In a remarkable career spanning 30 years, Retired Colonel Josefa Benjamin has embodied servant leadership, compassion, and unwavering faith. From her early days as a Communications Division Dispatcher with the Broward Sheriff’s Office to becoming the first African American female Colonel in the Department of Detention and Community Programs, her journey reflects a deep commitment to service, guided by her spiritual beliefs.

Colonel Benjamin’s career began in 1993 when she took her first steps into law enforcement. She later became a certified deputy, rising through the ranks with a clear purpose: to make a meaningful difference in her community. Her faith was the foundation that propelled her through the most challenging situations in emergency response and criminal justice, enabling her to remain steadfast in her mission of supporting vulnerable populations.

One of the most impactful moments in her career was her decision to collaborate with Every Mother’s Advocate (EMA), an initiative she introduced about a year ago. Under her leadership, the jail system partnered with EMA to provide critical services to incarcerated pregnant women. “The EMA collaboration was the answer we needed to give attention to a very vulnerable population,” Benjamin reflects. “To be able to provide additional services, such as mental health and wellness, parenting classes, and life skills to incarcerated pregnant females was simply the right thing to do, not merely from an operational standpoint but as a matter of the heart of our department.”

This groundbreaking partnership allowed her team to better serve incarcerated mothers by addressing their unique needs and setting them on a path toward successful reentry into society. For Benjamin, this decision was not just about improving operations but about ensuring that the justice system demonstrated empathy and support for those it served.

Benjamin’s approach to leadership, rooted in servant leadership principles, has made her stand out in her field. She spent her career finding ways to better the system—not just for the inmates but for the criminal justice system as a whole. “Servant leadership is my foundation and guiding principle,” she says. “Most of my time was spent finding ways to make our system better for the inmates we served as well as for the criminal justice system.”

Beyond her professional achievements, Colonel Benjamin is also the President and CEO of the Born on Purpose Project, a non-profit dedicated to helping individuals improve their spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. The organization’s mission aligns perfectly with Benjamin’s lifelong dedication to community upliftment. Through the Born on Purpose Project, Benjamin and her team collaborate with like-minded nonprofits to bring purposeful and enriching events to the community, fostering a sense of hope and unity.

Retired Colonel Josefa Benjamin’s legacy is one of compassion, faith, and service. She continues to inspire others by sharing her journey as a speaker, connecting with audiences through both her professional expertise and her spiritual insights. Through her work with vulnerable populations and her dedication to empowering women and youth, Colonel Benjamin remains a beacon of hope, showcasing how faith and leadership can drive meaningful change in both individuals and communities.

For more information on Colonel Benjamin’s ongoing work, visit Born on Purpose Project.

Find her on Facebook: Josefa Benjamin and Born on Purpose.

Published by: Nelly Chavez