Terrence Roberts, founder of Prodigal Son Initiative Inc. stopped by Thomas Jefferson and delivered a life-changing speech.
Terrence Roberts visits TJ to persuade kids to stay away from gangs. photo by Kevin Fleming
From high school to prison and now back again, one man shares his vision to educate kids on the dangers of gang activity. Terrance Roberts grew up in the Park Hill area in Denver until he was a teenager in high school. He attended Thomas Jefferson, but made a switch and graduated from George Washington High School.
As a boy growing up, Roberts encountered many obstacles in his life, from joining gangs to running away and committing crimes like robbery and possessing an illegal firearm. Roberts’ mother started making wrong decisions with her life, became addicted to drugs and started making life-long mistakes that affected her son.
At the age of 14, Roberts ran away from home and joined a gang in Park Hill. In 1993, he was “posting up” (hanging out) at a local crack house and as he was walking out the door a rival gang group shot him. “I was in danger of dying,” said Roberts. “I got shot in 1993 and I was lucky I lived to see the next day.”
At the age of 18, Roberts was incarcerated in Cañon City Correctional Facility. He went to juvenile hall for a little over a year and then was transported to Canyon City after he was released from the hospital from his run in with the gang fight in ‘93. “11 years I spent locked up. I am not here to disrespect you if you are in a gang, Bloods, Crips, or whatever gang you roll with, but I am telling you that you do not want to end up in prison,” said Roberts to an auditorium full of students at Thomas Jefferson High School in January. “I have a question for all of you. Why? Why do you wake up and brush your teeth, comb your hair, make yourself look fly, just so you can go to jail? Why do all of that and throw it all away? Tell me, I want to know,” demanded Roberts.
24 years ago the two major gangs, the Bloods and the Crips, migrated to Colorado from L.A. and today there are over 20,000 known gang members in the Denver metro area.
“We have done studies on gang warfare and life expectancy of gang members,” explained Roberts. “You have 700 days until you are in a wheelchair or dead. 700 hundred days, that’s it boys and girls, just under two years.”
When Roberts was in prison he made the decision to change his life around. After his release from Cañon City, Roberts got his act together and pursued his dream of helping the youth who are involved in gang related behaviors and groups. Roberts started a foundation called Prodigal Son Initiative Inc., which works directly with children from Kindergarten through 8th grade who have been traumatized in their childhood due to gang violence.
At Thomas Jefferson High School in the auditorium Roberts said, “God has a plan for each and every one of you and this is the time to start making positive decisions and making a difference in your life. I have a son, he is 14 years old, and I always want the best for him, but I want the best for you, I want you all to be able to kick it with T.I. (famous rapper) or any famous person you want to be like. God is good, and you need to see who your true friends are. And remember, if you keep on this track of gangs and violence, that you only have 700 days.” After that powerful statement made by Roberts, at the end of the presentation a number of students approached him with their flags (bandannas) and handed them in. Their flags represent which gang they are affiliated with, and the students said they no longer wanted to be a part of this horrible, tough lifestyle.
“I met Terrance while he was working on a committee that I was sitting on in the community and I asked him to come speak here at TJ three years ago to a small group of kids. The outlook was positive so I asked him to come back this year and speak to the freshman class,” said Samanda Davis, counselor here at Thomas Jefferson High School.
“Have fun boys and girls I am out. You have 700 hundred days to make your life what you have always pictured it as,” said Roberts as he ended his presentation.
One step at a time, Executive Director Terrence Roberts and his Program Director, Tyrone Lee Beverly of Prodigal Son Initiative Inc. are making it their mission to keep kids out of gangs and to help them realize that life isn’t a game, but a gift that has to be treated with respect and love.
For more information about Prodigal Son Initiative Inc. you can visit Terrance’s website www.prodigalsoninc.org or stop by and chat with Samanda Davis in the counseling office.
