Interview with Dominique
Dominique Lee leads a transformational effort to promote opportunity for children and families in Newark’s South Ward. Grounded in the belief that education is the gateway to opportunity, he’s committed to addressing generations-long inequities that deny too many Black and brown children the chance to thrive. Through BRICK and the South Ward Promise Neighborhood, Dominique’s cradle-to-career approach weaves together quality schools, maternal and child health supports, stable housing, and meaningful pathways to economic prosperity — all designed in partnership with the community.
What’s the core mission of your organization, and how do you carry it out?
We are a multigenerational, cradle-to-career, place-based program designed to support children and families from birth all the way through college and career. We do this by building ecosystems that provide the pillars families need to thrive: quality education, quality maternal health, access to healthcare, stable housing, and pathways to economic prosperity.
By surrounding children and families with this full set of supports, we help them move into meaningful middle-class jobs and beyond. That’s how we aim to break the cycle of generational poverty.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m most proud that we’ve been able to truly support children and families and put them on a path to prosperity.
We’re now approaching 15 years, and we’re seeing students graduate from our schools, go to college, and step into meaningful, middle-class jobs. Our maternal health strategy is also creating new pathways — equipping women to become doulas, serve their communities, and earn additional income for their families.
Another example is Gateway U, our hybrid college. We see people who weren’t able to finish college complete their degrees and move into the workforce. All of this reflects pathways to prosperity we’ve built in partnership with our community.
What’s the biggest challenge facing families in the first 1,000 days?
If I could wave a magic wand and choose one thing that would support a family in the first 1,000 days, it would be ensuring they have enough income to provide a roof over their heads and food on the table.
Right now, there is a lack of access to meaningful middle-class jobs. A quality job with a meaningful wage — one that allows a family to cover the basics of life — would make the biggest difference.
What’s the secret to a great partnership?
Three things:
One, a shared understanding of our mission and intentions — what we’re aiming toward together.
Two, a common value set — we don’t need to agree on everything, but we need the same fundamentals in how we approach the work.
Three, accountability — being willing to look at the data, hold ourselves to the outcomes, and have the courageous conversations when things aren’t working.
Those are the elements that make a strong, effective partnership.
What gives you hope for families?
What gives me hope — and what keeps me waking up every morning to do this work — is the determination I see from our families.
Ninety-nine point nine percent of the people we partner with want what’s best for their children, their families, and this country. The consistent stories, and our proximity to their lives, tell me that progress is possible because there is deep determination.
The work ahead is continuing to remove the barriers that stand between families and the dreams they’ve set for themselves. That determination is what gives me hope.