?The Streets Don't Love You Back' shares crime prevention messages

?The Streets Don't Love You Back' (TSDLYB) is not just a set of realistic words thrown together. It is a nationwide movement. Founder/CEO Robert (Rob) T. Boyd Jr. and wife, Lucinda F. Boyd, RN, co-founder/president bring their mixed experience and talents to the organization. Rob has both personal and prior family street life experience which propels him to help others avoid those unnecessary paths.

Lucinda's life and professional nursing experience has shown her many of the same horrors and the carnage of street life. TSDLYB is based in Maricopa, Arizona with program connection and serious support ties nationwide. The organizational support for TSDLYB literally runs a diverse path from deep political sources to the world of sports, media and even the respect of various gangs. The group benefits from the help of award winning artist, actor, philanthropist Snoop Dogg and his equally popular mother, Beverly Broadus Green, evangelist/author. Under the team leadership of TSDLYB, ?Momma Green' tours the country with TSDLYB to speak to gangs and community organizations in efforts to help change toxic behaviors.

Rob, Lucinda, volunteers, anonymous and known supporters have observed the success of TSDLYB and their life enhancing, even life-saving qualities over the years. The program and support programs under the core program are indeed unique, but remain in reach for those needing them. The latter may extend to their food pantry, feeding the homeless, with academic support, incarceration re-entry assistance, and stabilization to a basic personal health overall and maintenance regiment. Imagine a person who has either been in a gang, existed within the bowels of street life or being released from prison, with few or no available skills. TSDLYB has made their six-week life skills, re-entry and intervention program course available.

In a day and age where most are weary of bad news, senseless killings, gang activities and no value for life, redirection outlets and organizations can be a refreshing change. To carry the TSDLYB message and keep their awareness raised, the couple began a nationwide tour last year and is looking forward to picking it up again in 2017. They also launched an independent television and radio broadcast

photo: Deborah A. Culp

show, as well as the interactive TSDLYB blog and social media groups. This was not done from a showboat stance but to let as many people vested in senseless street life and those who want to help make a difference know they exist. It is a proverbial life raft, multiplying to save lives.

The nonprofit foundation and movement stems from the book authored by Rob Boyd: The Streets Don't Love You Back, a strong story of strength, prayer and preservation endured by Rob. He grew up in an east-side ghetto of Detroit Michigan. His father, a prominent minister and well-known author chose not to be a part of his son's life.

His stepfather was a good man and treated him and siblings as his own. One day when Rob was nine years old he watched his grandfather stab his stepfather to death. That changed his life forever. By the age of 10 he was deeply involved in gang life, drugs, and bloody, violent street life.

Rob eventually became a ?Boss and Drug Kingpin.' He spent time in and out of jail and watched many friends get killed and end up in prison.

Rob's book continues to do well, but TSDLYB movement is the proverbial, ongoing balm in Gilead for many.

"Our movement is striving to educate the youth about the dangers of gangs, drugs, violence and abuse and that there are many alternatives to the gang banging, thug, drug, and hustling, street life. Our focus is educating through true stories of people who used to be involved in violent, abusive street life-how living/surviving the street life has affected their lives and the lives of others; how they have changed their life and what they are doing now with that second chance. Our goal is to be a vehicle to continually educate by sharing true stories of those who lived that life. We hope to change the lives of others. Rob and I believe that through our vision and ?The Streets Don't Love You Back' movement we can and will create change and healing for many people in our country. This is our mission," said Lucinda F. Boyd.

More information can be obtained by contacting the non-profit 501(c)3 organization. In addition to the website access, TSDLYB has several Facebook and other social media pages, reliable references and numerous testimonies of real life success stories.

Visit www.thestreetsdontloveyouback.com