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OUR BELIEF

Transforming Lives & Building Villages of Peace
We believe that the goals, dreams, and aspirations of every young person are real. They are important and they are achievable. Our youth and young adults do not need fixing; they need champions who see them for who they really are and who they can become. Every young person, including our opportunity youth-our highest risk, our “drivers of violence” possess the potential to become a community leader and should have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
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WHO & WHERE We Serve

We champion “At-Promise Youth, Drivers of Violence” and their families others have determined “valueless” because of poor decisions, which often have resulted in incredibly difficult life challenges. Our participants and families often reside in the most vulnerable neighborhoods in Metro Atlanta marked by high levels of poverty and unemployment. Our sites are located in Metro Atlanta communities identified as having the highest incidents of crime and violence.

Our Approach

We are guided by a clear understanding that violence is a public health issue! It is multi-disciplinary and relies on knowledge from a broad range of disciplines! It is a 4-Step process rooted in the scientific method!
  1. Define and Monitor the Problem
  2. Identify Risk & Protective Factors
  3. Identify & Implement Prevention Strategies
  4. Replicate Successful Outcomes to Assure Widespread Adoption
(The Centers for Disease Control)
 
 

Our Mission

TO TRANSFORM LIVES AND BUILD BRIDGES OF PEACE!
Our violence prevention initiatives promote positive changes in the lives of highest risk individuals by utilizing a public health approach as the foundation to service delivery with the mission to:
 
~Reduce violence using disease control and behavior change.
 
~Transform lives and communities where individuals are seen for their promise and power to transform themselves and their communities into “Villages of Peace.” When we truly understand that violence is a “disease,” then we can accurately diagnose it, treat it, cure it, and stop the epidemic- reversing its devastating effects!

Our Vision

AN ATLANTA WITHOUT VIOLENCE!
 
We envision a world without violence!
 
We envision a world where the mindsets are changed:
 
~From labeling individuals as “bad people” toward understanding that they are individuals with health problems who exhibit violent behavior.
 
~And, where there is a shift in the view of violence-away from prosecution and incarceration and focused more on collaborative community-based strategies of prevention and intervention.
 
 

Our Values

Our services are informed by values that are the foundation of our work, and assist our customers to thrive in their communities-mobilizing them with the message that they do not support the use of violence. They are present in each decision, each interaction, each team member:
INTEGRITY
We do what we say we will do!
ACCOUNTABILITY
We honor commitments.
RESPECT
We honor the dignity & worth of each person.
EXCELLENCE
We pursue the highest standards!
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
We value and celebrate diverse talents with sensitivity and respect.
COLLABORATION
Together we are stronger!
 
 

Our Leadership Team...And it is Growing!

Our team members are specifically chosen to implement our services. With more than 21+ years of collaborative experience, they bring invaluable community, academic, public service, corporate, and nonprofit expertise to the initiative, while many intimately identify with the challenges experienced by the participants. They serve as Peace Ambassadors, consulting content experts, community partners, and advisors-committed to support exemplary service delivery to our youth and families.
Leonard H. Dungee, Jr.
Executive Director
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We believe that the goals, dreams, and aspirations of every young person are real
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+1 833.811.HOPE

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H.O.P.E. Hustlers of Cure Violence Atlanta, Inc. © 2023 All Rights Reserved
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Leonard Dungee

Co-Chief Executive Officer

“I am determined to show others how to comprehend their past 

so they can matriculate toward a better future.”

Leonard Dungee, Co-CEO of H.O.P.E. Hustlers, is a life coach, mentor, leader, entrepreneur, home builder, and real estate investor. A native of Richmond, Virginia, Leonard attended Hampton University. In 2002, he was convicted of felony drug trafficking and fraudulent schemes in Phoenix, Arizona, and was incarcerated for seven years. Determined that his mistake would not dictate his entire story, he began to serve as a teacher/mentor and gang mediator during his incarceration. He created life-transforming programs and successfully assisted hundreds of inmates to obtain their GEDs. As a mediator, he helped to settle disputes between different gangs-helping them progress to more productive behavior and overall accomplishments. He shares, “I am
determined to show others how to understand their past so they can successfully navigate a better future.”

Leonard resides in Atlanta, Georgia, a city that has a tremendous need for a man with his experience, expertise, and guidance. Since his release in 2006, he has made it his life’s work to pass on his knowledge and expertise as an Ambassador of Peace and community leader to organizations and as a Life Coach to his mentees. Fondly referred to as “Unc” by his mentees (some for as long as 15 years), Leonard has touched the lives of thousands of youth and their families. His guidance and leadership have empowered students to make positive choices and to practice making good decisions. He shares that his work with Cure Violence Atlanta allows him to “right some of my past wrongs.”

His experiences include providing leadership in Visions, an organization that successfully implemented the Cure Violence model (then Operation Ceasefire) in Westside communities in Atlanta, including the Atlanta Housing Authority Properties, invited by the resident presidents. The evidence-based services delivery model included violence prevention public health strategies that were documented to significantly reduce bullying and violence in local school systems and communities 

As one of the team members who initially implemented the Cure Violence model in Atlanta as Program Manager of Cure Violence with Chris 180, he now uses this experience to provide leadership as the Co-CEO for the signature violence prevention initiative, H.O.P.E. Hustlers (Healthy Outreach and Positive Empowerment). With his vision to globally reduce violence through proven public health strategies, Leonard has a mission to: Change lives and communities where individuals are seen for their promise and power to transform themselves and their communities into “Villages of Peace.” He brings to H.O.P.E. Hustlers his leadership skills, dedication to the work, business acumen, “real talk” approach to working with youth, and compassion for those highest risk and “drivers of violence” others refrain from providing services. He believes in the public health model because of its holistic approach-its collaborative partnerships. He believes that establishing trust relationships with participants is essential to the success of the model. 

He continues to call upon his experiences to collaborate with school systems, churches, and justice systems to encourage “win-win” dialogs among parents, teachers, and students. Leonard consistently takes steps further to strategize with local officials and organizations to find jobs and education opportunities for H.O.P.E. Hustlers participants and community residents. He also uses his ties to positive role models in the Hip Hop community, politicians, and former gang leaders to create collaborative constructive changes and get the attention of youth and their families. His powerful message sets them on the path of life transformation as he continues to work selflessly and non-stop to empower people to live productive fruitful lives.  He would tell his 17-year-old self:  

Slow down because you may miss important life details by moving fast all the time and GO TO CLASS!