SWITCH Youth Posts

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.

We are heartbroken over the senseless act of gun violence on Wednesday that claimed the life of a Memphis Allies program participant at one of our sites. Our hearts go out to the victim’s family and to the staff members who had been working with the young man.

This is ‘heart work,’ says Memphis Allies SWITCH supervisor

His name is Earve Mathis, but around Memphis Allies’ South Memphis office, he is better known as “Mr. E.”

A life coach supervisor in the adult SWITCH program, Mr. E knows well the cost of making bad decisions.

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.

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?

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.