Today we’d like to introduce you to Oluwadamilare (Ezra) Lawal
Hi Oluwadamilare (Ezra), so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
During challenging times, my mom and I leaned on the kindness of others. Their generosity provided us with a car that became an essential part of my childhood, allowing me to attend school and enabling my mom to work. We’ve since passed that car on to another family in need.
The compassion of those who cared deeply is the reason certain gifts and items still grace our home today. Even during the toughest times, when my mom and I relied on the kindness of others, she always found ways to give back. Her selflessness taught me an invaluable lesson to extend a helping hand, regardless of our circumstances.
Whether it was donating clothes I had outgrown to Goodwill or contributing to the Salvation Army, she instilled in me the value of helping others. Reflecting on those who supported us during rough times fills me with gratitude and drive. Their care and compassion, along with the values I was taught, inspire me to give back.
Life’s unpredictability taught me the importance of preparedness. While challenges may arise unexpectedly, I’ve learned that there are resources available to help us navigate through them.
Recognizing the universal concern for the safety and well-being of those in need, and acknowledging the shared emotions of vulnerability, I founded the nonprofit organization ShockResQ. Our mission is to help children, families, and individuals navigate and recover from disasters.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Building ShockResQ took months before I officially launched it. Creating the website was by far one of the biggest challenges I had to face.
Think of a website as a person getting ready for an important job interview. You want to look your best because first impressions matter; people will judge your professionalism and competence based on how you present yourself. Similarly, a website needs to be visually appealing and easy to navigate. If it’s cluttered or hard to use, visitors might leave quickly and never come back, just as a poorly dressed candidate might not get the job.
Although this message holds true, I felt that sometimes I overcomplicated things. I was extremely nitpicky with the website and would get frustrated when certain designs were out of my control. On top of my obsession with details, I also needed to focus on logistics such as building functionality, learning about web hosting, domain registration, and ensuring the website is mobile-friendly.
Despite these difficulties, I’ve gained a deep appreciation for the effort involved in creating a website, and I often think on this when visiting other sites. When dealing with perfectionism, I simply had to learn to let go a little bit; otherwise, I would get too caught up in small details and not focus on the bigger picture. I had to accept imperfections as part of the process.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My determination to leave a lasting impact on the world and to help families affected by disasters, just as I was helped growing up, drives me forward. This relentless determination is what sets me apart. It has been my strength through setbacks, such as being hung up on during phone calls, receiving no responses to emails, or being told I couldn’t succeed because I was too young. If it weren’t for my determination, I would have internalized those negative comments and all the other times I’ve been told no.
Being told no is not the end of the world; knowing how to work through it is where persistence comes in! This mindset allowed me to stay focused on my goals for ShockResQ. I’ve been able to apply this determination to everything in my daily life.
In school, I want to achieve a perfect score on every assignment, but as with my nonprofit work, I understand that not every goal is immediately attainable—it requires determination and effort. Instead of fixating on perfection, I prioritize giving my best effort and learning from each experience. I believe that continuous growth and improvement holds significant value.
When I don’t get the results I want, I stay determined, work hard, and strive to do better next time. Hard work doesn’t always yield perfect results, but it builds resilience and teaches valuable lessons that contributes to future success.
How do you think about luck?
The biggest role of luck I’ve had through this process is the encouragement of my mom.
Sometimes, when I start to compare myself to others or feel like my hard work is not enough or ShockResQ is not growing fast enough, my mom always reminds me to focus on why I started and to focus on the mission.
She always tells me my competition should be myself and that I should never compare myself or my work to others.
Having this constant reminder has been so important and has kept my determination strong. Her words of affirmation are the reason I’ve succeeded and will continue to succeed.
Pricing:
- The best way to make a difference is to donate. Your contributions help us create Emergency Kits, Care Packages, or a hybrid of both, which we send to families and individuals impacted by disasters. Your support truly changes lives.
- https://shockresq.org/donation-methods
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shockresq.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shockresq/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/shockresq
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shockresq
- Other: Blog: https://blogshockresq.org/
