SWITCH Posts

Right where she is supposed to be, Aviance Brown-Austin was meant for this work Aviance Brown-Austin was born to a 15-year-old mother, and partially raised by a youngish grandmother. “Technically, I raised myself,” she said. “Along with the streets.” Aviance made her...

Memphis Allies: A `peacekeeping’ mission in progress

Recently, Antonio Dowdy’s phone rang in the middle of the night. Dowdy, as a Memphis Allies outreach specialist, works to establish relationships with young people most at risk for gun violence.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MEMPHIS ALLIES: CHRISTINA GANN, A GUIDING LIGHT
When the Memphis Allies initiative to reduce gun violence launched in 2021, the enormity of the challenge was understood:

People on the front lines would be working with a high-risk population, but that population wouldn’t just be a collection of clones. Rather, each would have their own story.

Known simply as “Coach” or “OG” to the young men he trains, Elite Performance Foundation founder Randy Dixon doesn’t hesitate to tell them that he loves them, saying, “Most of them have never heard that from a man.” Dixon’s boxing gym is in Hickory Hill, and he is a new partner with Memphis Allies’ SWITCH Youth program.