City Council Ceremonial Session Spotlight on Violence Interrupters - September 25, 2024
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City Council Ceremonial Session Spotlight on Violence Interrupters - September 25, 2024
Mayor Donnie R. Tuck called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with all six members present except Councilwoman Hope L. Harper, who was absent due to illness. The Mayor welcomed new City Attorney Courtney Sydnor. The sole agenda item was a ceremonial spotlight on Hampton's violence interrupters—individuals who mentor at-risk youth and young adults to prevent violence, drugs, and gang involvement. The meeting adjourned at 6:27 p.m.
Ceremonial Items - Spotlight on Violence Interrupters
Brian Marchese, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, introduced the program, noting that Hampton's Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities has reached over 480 young people through skill-building, mental health resources, and support. He described the Hope Hopeful Hampton Divergent Program, launched in 2022 through the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Program, which provides mentoring, therapeutic services, and life skills for court-involved individuals at risk of violence.
Gabe Diaz, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, honored Theodore D. "Teddy" Rainey of East Coast Athletics, who passed away on September 11, 2024. Rainey's family was present. Diaz highlighted Rainey's one year of collaboration, including a lacrosse combine, forming a competitive team, and helping one student secure a college lacrosse spot while two others prepare for tryouts. Mayor Tuck extended condolences and acknowledged Rainey's contributions.
Marchese then recognized six violence interrupters (one absent) who were present:
- Adrian Cook: Founded a nonprofit providing wraparound services for youth referred from detention. Last month alone, he helped 20 kids get jobs and is currently working with 39 young people individually. He was also part of Hampton's delegation winning the All-America City Award.
- Reggie Gatlin (absent; represented by John Davis): A former gang leader turned mentor through the Hopeful Hampton program, he connects with youth by adapting his approach to each individual.
- Martez Gurley El: Created Malon's Project after his cousin's death, supporting teens with ADHD, parental incarceration, and substance abuse. He teaches chess and creative writing, promoting "creativity over criminality."
- Khalid Karim: Over 25 years of peacekeeping and youth violence reduction, even while incarcerated. He emphasizes compassion, sincerity, and determination; one mother reported her children have thrived under his five-year mentorship.
- George Keenan: Served 22 years in prison after taking a life at 23; now mentors young men, helping them leave gangs, attend school, and avoid drugs. He stresses the importance of understanding from lived experience.
- Troy Ketchmore: Spent 27 years in prison; founded Ketchmore Kids. He helps youth obtain GEDs and has intervened in violent situations, stating, "if you're not from my hood, it's not going to happen."
- Darryl Redmond: Certified violence interrupter and peer recovery specialist with training in trauma-informed care. He works as a coach, teacher, brother, and father figure, emphasizing credibility from lived experience.
Mayor Tuck made a closing appeal for other men in the community to become mentors, regardless of background, and emphasized the importance of being present for young people.
Key Outcomes
- The Council honored seven violence interrupters and commemorated Teddy Rainey.
- Mayor Tuck publicly appealed for male mentors to step forward.
- The meeting adjourned at 6:27 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to Spotlight. I'd like to ask our clerk. Call the role, please. Councilman Bowman. Present. Councilman Brown. Vice Mayor Gray. Present. Councilwoman Harper. Councilman Hobbes. Present. Councilwoman Muggler. Present. Mayor Tuck. Present and Councilwoman Harper is under the weather and will not be with us this evening. And I also want to welcome our new city attorney, Courtney Sidnoor. And I won't call on you this time. I will not do it to you. All right. So with that, I will call on Brian Marcasey, who will introduce tonight's program. Thank you, Mayor Tuck. Mayor Tuck. City Council, City Manager Bunting, and City Attorney Sidner. Good evening, everyone. Welcome to Spotlight on Citizens. Tonight we're going to recognize seven remarkable individuals for their dedication to our youth as credible messengers or violence interrupters. As we go through this program, let us remember the heart of what they're doing, creating opportunities for our youth, young adults to heal, rebuild, and thrive. Here in Hampton, we are committed to helping our community rise above violence by offering hope through opportunities and engagement. We provide spaces for pro-social activities, connect communities to meaningful experiences, and ensure that our young people have every chance to heal and to thrive. These efforts have reached over 480 young people across our city, offering them access to skill building, mental health resources, and other much needed support. And while the achievements of these organizations are vast, tonight is about honoring a select group of violence interrupters. Individuals who have taken on the critical work of addressing violence at its core, through their efforts, they have intervened, redirected, and provided paths hope for those most vulnerable to violence. Their work is vital to the future of our community, and we are grateful for their unwavering commitment. Hampton understands the urgency of now, the urgency to address weapon violence through prevention, intervention, enforcement, and community awareness. In 2022, through initiatives like the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Program, we're able to take a hard look at the challenges the community faces and create solutions that target the root causes causes of violence. From this, we launched the Hope Hopeful Hampton Divergent Program, which provides mentoring, therapeutic services, and life skills development for court-involved individuals at risk of violence. Tonight we're only gonna celebrate, we're not only going to celebrate the success of this program, but we also celebrate the heroes sitting here sitting among us, those credible messengers who have worked tirelessly to keep our youth on a path to success. Their courage, dedication, and relentless passion have made a difference, and we're here to honor them for their contributions. But before we begin with the recognition of our credible messengers, I want to take a few moments, uh, take a moment to bring forward Gabe Diaz from the Office uh Department of Equity and Inclusion to share a few words about a dear community partner of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities, Teddy Rainey, that we unfortunately lost recently. Gabe. Thank you, Brian. Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of council, manager Bonteen, City Attorney, and all those in attendance. Tonight's City Council Spotlight Honoree is Theodore D. Rainey. On September 11th, 2024, our community lost a remarkable leader and advocate, Theodore D. Teddy Rainey. As a vital partner of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities, Teddy's dedication to empowering youth through sports and mentorship made a lasting impact on our community. Through his grassroots organization, East Coast Athletics, ECAA, Teddy worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for our young people here in Hampton and beyond. With just one year of collaboration, we celebrated significant milestones, including a successful hosting of a last combine, the confirm the formation of a competitive team, and the participation in various tournaments. Most notably, Teddy's efforts helped one student secure a spot on a college lacrosse team, while two others are now preparing to try out for college programs.
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