This year marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. While many know the well-documented stories of Black leaders such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Angela Davis and more, there are everyday Clevelanders who are contributing to the rich history and tradition of Black people. This month, I will focus on telling a few stories about Black leaders, organizations and places in our city that center and celebrate the wellness of the Black community.
Vince Evans, 51, brings a personal perspective to his work, having served nearly 30 years in prison for a murder conviction at the age of 17. He sat down with Signal Cleveland to discuss how he used his past to empower his future.
Good afternoon. What is your relationship with the city of Cleveland?
My name is Vince Evans. I was born and raised in Cleveland, I grew up in Glenville and graduated from Glenville High School.
A portion of what you do now focuses on violence prevention, intervention and restoration. How did you come to this work?
I was coming of age in the ‘80s, when drugs dominated the community. At 13 years old, I was incarcerated for selling drugs. Once I got out, I focused on my education and enrolled in college at the age of 16. When I turned 17, a shootout occurred. I fled to California, where I was ultimately arrested. [Evans was charged with complicity to murder and murder.] I was placed in the penitentiary, where, at age 17, I served 27 years, four months, three weeks and two days.
One day, the mayor at the time, Frank Jackson, came into the prison to speak to the inmates for a seminar that the prison was hosting. He told us that the best solution for combating crime and issues in the streets was everyone sitting in the room because nobody knew the streets better than we did. That really stuck with me and woke me up.
Another thing that stuck with me was that while I was incarcerated, a boy came up to me and said that he was at the park the day I was in the shootout. He was excited to see me, saying he had never seen anything like that, as if it was cool or something to be celebrated. When I went to my cell I thought, “What role did I play in him being in there with me?” Which is why when I came home I made it my mission to do something with the kids.
What was life like for you once you were released?
At first, I was bitter, but I didn’t want that to consume me. I just wanted to show people that I really had changed for the better, so I was very focused. I got married and got a job. I wrote a book, and from there, I started speaking in different schools and to other people who were dealing with similar situations in their lives. One day, somebody reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in doing community work. I started studying and actually doing the work, which led me to becoming a part of the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance.
What does that work with the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance look like?
Our mission is to reduce gun violence through prevention, intervention and restoration. We are certified in mediation, conflict resolution and a host of other things. When we are in the schools or the community working with young people, it’s about giving them alternatives. When I see them arguing, I always say, “Hey, lets find a way to settle this without fighting or conflict.”
What are some of the things that you are seeing as you hit the streets and talk to the youth?
One of my areas of expertise is social determinants [of health, like the neighborhood someone grew up in and their ability to access health care] and the role they play in overall wellness. They say health is wealth, a lot of our health is decided by socioeconomic factors. Take Ward 5 for example. The life expectancy of Ward 5 residents is 25 years less than a resident of Eastlake. Why is that? Better schools. Better jobs. Better access to healthier foods. Cleaner streets. All of those things contribute to living a long, prosperous life.
One of the biggest changes I’ve seen is that when I was growing up, the community was much safer. Kids could play outside all day and night and not have to worry about something bad happening. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case.
Can you give our readers an example of how you have applied what you’ve learned in practice?
I was down the way one day and a man had gotten killed. His body was just laying there and kids were gathered around watching. Their parents were out there with them too, smoking but allowing the kids to still see what was happening. Me and my crew went to a Dollar General and bought a football. We went back and started playing football with the kids. We took them away from that situation. That’s the goal. That’s what community violence interruption is about.
You recently branched out and started your own organization called Community Choices. Can you tell us a bit about that?
My program is open to anyone who needs help. We focus on young boys, ages 8-13. The goal is to build up strong young men. I’m teaching them empathy, critical thinking and other life skills that will help guide them to making the right choices as they get older. We talk about politics, we talk about religion or anything that they may want to discuss. I started in September. Right now, we have eight kids enrolled. Each one of them has been tasked with taking the trash cans of an elderly neighbor to the curb and back on trash days.
How can the community help support the work that you are doing?
I’m working on a website, which will be available very soon. For now if anyone would like to reach me, they can email me at vevans@clepeace.org