For Dewayne, the goal was always simple: find steady work, earn a living, and move forward.
Growing up in Cleveland, he learned early that hard work was non-negotiable. Showing up, putting in effort, and staying focused were values he carried with him even when the opportunities in front of him didn’t match that level of commitment.
“My upbringing taught me that hard work is the foundation for everything,” he says. “I’ve always been willing to put in the effort, but I just needed a place where that work meant something.”
When he returned home, he was looking for stability: full-time employment, consistent income, and a chance to build something long-term. Instead, he found himself piecing together work where he could take factory shifts, restaurant jobs, or anything that kept him moving.
Still, he stayed focused.
That persistence led him to the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), where he earned daily pay working a transitional job while meeting with his job coach and receiving assistance with employment placement. Through CEO, he connected with Evergreen Cooperative Laundry (ECL), a Cleveland-based employee-owned cooperative launched to build community wealth through living-wage jobs. At Evergreen, employees don’t just work, they own. Staff hold a majority stake in the business, share in annual profits, and have a voice in how the company operates. The model offers higher wages, long-term stability, and a path to ownership that is rarely accessible in traditional employment settings.
At the time, he didn’t see a path into that kind of work.
“I didn’t feel like I could work in healthcare because of my background,” he says.
Now, he’s part of a team that helps keep it running.
Building Toward Something Bigger
Today, Dewayne works as a laundry technician and employee-owner at Evergreen Cooperative Laundry. His role requires operating industrial-grade equipment and following strict sanitation protocols to ensure linens meet healthcare standards.
It’s detailed, technical work and it’s changed how he views himself.
“Steady full-time employment has provided the security I need to focus on the future,” he says. “My confidence comes from the technical mastery I’ve gained and knowing I’m part of a professional team.”
That sense of belonging didn’t happen overnight. It came from being given the chance to learn, improve, and prove himself through consistent work.
For Dewayne, access to opportunity means more than getting in the door. It means having the tools and support to grow once you’re there.
“A true fair chance means having the room to prove your worth without your past being held against you,” he says. “It’s about building something that lasts.”
That mindset shows up in how he approaches his role today. He’s focused not only on improving his own skills, but on helping others meet the same standards.
“I want to keep mastering the technical side of the work and help mentor newer team members and other justice-impacted people,” he says.
His work also plays a direct role in one of Cleveland’s most critical industries: healthcare. By ensuring clean, sanitized linens for hospitals like the Cleveland Clinic, Dewayne supports patient care across the region — part of a system that many people with similar backgrounds are often shut out of.
At Evergreen, that access comes with more than opportunity. It comes with ownership, stability, and a stake in something long-term.
Dewayne’s path reflects what can happen when access, training, and investment align. Creating not just jobs, but real entry points into industries that shape local economies.
