Byron V. Garrett Named to TIME Visionaries List for Youth Empowerment

Since taking the helm at Genesys Works, Garrett has championed a model that replaces traditional reactive interventions with proactive career development. The nonprofit, founded in 2002, provides students with eight weeks of intensive training followed by year-long paid corporate internships. This approach has scaled across eight cities, most recently expanding into Nashville, and has reached more than 14,000 students to date.

Data from the organization underscores the efficacy of this professional integration. Ninety percent of participants go on to enroll in college, while alumni report a median income of $70,000 seven years after completing the program. Two-thirds of these graduates ultimately earn more than at least one of their parents, signaling a measurable shift in economic mobility. Garrett maintains that these outcomes are a direct result of fostering social capital and professional confidence, assets he believes are essential for the next generation as artificial intelligence transforms the modern workplace.