BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — At just 11 years old, Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh was already making a difference. A small summer after-school program she started with her nieces and nephews sparked a passion for leadership that’s stayed with her ever since.

“I truly believe that children show us who they want to be,” she said. “For me, I’ve always loved working with people, always loved the idea of what change could look like.”

That early spark grew into a 30-year career. As president and CEO of the Urban League of Broward County, Smith-Baugh leads with both vision and heart, helping open doors in education, jobs, housing, health and justice for underserved families.

“The question isn’t whether you get knocked down -- it’s how quickly you get back up. That’s what the Urban League is about: giving families the tools to rise,” she said.

She focuses on economic, mental and spiritual resilience, believing real change happens when families have both the resources and the confidence to rebuild and move forward.

“What gets me excited? When a family stops me and says, ‘Let me tell you what the Urban League did for me,’” she said.

Under her leadership, the organization has grown into a major force in the community, with a $9 million Community Empowerment Center, national conferences that draw thousands and programs designed to lift up families and expand opportunity across Broward County.

“Every day we rise up, every day we’re bold about justice and opportunity, we are the civil rights movement of today,” Smith-Baugh said.

From a young girl in St. Thomas to a leader shaping Broward County, Smith-Baugh’s story reflects the power of service.

“I tell people all the time I don’t have to read an Urban League story --because I am an Urban League story,” she said.

She’s not just leading an organization. She’s leading a movement, showing families and future leaders that vision, courage and heart really can change a community.

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