An essential part of starting a business is identifying a gap in the market. When Mable Hall graduated from Beaufort County Community College in 2022 with an Associate in Applied Science in Business Administration, she had a vision: to create a space where youth could find freedom and healing through creative expression. That vision came to life on December 28, 2024, when she launched Embracing Youth, Inc., a faith-based nonprofit that offers young people an outlet through writing, music, and art.
“Our mission is that children around the world can go to a place other than school or home to express themselves through writing, arts, and music,” said Hall. “They get to be free. They get to be themselves.”
Her inspiration came from personal experience. Raised in poverty in Cleveland, Ohio, Hall faced trauma, including the loss of her mother at age 11 and a father struggling with addiction. She found comfort in writing.
“I found out that I could write my feelings down on paper,” she said, “because I didn’t know how to really express myself, but I found writing was something to comfort me.”
Now, she’s working to provide that same sense of relief to youth across Eastern North Carolina. The first Embracing Youth event brought together children from Washington, Beaufort, and Martin counties. Participants joined a choir, painted inspirational messages like “You are beautiful” and “Today is going to be a good day,” and wrote about their personal relationships with God.
“We were like, ‘Who wants to go to writing, who wants to sing in the choir?’ And they were so happy to be getting the feel of all of it—not only that, they can find out their gifts,” said Hall. “They might be a strong writer, they might be an artist, they might be a singer.”
In addition to running her nonprofit, Hall is competing in the Seed & Sow Pitch Contest through the Beaufort CCC Small Business Center, where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win funding. The program also offers free business development workshops.
“Seed & Sow has been incredible,” said Hall. “It’s not just about winning the contest—it’s about learning how to structure your vision. I’ve already had two hours of training, and now I’m preparing to present on April 12. I’m excited to get Embracing Youth’s name out there.”
If awarded funding, Hall plans to purchase musical instruments such as drums and guitars, stock up on arts and crafts materials, and provide snacks for a summer program.
But her goals go far beyond equipment.
“With so much of the children being at risk, facing peer pressure and bullying, if they can just go to a place where they could just sit down, and maybe they can paint, and they can relax their mind,” she said.
She acknowledges that some schools and churches may see her organization as competition—but insists her goal is to support existing institutions.
“I don’t want to be a threat. I want to add on,” Hall said. “I’m thinking that this will probably open up for the schools and for the churches to do even more with the youth now.”
She credits Beaufort CCC—and particularly her instructor, Cynthia King—for preparing her to lead.
“When the time came, my brain just opened up to everything, and I’m ready to use these skills and everything that I learned, and to go above and beyond, like, ‘Let’s fly with it.’”
As she prepares to present her pitch, Hall remains grounded in the mission that started it all: to give young people a place to grow, express, and heal—something she once needed herself.
To learn more about the Small Business Center and the Seed & Sow program, visit the Small Business Center website.
Beaufort CCC is now enrolling for summer and fall courses, including program such as Business Administration, which offers a Certificate in Entrepreneurship, a 16-credit, 5-course certificate that can be taken individually or as part of a two-year Associate in Applied Science in Business Administration.