The youth are dying at a rapid pace. Although it’s been difficult to pinpoint the specific issues in our neighborhoods, there are many community activists whose goals are to eradicate the roots of those issues that continue to plague our communities. James Horsey continues to put in the work to make things brighter for Philadelphia.
James is the CEO/founder of Judah Empowerment Center, a business that he started in 2014 after graduating from Orleans Technical Institute. Judah Empowerment Center’s motto is “There’s a greater ‘YOU’ that needs activation, and it’s something we all can do together. Everybody is somebody at Judah Empowerment Center.” James says that he always had a desire to help the youth in the North Philadelphia community where he was raised. For inspiration, James says that he took after his grandmother of the late Pastor Katie Ashford and his uncle Martin Sessomes.
During his adolescence, James was involved in boxing at recreation centers and while he was in school studying Human Services, he became aware of the current lack of those types of programs for the youth in the community. That lack of programs pushed James to start Judah Empowerment Center, Inc. James stated, “I wanted the Judah Empowerment Center to be a place where kids can come, and be safe. They learn how to play different musical instruments, participate in sports, fashion, and mentorship help redirect the youth to a better path of life.”
James “VIZION” for Judah Empowerment Center and community is fairly straightforward. After seeing so much violence in Philadelphia over the past year, his drive has increased even more. He wants to manifest his vision by investing in a place where the youth and the seniors can come and be safe. James also wants to set up programs to serve the community and truly “Mold the city back to represent its name: The City of Brotherly Love.”
He states, “I still have hope in the next generation, and I believe that it’s not too late to save them from a life of darkness… I was raised in the church, and the Bible teaches us that serving others is as serving Jesus. And that has become my greatest passion: to serve.” He has passion and a willingness to serve his community.
The pandemic caused businesses to either shut down or adjust. Thankfully, James was able to keep his business running with the help of his mentor Dyehim Watson. “Watson helped us set up our online meetings and mentorship programs,” said James. The weight of the pandemic continues to remain heavy on businesses worldwide, but Judah Empowerment Center is still successful in keeping up with the youth and offering help when needed. “I believe this pandemic has prepared us even more for the new tech age to come. Judah Empowerment Center is ready to go full force and serve our community youth/seniors in any capacity we can,” said James. He believes that going virtual won’t tamper with his purpose.
As for the future, James sees himself as having a well-established community/resource center. He would like to continue offering programs to those who are homeless, struggling with any form of addiction or mental health issues, as well as those who don’t have job resources or food programs to assist them. As of right now, James is working on a plan to aggressively challenge the drug/gun epidemic in Philadelphia. He said, “We’re willing to work with anyone that has the heart to serve… because we’re wise enough to know it’s going to take a nation to save a city such as this.” James understands that these problems in our communities won’t get solved overnight, but he believes his efforts towards ending this epidemic will pay off as time goes on.
