REAL TALK YOUTH PROGRAM
Real Talks have been held in Boulder, Cleveland, Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh, Baton Rouge, Rochester, and are scheduled in several schools in Chicago.
Here is the power of Real Talk: Pennsylvania State Representative Jerry Johnson held a Real Talk program on April 17th, 2015 at Perry High School.
The male panelists, ranging in experience from judges to formerly incarcerated men, spoke to 30-40 at risk young men.
Here is a summary of the event in Jerry’s words, “At the beginning, all I heard was the disrespectful chatter of a teenage audience forced to be present. By the end, I heard loud applause, laughter, and I felt that the energy in the room was totally different from the beginning. What happened in between the beginning and the end was the hard work that each of you put into the small room discussions. Grappling with heavy issues that affect at-risk youth directly. I visited all of the rooms and I witnessed the start of the transformation. Accomplished strong African American men standing proud and making a valiant effort to redirect the destiny of wayward youth. It was a monumental task that required a monumental effort and every single one of you delivered.“
This is the spirit, the soul and the purpose of Real Talk!
Eastern Region NBPA Chapter
In March 2020, the P.O.W.E.R. team kicked-off it’s “Real-Talk Series” an NBPA signature program. On March 10, 2020, AUSA Joshua May (USAO-DC) and Officers Anderson and Bendon from the Metropolitan Police Department, partnered for a dual presentation to a group of approximately fifty students and their teachers at the Ida B. Wells Middle School in Northwest Washington, D.C.
The MPD presentation was focused on situational awareness and safety to and from school. The officers worked as a team, providing information to the students, asking questions, and presenting a skit on dealing with potentially dangerous situations. AUSA May’s presentation was focused on the NBPA Real Talk Youth Program topics: Crime and Choices, Consequences of Choices, and Options.
The students were engaged in an open discussion about how committing crimes and associating with those who do can damage a person’s reputation and result in a criminal record. Students were made aware of the various ways in which a criminal record can limit one’s educational and occupational opportunities.
Students were then provided with hypotheticals and asked to provide examples of alternative choices to criminal activity in peer pressure situations. The students and the teachers were actively engaged throughout both presentations and the school has committed to a future Real Talk to include the entire student body.
Real Talks are scheduled in public schools throughout Washington, D.C., for the remainder of the 2020 academic year.
Greater Atlanta NBPA Chapter
Here are the pictures from the Real Talk visit that Greater Atlanta NBPA did at Salem Middle School in DeKalb County, Georgia.
South Florida NBPA Chapter
South Florida NBPA members Veronica Walker, Shakema Onias, David Cannady and Retired Judge Ilona Holmes leading a Real Talk at William Dandy Middle School. Also, a big thanks to the Fort Lauderdale police officers that joined our Real Talk as well.
South Florida NBPA members Leonard Thompson, Jr., Kristina Mills, Tierrel Mathis, La’Tiara Calloway, and Yaneth Baez speaking to students from Miami Jackson Senior High at a Real Talk event. We discussed how to interact with the police, sexting, bullying, being mindful of the content that they post to social media, choices and consequences, preparing for college and the workforce, and other important topics.
Louisiana NBPA Chapter
Southern University Football Team
Miami NBPA Chapter
Photos: Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, joins panel in Miami to spread positive message to young men, Sybrina Fulton and Miami panel, Real Talks Miami.
Created in 2014, the Real Talk program was developed in response to concerns regarding African American youth. Our objective is to work with our young boys to foster mentoring relationships, and show them alternatives to violence. Through this program, the NBPA actively addresses the “school to prison pipeline” trend, as well as combats the misinformation that is often prevalent about how the criminal justice system works.
The panels focus on the topics of: Crime and Choices, which feature police officers educating students about the realities of crime and interacting with law enforcement; Consequences, addressing what happens in the judicial system; and Options where panelists discuss how to deal with situations in a non-violent manner, and how to make positive choices for the future.
The NBPA, with a number of community partners, hosted the panels in 5 schools in Miami, Florida and 6 schools in Atlanta, Georgia during the spring of 2014. In 2015, the program will be expanded nationwide. For further information or to volunteer, please contact secretaryblackprosecutorsorg@
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