal stories and career paths, highlight the importance of setting SMART goals, and remind students that there is a world outside of the circumstantial bubble he or she witnesses daily. We have spoken to over 10,000 students through our mentoring workshops. Furthermore, we’ve coordinated annual Back to School Drives, bike giveaways,  food drives to combat COVID-19 hunger, implemented a hardship fund initiative to provide students with financial assistance during COVID-19 to ensure that the students are prepared to successfully tackle their academic school year. Our “Dress for Success Clothing Drive” provides attire for youth going to job interviews or beginning a career. We’ve  collaborated with, Advancing Florida, and the 2020/One Community Plan organizations to decrease the effects of poverty and speed progress towards inclusive growth in our community where we provided staff support to four legislative interns in Tallahassee who are all natives of St. Petersburg, FL. We received our first plaque courtesy of the Suncoast Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. During Black History Month, we supported a black owned business, Great Plates LLC., and hosted a roundtable discussion/ student checkup with some local officials and representatives with the discussion consisting of various topics affecting our community. We were also able to add two Executive Leads to our team. With their help, we launched #ScholarshipSunday. The foundation also help students secure internships in their related fields while they are in school as well. The goal is to help as many students make it out of their situation and to let them know that there is a whole world out there to explore and that they can be anything that they want to be. The students that we cater to come from low income households where the thought of a post-secondary education may not be something that is talked about. A lot of the students’ goal is to just graduate from high school, but the foundation want them to want more for themselves.

We want the students to be able to come back home and pay it forward in hopes of continuing to help more and more students achieve greatness. We utilize our educational and community events as a way to reach all races and build with respect to gender, race, and disability to market the scholarship and community outreach opportunities we offer. 100% of students we assist will receive an opportunity to pursue a post-secondary education, mentorship, and land life skills. They will go on to continue their education and gain knowledge and also obtain skills that will help them in their future careers.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

I am a proud St. Pete native and a 2014 graduate of Gibbs High School. While at Gibbs, I was the class of 2014 Student Government Association president, but that was only a small portion of my diverse and many community service activities. I served as a tutor and mentor at the Precious Angel Preschool, volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, as well as hosted several educational seminars at Barlett Park Recreation Center and the Royal Theater.

I’m a 2018 graduate of the illustrious Sybil C. Mobley School of Business and Industry located at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. While at FAMU, I served as the president of Big Sister Little Sister mentoring program, member of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., resident assistant, and class senator, which led to the role as vice-president of the Student Government Association. Several leadership positions allowed me to advocate for the ever-present needs of the student body as I represented more than 9,000 students at Faculty Senate meetings. My passion for improving the lives of others continues to endure.

In my spare time, I enjoy traveling throughout the country and sharing the importance of financial literacy, continuing education, voter education, goal setting, mental health and various job opportunities. I worked as a Field Organizer for the Florida Democratic Party during the 2018 Election, Legislative Intern to Florida House of Representative Barbara Watson, For Our Future Fund Canvasser, 2020 Plan Emerging Leaders Class 2019 Fellow, Community Canvasser for the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING CENTER, INC during the 2020 Census, completed work for the Florida House of Representatives Office of the Clerk as an Executive Secretary, served as a District Legislative Assistant II to Florida House of Representative Dianne Hart, served as the Statewide Voter Protection Coordinator for the Florida Coalition for Black and Brown Ballot Access, which focused on increasing voter education and protection efforts that ultimately impacted over 600k Black and Brown voters in 23 counties in Florida, and now I am living in Atlanta working for the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Team/State Farm Arena. I also serve on the R’Club Child Care, Inc. and Louise Graham Board of Directors.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to The dReam Center Church of Atlanta, Hawks basketball game, The U Bar, Blu Lagoon Bar and Bistro, Piedmont Park, painting, live poetry night, etc.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
God
Board of directors and volunteers
My family
My friends
The community
Aneisha Hughes
Jake Ann Jones
Louis Murphy jr.
Precious angels preschool
Pinellas community foundation
South pinellas FAMU Naa
FAMU alumni association of Tampa

Website: Www.Makeitoutfoundation.org

Instagram: makeitoutfoundation

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/da-juh-sawyer-994186b7

Twitter: Make_foundation

Facebook: Themakeitoutfoundation

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mK2lb-Xveso