Dwayne T. James

Though Dr. Dwayne T. James serves the St. Louis region through his full-time job as University of Missouri Extension’s Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (statewide) and Community Development Specialist for St. Louis County, his service extends far beyond his formal job description. Over many years in public service and community building, Dwayne has not only established himself as an impactful and values-driven community leader; he has also been an integral part of training the next generation of civic leaders.  

In his statewide role, Dwayne works to build a culture within MU Extension that ensures that all who work, partner, volunteer with, and participate in Extension’s programs exemplify the values embodied in MU’s Inclusive Excellence Framework. As Community Development Specialist, Dwayne co-facilitates leadership programs such as the Neighborhood Leadership Fellows (NLF) and Youth Empowerment Program (YEP). NLF works to increase and amplify the voices of North St. Louis City and County residents at the civic decision-making tables in order to produce more equitable regional policies for neighborhoods. YEP trains youth in 9th-12th grades in community leadership skills. It teaches them how to develop and implement plans for youth-identified needs and issues through policy. 

As a founding member of the Ferguson Youth Initiative, Dwayne he worked to build relationships, develop partnerships, and identify opportunities to empower teenagers in the North County area. He is also the Race Director for the annual Ferguson Twilight Run. Dwayne serves as Chair of the St. Louis County Human Relations Commission and on the boards for Cultural Leadership / LEADStL and One West Florissant Community Development Corporation.  

Dwayne served as a Council Member for the City of Ferguson from 2006 to 2016. “It was after the death of Michael Brown and the start of the Ferguson Uprising that I saw what Dwayne was made of, as the only Black councilperson on the Ferguson Council at the time with an international spotlight. He did not hide from the hyper focus, but he brought people together especially young people through conversations that brought all walks of life to the table. Many people would have broken under the pressure, but not Dwayne. He saw a way forward to begin the process of healing Ferguson,” said co-nominator Stefani Weeden-Smith.  

Since 2020, Dwayne has also served as co-instructor of the Gephardt Institute’s Civic Scholars Program. The Civic Scholars Program provides a rigorous, in-depth curriculum for undergraduate students who exemplify future potential for civic leadership. “In our work and beyond, Dwayne exemplifies an ethic of service that is rooted deeply in St. Louis and that compels many others to show up as their best selves in community,” said nominator Alannah Glickman who leads the Civic Scholars Program and co-instructs with Dwayne. 

Over his many years in the St. Louis community, it would be challenging to quantify the organizations Dwayne has contributed to and lives he has positively impacted as a result. Weeden-Smith sums it up: “When I think about what it means to be civically engaged, there isn’t anyone who has dedicated their life to making a difference in one’s community, especially in the lives of young people, than Dr. Dwayne T. James.”