We have partnered to work on projects along side of the True 2 Life team of violence interrupters from the Central Family Life Center of Stapleton, Staten Island. T2L is all about taking down the amps when tensions are highest. They are professionals in every sense of the word where it comes to addressing gang violence and speaking directly to next gen gangsters before they go down the path. I’ve gotten to know the T2L leader, Iron Mike Perry, and many of the team over the past few years and our students have seen how the work that they do is to making life better on Staten Island. There is a term that the team uses to refer to themselves. They are “credible messengers.” The reason is simply, nearly everyone working for T2L is a former gangster…some have been shot before turning away from gang life and rededicating themselves to talking plainly to young folks about why it’s a bad temptation to go into gang life. We are grateful to their work and their ongoing partnership. T2L is about as real as it gets.
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