While his friends were hanging out and getting into trouble, Justin Bowens grew up spending many hours alone shooting basketballs. “That’s when I did my dreaming,” Bowens said. “I would shoot and think to myself how I was going to be different.”
Bowens’ childhood was what some would call high risk.
Now 29, he does not ever meeting his father. Because his mother was battling drug addiction, Bowens and his siblings (two brothers and a sister) were separated and taken in by relatives.
He was raised in Frederick, Md., by his grandparents. Although they properly cared for Bowens, the neighborhood was dangerous with drugs and gangs prevalent.
“Being around certain people in the neighborhood and the drugs and gangs, I could have easily been swallowed up in all that,” Bowens said.
But he wasn’t.
From an early age he knew the drugs and gang lifestyle was not for him. “I had friends who were gang ,” Bowens recalled. “I just wasn’t going to follow their path, and they all knew it.”
“I wanted to be different from my family’s trajectory.”
Bowens received and guidance in pursuing his dream from his grandparents, several teachers and from Robert Tuggle, whom Bowens calls Robbie.
Robbie came into Bowens’ life at age 4 when he began mentoring Bowens through Big Brothers Big Sisters. The relationship, encouraged by his grandparents, clicked from the very beginning.
“Even at an early age, I couldn’t stop wanting to see Robbie. We did fun stuff,” Bowens recalled. “As I grew older, we would go places like the pumpkin patch, the YMCA, a baseball game, and we traveled to Pittsburg to attend a football game.
“I viewed Robbie as a father figure. We had talks about my dream of being different and many other subjects, including drugs and gangs.
“He would help me with school projects and consistently reinforced the importance of education.
“He became my baseball coach, but showed no favoritism. I had to earn it just like anyone else.”
When Bowens played high school basketball, Robbie would normally be in the stands. Bowens tells how on one occasion he became angry and kicked a chair when he was taken out of an important game. Robbie immediately came down from the stands and talked with Bowens about controlling his anger.
“That talk helps me to this day,” Bowens said.
When Bowens thought of getting a job after high school and foregoing college, it was Robbie who steered him back to the college path and his dream. He helped Bowens apply for academic scholarships, which he eventually received.
Bowens followed the college path and became his family’s first college graduate.
Today Bowens, who resides in North Park, is a senior financial analyst who oversees spending and forecasting for a San Diego biotech company.
In August Bowens and his fiancée, Leah, will be married. Robbie will be officiating.
Robbie, whose career is in finance, continued to mentor Bowens during college and in his career choices and challenges to this day.
“We love each other to death,” Bowens said.
Robbie, age 50, agrees. “Justin is a part of our family,” he said. “We are unbelievably proud of him and love him as a son.”
Bowens’ life has been shaped a great deal by his 25-year relationship with Robbie.
“He helped me bet on myself,” Bowens said.
Bowens, who has raised money for Big Brothers Big Sisters and plans to become a Big Brother, offers advice to disadvantaged young people facing their own obstacles.
“First, take education seriously. It is one thing society can’t take from you. Second, find a person you trust and openly communicate. Third, get a dream and bet on yourself.
“And, work at it. It’s not going to be easy. There will be times when you will want to quit. But, know that you can change yourself and future generations. So, stick to your dream and follow it.”
For more information about San Diego’s Big Brothers Big Sisters call (858) 536-4900.
About this series
Jan Goldsmith is a former member of the U-T Community Advisory Board. He is an attorney and former law partner, judge, state legislator, San Diego city attorney and Poway mayor.
Someone San Diego Should Know is a weekly column written by of the U-T’s Community Advisory Board about local people who are interesting and noteworthy because of their experiences, achievements, creativity or credentials.
