Curtis Toler
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (February 2, 2022) – On February 3, the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center (TJCPC) at Prairie View A&M University, supported in part by the President’s Office, will jumpstart its Spring Speaker Series with Curtis Toler, a Chicago native and former leader of one of the city’s most notorious street gangs. Toler will lead a discussion with the public on how to create a lasting reduction in crime and violence in urban communities.
TJCPC Executive Director Camille Gibson and TJCPC Director Susan Frazier-Kouassi explain the potential impact of this type of programming for attendees and the state of Texas overall.
Who is Curtis Toler?
According to his website, and as mentioned above, Curtis Toler is a Chicago native and former leader of one of the city’s most notorious street gangs. He currently serves as Director of Outreach for Chicago CRED, an anti-gun violence organization. Mr. Toler is committed to impacting the culture of violence in Chicago by linking at-risk young men with chances to reset their lives through job training and permanent employment opportunities. So far, he has received recognition from the State of Illinois Senate for his leadership efforts to bring peace to the streets, his commitment to improving the quality of life in the communities, as well as for his dedication to advocating for positive changes to reduce violence in our neighborhoods.
Why was Toler chosen to kick off the Spring Speaker Series?
Mr. Toler was selected given his credibility as someone who understands the nature of urban violence and his success in working, including with former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, on efforts to combat increasing urban homicide trends in Chicago. We expect to gain insights from him that will inform efforts in Texas cities. With the escalating rates of youth violence across the nation, and in Texas particularly, we want to hear from individuals working in the trenches to bring us new perspectives to this challenging issue.
Participants will also learn about the factors that led him to gang engagement, his epiphany away from gang life, and what he has learned to address urban violence. This goes beyond violence interruption efforts.
Who should attend this webinar?
Individuals interested in addressing urban violence should join Thursday’s Zoom webinar to hear what works. They can also expect to hear about risk and resiliency factors that impact young men and how to reach at-risk youth.
What is the overall goal of the Spring Speaker Series?
The goal of the series is to bring a constructive focus to the issues of the day that impact the well-being of Texas youth. To this end, it involves hearing from persons at the center or forefront of these issues.
What is your goal for this programming?
We would like the discussion to inform efforts to stem the tide of increasing violence in many Texas cities and elsewhere where similar trends are occurring. This event is a precursor to our annual Royce West Forum and Lecture Series later in the spring, which will address the increase in youth violence, especially focused on the use of handguns.
What benefits the public and university from having the TJCPC host this type of programming?
The series presents an opportunity to inspire and inform those doing “boots on the ground” work with young people in Texas and beyond. For PVAMU, the program is evidence of the university’s commitment to its land grant mission in being responsive to the community and community concerns.
To learn more about Thursday’s event, click this link.
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