Dwayne Starr came to Twin Cities R!SE looking for a path back to meaningful employment. Today, he serves other R!SERs as a Career Readiness and Placement Coach.
When Dwayne Starr first came to Twin Cities R!SE, he was unemployed for the first time in his adult life.
A criminal charge had become a barrier to employment. He felt defeated and was unsure how to move forward.
Dwayne knew he needed to take accountability for what had happened. He also knew one setback could not be allowed to define the rest of his life.
“I needed to be honest about that barrier that was preventing me from moving forward,” he said.
Dwayne had always worked with people and felt deeply connected to serving others. He was not looking for just any available job. He wanted meaningful employment and a career he could build on.
“I wanted to not just find a job, but start a career that would last me long term.”
From his first conversations with his coach, Mozana, Dwayne began to see a path forward.
What stood out most was that TCR offered more than résumé help or interview preparation. Through the Empowerment Institute, Dwayne gained Emotional Intelligence tools he could use in every part of his life.
“The Empowerment Institute really made me feel like this was more than just job skills training,” he said. “This would be something that I could apply not only in my professional life, but also in my personal life.”
Dwayne spent eight weeks building career skills while also doing deeper personal work.
He strengthened his digital skills, examined patterns that were holding him back, and learned new ways to regulate his emotions. He began reconnecting with his core values and rebuilding the confidence that had been shaken by unemployment and uncertainty.
The experience was not easy.
Dwayne needed income and felt pressure to accept short-term work. Still, he knew taking the first available job would not necessarily move him toward the career and stability he wanted.
“I didn’t want to take on something that wasn’t meaningful just to have something to do,” he said.
Instead, Dwayne stayed committed to the program.
“I really built a foundation as opposed to building a room.”
His cohort became an important part of that foundation. Hearing other R!SERs speak honestly about their own barriers helped Dwayne realize he was not rebuilding alone.
The group learned from one another, encouraged one another, and noticed when someone was missing.
“It helped me understand that I wasn’t the only one experiencing this,” he said. “It was a lot of reciprocity.”
The experience also reconnected Dwayne with something he had been missing.
“Twin Cities R!SE reconnected me with my community.”
Today, Dwayne’s journey has come full circle.
He now works at Twin Cities R!SE as a Career Readiness and Placement Coach, helping other R!SERs prepare for meaningful employment and navigate the barriers standing between them and their goals.
Dwayne brings more than professional knowledge to his role. He understands what it feels like to enter the program discouraged, uncertain, and in need of a real opportunity.
He also knows what can happen when someone is honest about where they are, receives support without judgment, and commits to building something stronger.
“The connection with people is what I love,” Dwayne said. “Being able to serve people, I could do that all day, every day.”
Dwayne came to TCR searching for a way forward.
Now, he helps other R!SERs find their way.
