Today we’d like to introduce you to Lawrence Marshall.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lawrence. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the only son of Lawrence and Carol Marshall. My parents divorced when I was 3 years old. After the separation, my family and I relocated from city to city before settling down in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Although growing up without a father figure my entire life, I was influenced by my mother to stray away from the gang and drug influences in the neighborhood. I was also inspired by an individual who became my mentor during a troubling pivotal time in my life. My mentor persuaded me to continue my education and gave me practical tools to be successful. As a youth, I was involved in activities such as, martial arts, Boy Scouts, and various church youth programs which made a huge impact and contributed to me being the person I am today.
I decided to take hold of the advice given by my mentor and not only receiving my high school diploma in 1991 but also attended Langston University where I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology. Soon after graduation, I relocated to Aurora, Colorado where I accepted a job as a Design Engineer in the Telecommunications industry. My desire to get involved in the community led me to serve as a volunteer with the CABPES (Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists) program. There, I partnered with instructors and community leaders to help introduce urban youth to the importance of science and engineering.
During my time with CABPES, my passion to mentor youth transformed into a way of life. In my heart, the needs of urban youth were not being addressed, particularly youth being raised in single-parent homes. I moved to Dallas in 2000 and became an active volunteer in various youth programs and activities in the church. Still feeling there was a gap with the mentoring programs being offered and their impact, I branched out on my own to establish a Christian non-profit mentoring program in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex that would cater to at-risk youth, called Integrity (iM) Mentors.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, absolutely not. My goal for mentoring youth was to help provide the same guidance I received growing up as a kid living without a father and a home with two sisters and a mother – three women. That passion is what fuels me today. Although I did not have much knowledge about the nonprofit sector, God was leading me all the way knowing His plans for my life. Remember, I just wanted to help as many youths as possible. God had much bigger plans for my life – a greater impact.
It was a challenge not knowing who to ask questions, where to go for answers and when to take a breather – lol. Along with this long journey, I’ve met so many people who offered valuable insight into the success of the program. However, there were most whom I encountered who did the latter. Even today, I am a little hesitant to jump at every offer that comes my way. I guess you can call that learning from mistakes or just learning who to trust and how. It’s what great leaders are made of – obstacles and overcoming them with the Lord’s help.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Integrity Mentors story. Tell us more about the business.
Integrity (iM) Mentors is a Christian non-profit mentoring program that offers personalized support for youth in junior high and high school. It was founded in 2006 after recognizing the need for consistent, positive role models in the lives of young people from at-risk households. The focus of iM is to help build self-esteem and foster constructive personal development for the youth involved.
Our Philosophy:
iM is more than just a ‘program’. We’re a faith-based platform that holistically develops today’s youth while giving parents an outlet to become the leaders their children need.
Program Overview:
It is important that youth understand their value and develop healthy images of themselves. This will help them to have positive relationships and become leaders among their peers and in their communities. iM equips youth with the ability to deal with difficult challenges, decisions that endanger their integrity, and obstacles that threaten their future.
iM serves to develop youth socially, intellectually, and spiritually. This is done through one-on-one mentoring and scheduled monthly “rap” sessions. The monthly sessions include interactive teachings coupled with impactful and fun activities/field trips or community service projects. To ensure an effective program, iM uses a curriculum to support youth development that will teach youth leadership principles, practical life lessons, and social responsibility.
One-on-One Mentoring:
iM uses a hands-on approach when dealing with youth. iM mentors work closely with the parent/guardian(s) and teacher(s) of youth to establish personal and trustworthy relationships. Mentors are assigned to a youth and continue to foster their relationship for the course of their involvement in the program. iM mentors are consistent and take seriously the role they play in the young person’s life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.integritymentor.org
- Phone: 214-274-5623
- Email: Lawrence@integritymentor.org
- Instagram: integritymentor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/integritymentor/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/integritymentor
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