Project Imagine, a community violence intervention collaborative to steer youths away from gang activity, on Wednesday honored two graduating classes, which included the program’s first female class.
The female graduates were Miriyah Barbour, Krishawana Barbour-Allen, Rynia Hedrick, and Mykeria Pritchett. The male graduating class consisted of Amonteze Cunningham, Ryan Hedrick, Jakayden McFall, Shaiquese Robinson, and Garry Warren.
“This is the first time we were able to have a class for young women and a class for young men,” said Curtis Artis, assistant violence prevention manager for Project Imagine. “I am so excited about this.”
Artis said separate classes became possible because the program now has two female outreach workers.
“When I talk with older people, they tell me, ‘When I grew up, I had a village raising me. I couldn’t do anything in my neighborhood without someone telling my momma and disciplining me,’” Artis said. “The village now is Project Imagine. We are the village for these young people. We are going to be in their lives for as long as they let us.”
The program steers youths away from gang activity by developing and maintaining relationships with mentors, and by focusing on goals such as having no contact with law enforcement, improving their grades, completing school, and becoming employed.
As part of the program, the youths receive strength-based assessments using the Casey Life Skills and Clifton Strengths tools. These tools are used to place youths on a path toward developing healthy, productive lives.
Also, a Project Imagine outreach worker is assigned to mentor each youth for a minimum of one year. Project Imagine staff tag the phrase “your new aunts and uncles,” meaning that they will serve as a support system for the youths.
Deputy City Manager Earl Reynolds encouraged the youths to always strive to make good choices. He said his grandmother often used the phrase, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
“What she was saying is that if you see something that is coming at you that you know is not right, then you need to get away from it. If you don’t, and you get connected to it, then you are putting yourself in harm’s way. You will be responsible for the consequences.”
Reynolds also talked about building confidence in one's own worth using self-esteem affirmations.
“Whether you know it or not, you are royalty,” Reynolds said. “People think ‘royalty’ means you are rich. That is the wrong definition. Royalty has nothing to do with money. Royalty has to do with heart and attitude. You are royalty. You are special.”
He continued, saying, “The person that you want to become is already in you. Think what happens when you think and talk positively. Even when the situation is bad, you can overcome it by what you think and what you say. None of us were ever created to do bad. Do not let anyone tell you that you were. You were created to succeed.”
Since the program’s inception, 19 classes, totaling more than 100 teens, have graduated.
Project Imagine is based on the evidence-based theory of Cognitive Behavior Therapy in that if the youth can implement new information and standards, then he or she can change their behavior. The idea is that the program creates a positive "image" in the mind of the youth so that he or she can "Imagine" a life without gangs or crime.
The teens in Project Imagine are chosen from referrals from the police department, courts, schools, and parents.
Project Imagine has received national recognition. In 2020, Robert David, violence prevention manager, was named a winner of the Frederic Milton Thrasher Award by the National Gang Crime Research Center. The award recognizes his accomplishments in gang prevention and intervention.
The program also received the President’s Award from the Virginia Municipal League in October 2019.