SWITCH Youth Posts

Most Recent SWITCH Youth Posts

The Means and Skills for Success

The Means and Skills for Success

SWITCH Youth participant ‘Jaden’ has the ‘means and the skills’ for success. Jaden was not in a good place when he entered Memphis Allies’ SWITCH Youth program at age 17.

Quincy reaches potential with SWITCH Youth

Quincy reaches potential with SWITCH Youth

Memphis Allies’ SWITCH Youth program is not just trying to reach teenagers who might be prone to finding trouble. Rather, the goal is to reach those most at risk for involvement in gun violence.

Think First

Think First

For Terranze Sharp, the first critical moment arrived at age 15. He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was a member of the Gangster Disciples. One day, he found himself facing a choice: What should he do about this grown man who appeared ready to hurt, or even kill, his friend and fellow gang member?

Impact, Truth, Grind and Unity

Impact, Truth, Grind and Unity

At the Youth Villages Employee Conference in October, Youth Villages employees from across the country had the opportunity to learn about Memphis Allies’ community violence intervention work. Managing Director of Operations Carl Davis and others shared how Memphis Allies is reaching those most at risk for gun violence. Included in presentations was the recently adopted Memphis Allies Code: Impact, Truth, Grind and Unity.

More SWITCH Youth Posts

Memphis Allies at Autozone Park

Memphis Allies at Autozone Park

Memphis Allies visits the ‘pitch’ at AutoZone Park Awareness knows no bounds. So, it does not matter that in the Memphis neighborhoods with the most gun violence, pick-up basketball games are far more common than impromptu soccer matches. Recently, Memphis Allies used...

Chance for Change

Chance for Change

SWITCH Youth: Every potential act of gun violence comes with a ‘why?’ Even when a shot has not been fired, the professionals working within Memphis Allies’ SWITCH Youth program understand time is of the essence. Recently, a teenager in the program got into an argument...

Helping Heal the Hood

Helping Heal the Hood

Heal the Hood to provide ‘pro-social’ programming in support of SWITCH Youth Ladell Beamon’s Heal the Hood Foundation of Memphis, which impacts Memphis youth through the arts, is a new supporting partner of Memphis Allies’ SWITCH Youth program. As part of that...

Outreach Never Stops

Outreach Never Stops

Memphis Allies: Interrupting the drumbeat of gun violence Life coach Briant Kelly, also known as B Radical, has a routine with the guys he works with in Memphis Allies’ SWITCH program: he calls them first thing in the morning and again before they go to bed at night....

Leadership Promotions at Memphis Allies

Leadership Promotions at Memphis Allies

Memphis Allies announces two leadership promotions As Memphis Allies moves into its third year of providing direct services to those most at risk for gun violence, Executive Director Susan Deason has announced two staff promotions: Jevonte Porter has been promoted to...

Meet Regional Supervisor Aviance

Meet Regional Supervisor Aviance

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...

Meet Randy

Meet Randy

Elite Boxing and Randy Dixon Partner with SWITCH Youth Psychology student, college basketball player, and gang member. Randy Dixon was all three and not necessarily in that order. In fact, Dixon paired what he had learned in psychology class with his innate court...

Meet Cody

Meet Cody

Meet Cody Brown: Helping Memphis Allies participants enter the workforce  Creating strong community ties is critical when it comes to the work of Memphis Allies and that is just what Vocational Coordinator Cody Brown does. “My job is to do all the behind-the-scenes...

Meet Portia

Meet Portia

Connecting high-risk individuals to the right services: Meet Portia Memphis Allies is increasing services to individuals at highest-risk for involvement in gun violence. Every day, Portia talks to youth, families and young adults, helping them connect to the right...