Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sharmaine Brown. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Sharmaine, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Jared’s Heart of Success was a vision, one that came from a place of deep pain, but also deep purpose.
On July 11, 2015, my son Jared was taken from us by a stray bullet. He was just 23 years old. Jared had the biggest heart, he was kind, giving, and always willing to help someone in need. He loved his family, his friends, and his community. Losing him shattered my world. But even in that heartbreak, I knew I couldn’t let his life end in silence.

I made a promise that his heart, his light, and his legacy would live on. That promise became Jared’s Heart of Success.

What started as a vision to honor Jared has grown into a mission to empower youth, especially those affected by trauma and violence. We focus on mentoring, conflict resolution, mental wellness, and leadership, because I believe young people have the power to lead change when they’re given the tools, support, and love they need to thrive.

This work is personal. Every life we touch, every program we run, every young person we support, it all carries Jared’s heart. His story didn’t end with his life. It lives on through the impact we’re making every day.

Jared’s Heart of Success is more than an organization. It’s a movement born from love, built through resilience, and grounded in the belief that healing and hope are possible even after unimaginable loss. Every day, we carry Jared’s heart forward by creating spaces where youth feel seen, supported, and empowered to lead.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Sharmaine Brown, and I’m the Founder and Executive Director of Jared’s Heart of Success. I never imagined I’d be in this line of work, but my lived experience led me here. After losing Jared, I knew I had to act, not just for my family, but for the countless other families who continue to experience the pain of violence and loss.

Today, our organization provides trauma-informed services for youth and families in Atlanta and surrounding communities. We serve youth and young adults, with a focus on those impacted by gun violence, community trauma, and systemic barriers. Our services include:

Mentoring Camp; School-Based Programming

Conflict Resolution Camp; Peer Mediation

Mental Wellness Camp; Grief Support

What sets us apart is that our work is rooted in real life that needs to state real life experiences. We don’t offer surface-level solutions, we walk with our youth through their challenges, providing emotional support, life skills, and leadership opportunities that create real change. We’re survivor-led, community-driven, and built on the belief that every young person has value, voice, and potential.

I’m most proud of the impact we’ve made, from seeing young people become first-generation graduates to watching them go off to college, serve in the military, and return as leaders in their communities. We’ve had several youth enter college and graduate, and others who’ve chosen to serve in the armed forces. Each of them taking what they’ve learned and using it to build a better future for themselves and those around them. That’s the heart of our work, helping young people see their worth, realize their potential, and walk boldly in their purpose.

If there’s one thing I want people to know, it’s that Jared’s Heart of Success exists to uplift, equip, and empower. We are here for the youth. We are here for the families. We are here because healing is possible, and because Jared’s Heart continues, through every life we help change.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

After my son Jared was killed by a stray bullet, returning to the very community where it happened was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. At first, I couldn’t even drive through the area without breaking down. But I reached a point where I knew I had to make a choice, I could stay in the pain, or I could use it to create purpose.
The first time I stood in front of a group of young people to talk about conflict resolution, I was still deep in grief. I was nervous, emotional but I showed up. I shared Jared’s story. I spoke about the power of choices, about healing, and about how using your voice is always stronger than using violence. And what I saw that day was a room full of young people leaning in, not just listening but truly hearing me. They saw themselves in Jared, and they saw a different path for themselves.

That moment reminded me that resilience isn’t about being fearless, it’s about showing up despite the fear. I didn’t choose the pain, but I chose what to do with it and that’s where my power began.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was the idea that grief has a timeline that you’re supposed to “get over it” and move on after a certain amount of time. I used to believe that healing meant eventually returning to who I was before the loss. But after Jared was killed, I realized there is no “going back.”

In the beginning, I felt pressure both from myself and from others to be strong, to keep it together, to not let grief consume me. But the truth is, grief doesn’t just go away. It lives with you. It changes you. And that’s not something to be ashamed of.

I had to unlearn the idea that healing means forgetting. Instead, I’ve learned that real healing is about carrying the love forward. It’s about giving yourself permission to feel the pain, to grow through it, and to create something meaningful from it. That’s exactly what I’ve tried to do with Jared’s Heart of Success.

Unlearning that belief gave me freedom to grieve honestly, to lead with empathy, and to understand that there’s strength in vulnerability.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jaredsheartofsuccess.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaredsheart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaredsheartofsuccess
• Twitter: https://x.com/JaredsSuccess

Image Credits
Sharmaine Brown & Jared’s Heart of Success