LaRoyce Hawkins Discusses Clothing Label ‘Be Powerful’ And Giving Back To Chicago

Avid fans of the captivating NBC police drama hit series Chicago P.D. are undoubtedly familiar with actor LaRoyce Hawkins who plays the complex character of Officer Kevin Atwater. The series premiered in 2014 and has produced nine seasons, with the tenth season slated to return in fall 2022, according to NBC.

As a blessed working actor, Hawkins landed a recurring role on Chicago Fire, due to return this fall as well. With all of his success, Hawkins does not take the impact of his platform lightly. As a native Chicagoan, growing up in the lower-income city of Harvey just outside of Chicago, being raised by his mother Leah Bradley and his father Leonard Hawkins, the 34-year-old actor sought out to attain more for his life, family, and his community.

He received a full tuition scholarship to Illinois State University, majored in acting, and went on to carve out an impressive career appearing in the film The Express and on television with such series as House of Payne, Detroit 187, UnderEmployed, and Mark Wahlberg's HBO show Ballers.

"Growing up, Chicago was always a field trip; you had to take field trips from the hood to go Chicago, whether it was the museum, or the circus, or the zoo. My experience with Chicago as I grew up in Harvey was like, that's where you want to be," he says of his aspirations. "It wasn't until I got on Chicago PD and I was able to afford downtown life that I became acclimated with the culture. I've been a downtown resident for about eight years, and I'm still learning a lot. So to represent a city like Chicago while giving credit to Harvey is my favorite part."

Yet, despite his hectic television production shooting schedule, Hawkins is steadfast in allocating time to speak to middle and high school students from his community about overcoming social obstacles. He credits his grandfather and mother with his pursuit of giving back to the community.

"My grandfather was a powerful example of service, and humility, that he instilled within me," he recalls. However, as Hawkins continued to immerse himself in his craft and began booking performance gigs, his mother noticed his commitment to his faith and church activities were waning.

"I was going to choir rehearsal less. I might be a little late for church or even get up. My mom naturally having faith in me being a spirit lead cat, [she] would always say, 'only what you do for the Lord lasts’," he says, expounding on how he had to find innovative methods to give back to his community.

"The platform affords me the resources and relationships to be able to tap into a team like the White Sox and [gain] leverage [for] a lot of little league teams in Harvey to get baseball jerseys forever," he gladly imparts. He gives other examples of his charitable efforts, like creating partnerships with the Salvation Army and sending his collaboration fees directly to his church.

Hawkins balances his artistic drive for success and leading an impactful life, which led him to create purpose-driven apparel, Be Powerful clothing brand, and initiative. Hawkins drew inspiration from his grandfather, who used to write him letters while he attended college. In one of the letters, his grandfather scientifically illustrated that water is hot at 211 degrees. Still, it begins to boil at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in the steam that is powerful enough to move locomotives. Sam Parker demonstrated this concept in his book titled “212° the extra degree.”

"From there, going that extra degree made everything powerful for me and as people were inspired by the words, and what they meant and [with] Be Powerful Entertainment, as a working mission statement, is to inspire the preservation of imagination," he says, explaining the clothing line is a way for people to show support of the movement with the proceeds going towards nonprofits working within the Harvey community.

Presently, Hawkins is working with Restoration Ministries, which was formerly known as the Harvey House. The organization provides resources to at-risk and underprivileged youth, men and women with histories of addiction, and families living in poverty. This outreach is where his grandmother James would donate her time and energy to provide food to the homeless or anyone in need. Since red was her favorite color, fashioning his hoodies in that shade was appropriate to honor her service. Hawkins oversaw the quality of the hoodies and t-shirts, which he says feels luxurious. He is currently looking to expand his line by partnering with other brands that he describes "vibrate on a higher level" to diversify into other branded merchandise.

Hawkins intends to work with a different charity each quarter to foster a spirit of collaboration between nonprofits rather than cultivate an environment of competition among philanthropic foundations. A charity's narrative is the criteria he uses to select which organizations receive his donations.

"I'm a storyteller, so I look for the story. I'm affected by that. [If] I meet somebody whose story speaks to me and they reflect a certain charity, then [that is what] I want to support," he says.

As a servant of the community, Hawkins's emphasis on finding compelling stories leads him not only in his altruistic endeavors but also in his career. He stars in the BET Plus movie North Of The 10 and encourages viewers to watch the television movie to see how a group of young men aspire to bring their dreams to fruition.

"[It's] a story of brotherhood. I think it is an example of how reciprocation is a love skill. How reciprocation works in the community space, how collaboration is more important than competition, especially in our community," says Hawkins. He plays the character role of Kyle Shaw, an upcoming fashion mogul in the essence of Diddy and Tom Ford.

"I had fun with that comparison. I was able to play in an environment [that felt] good enough for me to just let go. So I had some valuable moments in the film, which is dope."

To shop the Be Powerful line, visit here.