Iesha Sekou Stakes Her Anti-Violence Crusade on Harlem's Children

Iesha Sekou Stakes Her Anti-Violence Crusade on Harlem's Children

December 14, 2011 8:03am | By Jon Schuppe, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

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HARLEM — The doors swing open, and Iesha Sekou power-walks into the City College student center, cell phone to her ear, two young people in tow. She is uncharacteristically late, and has no time to apologize.

In five minutes, she is supposed to be on the air at Harlem Community Radio where, for an hour every Monday morning, she prods local kids to talk about the problems afflicting their neighborhood. Talk show host is one of many hats she wears as head of an anti-violence group with a limited budget and a heavy mission — to help transform one of the most chronically troubled parts of New York.

The group, Street Corner Resources, was born out of a concern over gun violence and gang activity, which led Sekou to focus on changing the lives of children and young adults. She takes them to rallies and protests, persuades them to stay in school, puts them in touch with potential employers. She arranges for them to participate in anti-bullying programs, anti-gang workshops and a “young men’s empowerment series.”

In short, she gives them a voice.

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