WITNESS
Pernell Brown joined the Community of Color Program of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods in October 2005 as an Adolescent Gang Specialist and provides case management and intervention to a diverse population within the African American community in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Brown has also been a substance abuse counselor with the Turning Point ASAP Treatment Services team since January 2005 and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor I.
Prior to his work at Turning Point, Mr. Brown was a re-entry and gang specialist with the Going Home Program in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Corrections and Emmanuel Community Services. In these roles, Mr. Brown provided re-entry assistance to the inmate population and a continuum of care at post-prison supervision to offenders and their families. Mr. Brown provides mentorship in the African American community to ex-offenders on post-prison supervision status.
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STATEMENT
I was from the 6800 Block Woodlawn Park Bloods. I went to prison in Oregon for assault with a deadly weapon. …While in prison, during the early years of my sentence, I continued my "street" mentality. I sold drugs and continued "banging." …I did not see any pay value in quitting the gang, and the prison did not offer me any alternatives early on in my incarceration. The administration started cutting programs soon after I got into prison - there were no vocational courses, no college courses, even weights (for weight lifting) were limited. Programs were available only for those who had more or less time in their prison sentence than I. "We're not paying for your education - you're not worth it" was the attitude.
After serving three and a half years, I joined the Nation of Islam. Joining opened up a completely new world for me. I felt as though I had removed blinders from my eyes. I began to understand my self-worth. I came to know that I came from African Civilizations, African Kings and Queens. I came to realize my responsibility to my community and myself. I was made aware of the sacrifice and struggles that others had been through in order for me to have a better life if I so chose. I was able to see the destruction I had caused to myself and to people in my community. I learned that "the white man" was not killing our people - gang members were. We were killing each other.
Now I am a Gang Specialist and I am a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor I. …I work with an ex-Crips gang member. He and I have a great relationship. I am actually proud to say he is a very good friend.
Excerpted from a written statement submitted to the Commission
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Note: Some witnesses submitted documents in addition to the written statement they prepared for the hearing. In most cases, those documents are not available on the Commission's web site.
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