DT_T Spotlights Jaime-Alexis Fowler — Founder & CEO of Empower Work
Jaime-Alexis Fowler Originally drawn toward academic research and teaching, her path shifted after a late-night conversation with a young woman navigating a painful workplace challenge. Jaime realized something startling: while millions of people struggle at work , facing job loss, inequity, or toxic environments, there was no accessible, independent crisis support designed specifically for workers.
She couldn’t let that inequity go.
Driven by a deep sense of justice, empathy, and tenacity, Jaime founded Empower Work, a national nonprofit creating healthy, equitable workplaces where people are valued, supported, and empowered. Through a free crisis text line, peer counseling, coaching, and systemic research, Empower Work has now supported over 500,000 people across the United States.
In this episode of DT_T (Do The _ Thing), Jaime reflects on:
- The unexpected pivot from academic dreams to social entrepreneurship
- How empathy became her superpower
- Why compassion is not a “soft skill” but a radical force for change
- And how we can each align our next step with our deepest values
Her story reminds us that sometimes the “thing” we are called to do begins may not be with ambition but with noticing a gap and refusing to look away.
Learn more about Jaime-Alexis Fowler and Empower Work:
🔗 https://www.empowerwork.org
If something in this conversation resonated, feel free to share your reflections. Warmly, Sheela
Sometimes the purpose we’re called to do begins long before we know how to name it.