Leifel Jackson: Inspirational Keynotes - Gang, Drugs, Teen Violence

If one should ask Leifel Jackson what one thing he believes in most he would answer "The power to believe anyone can make a change and everyone can make a difference."

Leifel Jackson isregarded as one of the pioneers in the war against at risk youth, drugs, gangs and violence. He has witnessed in his lifetime what most people can not even imagine. For many years in Little Rock, Arkansas, The Blue Bandanas, drugs, guns are the first thing that come to your mind when you thought of a man named Leifel Jackson.

However today in the minds of hundreds of children from ROCAN (Reaching our Children and Neighborhoods), and, the former leader of the Original Gangster Crips (OGC), is Mr. Leifel Jackson. Leifel often shares his story throughout the United States and now resides in Little Rock trying to make a difference and encourage a child through his actions. He is a mentor, counselor, teacher who cares and shares his wealth of knowledge from his own experiences. With his gang affiliation now behind him, Leifel has made a remarkable transformation from gang leader to his high profile role as community activist, youth advocate, motivational speaker, gang consultant, and Director of ROCAN a private funded youth violence prevention program focusing it's services to youth at risk. His story is his largest asset in working with the kids who are heading in the same path he took many years ago. Many times the only person that can reach them is someone who has been down that path. Someone they can respect and have respect in return, someone that is not going to judge them but encourage them to travel another path creating a new and positive journey.

In 1994, Leifel gained national attention in one of HBO'S highest rated documentaries, "Bangin' in Little Rock which won a CableAce Award for Best Documentary. At that time Leifel was the leader of the Original Gangster Crips (OGC), one of the most powerful gangs in Little Rock, Arkansas in which he participated in illegal activity. Shortly after the documentary he was sentenced to eight years federal time for drug trafficking. A decade after the first documentary Leifel was featured in the follow up, Bangin in the Hood, Gang War 2, but this time he is trying to make a positive impact in the hood. Determined to make a difference in his community and try to detour a youth from the dangerous path that he lead.

Mr. Leifel Jackson is considered a walking miracle as he continues his personal plight to save his neighborhood and uplift the youth. He has received numerous awards and is a member of Toastmasters International, has been the featured speaker at several conventions and conferences including The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Cleveland, OH; Lynchburg Summit on Safe Neighborhoods in Lynchburg, VA; Small Business Administration Entrepreneur Conference in Helena, Arkansas; and Boys State University in Conway, AR.

Leifel Jackson has been a featured guest on Travis Smiley's NPR Radio Show, "Let Our Violence End (L.O.V.E.), Talk Show broadcast on Equity Broadcasting Corporation. In addition, he has served as an Outreach Director for "Street Wise," the training conference division of Little Rock based L.O.V.E. (Let Our Violence End) Foundation. Leifel is also trained in substance abuse prevention and intervention.

Leifel is also the recipient of many national awards including the distinguished 2002 Juvenile Justice Worker of the Year Award... Martin Luther King Jr. 2005 "Salute To Greatness" Josetta Wilkins Courage Award for his hard work and dedication to help making a positive change in the inner cities all across the country.

Programs

Creating Change

Leifel shares his life story of how he went down the wrong path and the lessons he learned along the way. This insightful and shocking program shatters many of the myths surrounding teen violence and drug abuse. Many times the only person who can reach a child that is heading down the wrong path is someone who has been down that path. Someone the students can respect and have respect in return, someone that is not going to judge them but encourage them to travel another path creating a new and positive journey.