*Actor/rapper LL Cool J and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons gave young folks in jail some words of encouragement.
To promote a national anti-violence program from Simmons’ RushCard, the pair visited Rikers Island.
RushCard’s Keep the Peace initiative is granting neighborhood organizations. LIFE Camp is one of those organizations, which works to prevent violence from young people, including those at Rikers Island.
LL encouraged the group of youth to believe in themselves because he could’ve easily gone in the same direction as them. He identified with the youth due to his rough upbringing.
“You can absolutely without a doubt do anything you put your mind to,” he said.
Simmons told the youth to address what’s going on in the inside. “It’s your spirit you’ve got to work on,” he said.
According to Deputy Warden Clement Glenn, teaming up with programs like LIFE Camp is one way the Department of Correction tries to prevent violent behavior from young people.
“[We’re] trying to encourage them not to come back into the system, hoping they will integrate into society and become contributing members of their community,” he said.
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