Skipp Townsend's bio

          I have spent more than 27 years of my own life involved in gang violence and the entire culture that dictates to most of today's youth. I spent most of my childhood and young adult life in the revolving door of recidivism, until ultimately; I made a clear decision to unburden myself of all negative habits and routines that had become part of my everyday existence. However after breaking thru the blanket of suppression I found that many individuals were still unaware that these so called normal living conditions that have now become a part of our sub-culture were actually not normal, and thus raising the awareness that someone needs to re-educate today's youth.

          Recently I have worked on the front lines of "HARD-CORE GANG INTERVENTION" and have coordinated different strategies, with law enforcement and other organizations to create safe and healthy communities. I have on October 15 & 16 assisted in a Gang Symposium with over 400 individuals in law enforcement, and on July 12, 2007 and November 8,2007 assisted in one aspect of training L.A.P.D. officers at their training facility located in Westchester, California. I was one of many organizers working gang intervention for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in 2007. I have facilitated Basic Life Management Skills in several schools around Los Angeles such as Western Academy CDS and also Community Harvest Charter School. I have successfully completed a Basic Life Management Skills class and graduation on June 26, 2007 at 10^th District Councilman Herb Wesson's office in Los Angeles. I have also facilitated a Leadership Class for the young adults at the Occupational Therapy Training Program in Torrance, California.  I have recently facilitated a Leadership Class at Tri-City Alternative School in Compton, California and have been a key figure in organizing cease fires between rival street gangs in certain areas of South Los Angeles and Inglewood and constantly maintain similar agreements between other at risk youth.

          I'm a graduate of the Pat Brown Institute Youth and Gang Violence Intervention Course, a graduate of the Amer-I-can Basic Life Management Skills Facilitators' Course, a graduate of the Be Well Now Institutes Substance Abuse, Anger Management, Domestic Violence and Violence Prevention Course. I also participated in the Imagine 21 Course facilitated by a Better LA.  I also received training from Maximum Force Enterprise in the expertise of Crisis Response and Critical Thinking Skills. I have also participated in several hours of LA Bridges 2 training as well. I just recently completed the Family Wellness Facilitators Training Program. Present day I'm enrolled in the Child Development Department at L.A. Trade Tech College.