From Struggle to Strength: One Young Man’s Journey with Groundwork Indy

Originally from Gary, Ind., Rahiem Lawshea relocated to Indianapolis as a child. At just 17, he joined Groundwork Indy’s youth program—a decision that would change the course of his life. It quickly became a place where he felt seen, supported, and truly accepted.

“There was a woman by the name of Miss Phyllis (Phyllis Viola Boyd) who was the head director at Groundwork Indy,” he recalled. “She accepted me as I was.”

The sense of belonging and acceptance Lawshea felt from Groundwork Indy resonated with him so much that he found his way back to the program after being incarcerated. The current executive director, Adam Velazquez, took Lawshea under his wing.

“When I came home, I just wanted to turn over a new leaf and make my situation better,” he said. “He [Velazquez] took me back as I was and helped me grow a lot.”

Lawshea had struggled to obtain a job after his incarceration. However, with the help of Groundwork Indy and Velazquez, Lawshea secured a job as an elevator operator at a construction site. He is grateful for Velazquez giving him a chance and believing in him.

“I just want everyone to understand that most people do change if you just give them a shot,” Lawshea said. “Adam most definitely gave me a shot, and that’s what led me to the path that I am on now by him accepting me and giving me that right guidance.”

Paying it forward

Now 24 years old, Lawshea is helping to guide youth through mentoring programs at Indy Peace and Manhood Ministries, as well as helping raise his nephews. Lawshea wants to support youth that have had a similar upbringing as him to guide them on the right path.

“When kids don’t come to school with the best clothes on, nice haircuts, and things of that category, you get picked on a lot,” he said. “It kind of took a toll on me as I got to school and started going through the grades.”

Despite the challenges he faced, Lawshea is grateful for the opportunities Groundwork Indy has given him. He regularly encourages youth to take part in Groundwork Indy’s programs.

“Sometimes people need that extra push and a shoulder to lean on from somebody who had a good upbringing and had good experiences,” he said. “I would just encourage any youth who has had a tough upbringing to go in the right direction and go to Groundwork Indy to see that there is more to life.”

Located on the west side of Indianapolis, Groundwork Indy is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with the goal of continuing to foster an appreciation for the outdoors to guide youth and adults. As executive director since 2022, Velazquez is excited to carry out the vision of Groundwork Indy, which serves between 40 and 50 people ages 14 to 25 on an annual basis.

“A lot of the vision was about providing a place for young people to come learn, grow, and be employed, as well as remediate a lot of this neighborhood environmentally,” he said. “This neighborhood itself has been redlined, industrialized and, in a way, kind of forgotten.”

Although Groundwork Indy has faced challenges in addressing issues like lead contamination in the community’s water, the organization has made positive impacts in the community. It is making strides towards advancing equity in the surrounding community by building connections and working toward remediating brownfields, which are areas of contamination from industrial or commercial use of the land.

“We have done our best to build those relationships with the folks in this neighborhood who are willing to make the change and go about it in a way that is equitable and makes sense for the neighborhood itself,” he said.

Building critical partnerships

Despite the challenging political climate, marked by policy shifts, funding uncertainties, and increased scrutinization of federal grant recipients, Velazquez emphasizes how Groundwork Indy will continue to push forward.

The organization remains committed to engaging the community, supporting youth and adults through its programs, and building strong partnerships with the corporate sector, he said.

“I signed a 20-year lease, and I’m not folding,” Velazquez said. “You just have to keep moving forward, and that’s where we’re at.”

Groundwork Indy’s corporate partnerships have been instrumental in carrying out several critical projects, according to Velazquez.

“They'll donate the money to pay for the materials and then donate the time and the labor to help build them,” he said. “It's these types of partnerships that we sincerely revel in … they help us do the work that we do.”

As an Elevation Grant recipient, Groundwork Indy also has a close relationship and partnership with Indianapolis Foundation. ​The Elevation Grant Program, a collaborative initiative between the City of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Foundation, is aimed at addressing the root causes of violent crime within the city. Launched as part of Mayor Joe Hogsett's comprehensive violence reduction strategy, the program has invested $45 million over three years into Indianapolis neighborhoods. This investment focuses on neighborhood empowerment and community building to foster safer environments.

As Indianapolis Foundation focuses on environmental equity as one of its four pillars from its Equity Imperative 2030 strategic plan, Velazquez also emphasizes how important environmental equity is, especially when looking at communities in Indianapolis that have been left behind.

“We're still operating on lead pipes, because the factory was here,” he said. “The groundwater is contaminated, the air that people breathe is contaminated, and that continues to lead to long-term health problems for folks just because this is where they live,” he said. “Nobody should have to move from their family home because their four-year-old has health problems from drinking lead-contaminated water.”

Connecting youth to nature

Groundwork Indy’s managing director, David Johnson, also emphasized the importance of equity when it comes to exposure to the environment. Lack of environmental equity can take the form of kids in some communities not going outside due to lack of greenspaces, he said.

“Speaking about environmental equity, I think that there's a large segment of people that have not had the experience of being outside and enjoying nature,” he said.

Groundwork Indy is bridging that gap and providing a greenspace for communities to explore. With about three and half acres of land, the organization encourages communities to explore their grounds.

“Explore, play with our chickens, pull something out of our garden, take a walk on the trail, go fish on Fall Creek, and it's all here,” Velazquez said. “It’s just a matter of letting folks know that we exist in this space.”

By providing these green spaces, Groundwork Indy is building a sense of community and bringing people together. The organization also builds connections by helping their neighbors, such as cutting senior citizens’ grass for free.

“One of the projects is cutting grass for some of the senior citizens in this neighborhood free of charge, and it's through the senior fund provided by CICF (Central Indiana Community Foundation Central Indiana Senior Fund),” Velazquez said. “Building that bridge between young and old is important, because we all have something we can learn from each other.”

When people come together to work toward a common goal and to implement positive change, connections are built and a sense of community grows. Not only has Groundwork Indy been a driving force behind positive environmental impacts, but it also has helped foster community connections. “It takes a village, not just to raise kids but to be people,” Johnson said. “We check that box for the environment and taking care of youth in our neighborhood.”