SQUASHING BEEF AND SAVING LIVES
By The Columbus Foundation
Halt Violence’s mission is to “squash beef and save lives.” The organization, founded in2014 by Thell Robinson, is a grassroots non profit committed to helping mediate disputes ahead of violence and to creating a solid foundation for youth and young adults by offering them necessary tools not just to survive, but thrive.
Halt Violence’s Moral Therapy Initiative is a program designed by Robinson to support the development of coping mechanisms and life skills that can help end cycles of poverty and violence for community members. The program,typically serving young people between 14–24years old, helps develop skills in various areas,with an emphasis on mental health, academic,and cognitive skills.
In 2021, grants from the Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund–Youth and the Ingram-White Castle Foundation, a Supporting Foundation of The Columbus Foundation, were awarded to Halt Violence to support its ongoing efforts, during a time when Columbus’ violent crime is at an all-time high. The funding provides support for two street mentors whose job,Robinson explained, is to cultivate relationships with teens, young adults, and adults in the “hot areas” where violence is prevalent.
“Halt Violence provides a holistic approach to violence prevention, humanizing all involved parties, and addressing the crevasse that exists between standard responsive policing methods and the prevention of violence and crime, particularly for youth,” said Danielle Tong,Community Research and Grants Management officer. “The Foundation’s investment meant Halt Violence was able to add front line staff members that work to prevent violence and to stabilize a child’s life through adulthood.”
Robinson said one of the organization’s primary goals is to get individuals who are involved in arguments and disputes to a safe,neutral site that allows them to communicate with no weapons about what actually is leading up to the potential violence.
“We don’t allow ourselves to dictate the mediation; we’re just there to observe,” said Robinson. “When you have two people or groups that are willing to meet, that is a sign of success because it’s a vulnerable situation for them to meet.”
Last year, Halt Violence mediated 70 such disputes.
Robinson is in a unique and valuable position to connect with his clients, as he once lived a life on the streets selling drugs, first in the Washington D.C. area and then in Columbus. After a stint in prison, he reformed his life and earned a degree in theology. He has also received numerous certifications for trauma-responsive care, youth mediation, and leadership.“
A person needs to be humble in order to communicate,” he said. “We’re going into the community with no guns and no vests—strictly off of good intentions. If we go into that community with the wrong intentions about what we stand on, we’re not making it out. You have to be humble and be about the people that are in that community. That’s the key, and how Halt Violence has been around for seven years.”