Earl Dotson, Jr., 38

By Elizabeth Davies

Earl Dotson, Jr., knows what it’s like to live in the projects, to walk in shoes far past their prime. Most importantly, he knows how to point those shoes out of the projects—and walk away.

It’s been a winding road for Dotson, one of four children raised in Rockford by a single mother. He grew up to become a banker, then a probation officer, a substitute teacher and later a radio personality. Today, Dotson is Winnebago County’s deputy director, a job that gives this 38-year-old the chance to help area residents every day.

“I view myself as a public servant,” he says. “If I can’t help somebody, I’m not doing anything.”

That’s why Dotson remains a busy man outside of work as well: He serves on the boards of Memorial Hall, United Way of Rock River Valley and Rockford Area Crime Stoppers. He’s a member of Next Rockford, a Rockford Health Systems ambassador and part of the 100 Black Men of Rockford.

Still, no matter what event he attends around town, Dotson sees the same problem. Through his community involvement and leadership, he hopes he is taking steps to fix it.

“I look around the room, and I’m the only black male here,” he says. “Here in 2008, where are all the black people in professional jobs? It bothers me that we’ve accepted that this is the way it is. For too long, we’ve ignored our minority population.”

At least once a week, Dotson leaves his office and heads to the jail for a visit with “his kids”—those he worked with as a probation officer.

“We don’t talk about what they did,” he says. “We talk about their families, their futures. I tell them to read the Bible.

“If you follow God as diligently as possible, he’ll show you what he has for your life.”