It’s been a long road, but Dywon Tatum finally turned his life around, and now he’s helping others do the same.
A rough childhood, family trauma and drug addiction played a role in a path that led Tatum to serving several prison sentences over the course of two decades for various crimes. But a few years ago, things gradually started to change.
“I went back to school and finished my degree in 2021,” said Tatum. “But when I applied to become a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), my application was denied because of my background and changing laws.”
In that same year, life struck him again. Tatum’s sister and nephew both died from overdoses, and his mentor, the only consistent positive Black male role model he ever had, was killed in a car accident.
“I didn’t yet have the coping skills to handle that kind of layered trauma. I spiraled, and I went back to prison, this time for seven months. But I fought my case and got it overturned. And from that pain, from that rebuilding, ENVisualize was born.”
Connection and Support
Founded by Tatum in 2023, ENVisualize, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that the City of Minneapolis recently contracted with to provide violence prevention services. The goal of the City’s violence prevention services program is to build trust with people who are at high risk of violence, mediate conflicts, connect people to resources, and shift community norms related to violence. Tatum has one full-time employee and works with several volunteers to help people recover from substance use disorders, change harmful behaviors, and get their lives back on track.
Working across the City in North Minneapolis, Phillips and Powderhorn neighborhoods, and in the Cedar-Riverside area, ENVisualize works to build long-term, trust-based relationships with community members in areas experiencing violence or instability. Their role focuses on connection and support rather than immediate conflict mediation.
Blueprint Approved Institute
Understanding contracts and how business models work is essential to working with the City. It’s an area Tatum didn’t learn until attending the Blueprint Approved Institute (BPAI). This City-sponsored program gives professionals and organizations the business tools they need to help prevent violence. BPAI helps nonprofits, like ENVisualize, build skills such as:
- Budgeting
- Managing grants
- Financial reporting
- Writing requests for proposals (RFPs)
- Building and managing teams, boards, volunteers, and partners
- Connecting with other community groups to share ideas and work together
“Through his active participation in BPAI, Tatum developed a strong foundational understanding of organizational, administrative, and operational responsibilities,” said Sydney Fox, BPAI Program Manager. “I think what made him a great candidate for the contract is that he knows his community and focuses every day on bettering the community. He’s passionate about supporting our community and helping others become the best version of themselves.”
Since 2019, the City has helped more than 90 professionals and organizations learn valuable skills through the BPAI. The City is ready to support others like Tatum who want to make a difference in preventing violence. Learn more about Blueprint Approved Institute
Building success
Tatum says he’s talked with hundreds of community members to discuss their needs and earn their trust. So far, he’s managed to successfully connect dozens of people with mental health, drug addiction, and housing services.
“My goal is to ensure that I’m seen as a reliable outlet when individuals are ready to transition off the streets,” said Tatum.
In working to prevent violence and help others, Tatum says it’s helping him, too.
“I’m no longer surviving, I’m healing,” said Tatum. “I’m learning. I’m building. I’m finally equipped with the skills and tools I always needed but never received. My story is no longer about falling. It’s about rising again, and again, and again.”