Shareen Baptiste

-Shareen Baptiste

Story By: Dr. Anthony Robinson

“I don’t sleep. It’s part of the sacrifices you have to make to make a difference.”

How could anyone as committed to maintaining their career, uplifting youth, and organizing a non-profit find time to sleep? We sat down with powerhouse Gainesville resident Shareen Baptiste to find out.

Baptiste has been building her skills in marketing and communications her entire life. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Relations with minors in Leadership, Organizational Leadership for Nonprofits and Family, and Youth and Community Sciences, and later graduated from the University of Florida with a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship.

It doesn’t take long to understand the values Baptiste lives by. She shared her favorite quote with us, by Robert F. Kennedy:

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope…”

Baptiste’s ripples can be seen washing up and down the proverbial waters of the east coast. She moved to Florida for college and has been living here for about 20 years, and this is where she really hit her stride.

She has been quite successful as a businesswoman, working for such organizations as the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, is the Vice President of XPOSURE Consulting Firm, and currently is employed with Jones Edmunds & Associates Engineering.

Moreover, Baptiste has had a prolific career in youth organization. She co-founded Dream on Purpose (DOP), a non-profit organization that specializes in youth empowerment, and has been serving as

its President for the past six years. She serves as the board secretary for LYFEhouse, a non-profit organization that assists youth in professional development. She is also the youth leader at the Trinity Assembly Church Center of God and Christ and the Youth Auxiliary Committee Chair for her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta.

“My purpose [in life] is to work with youth and to positively impact their lives. I spend every available minute pouring into the lives of youth; I can confidently say this is my legacy”

Her work with DOP is her most proud accomplishment. With this organization, Baptiste has been empowering girls and young women aged 11-18 “not simply to dream, but to actualize.” DOP connects youth to local resources and runs a handful of programs that prepare students for their professional lives. One program, Cupcakes and Conversations, allows girls to talk and connect to women in leadership, as well as provides mentorship opportunities and facilitates positive socialization. Other DOP programs include yoga, career launch intensive workshops, and even outings where girls can go shopping for career clothing.

“I was placed on this earth to put a smile on others faces. It hurts me to see others in pain.”

Baptiste knows the pain of not being taken seriously and not being acknowledged due to her race and gender. She works tirelessly to make sure that others don’t experience the same roadblocks she has. She says that to be a leader, sometimes you need to teach others how to treat you, which includes cultivating your own voice and not letting others make you question your selfworth.

“Make sure you have a strong understanding of yourself and what you’re called to do. if you have a vision for yourself, no one can stop you from achieving it”

Lastly, she wants leaders to know that no one person can do it all alone. In her life, she has experienced the inverse situation, where people expect too much from her because of her indomitable work ethic. “There is a misperception that because I’m strong, I can handle all of it. Although nothing is impossible, I wasn’t meant to go on my journey alone.”

Each leader needs a strong support system, and to Baptiste, her faith in God, her family, and her friends all have a place in her success. The community that has been built around DOP is her “village”, and she reminds us of her other favorite quote, by William James: “The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.”

“When I hear what the girls learned from my events, it validates me that I’m walking in my purpose, that I’m creating something that’s going to outlast me.”