Providence Male Community Leaders Welcoming Students to D'Abate Elementary on Tuesday

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Providence Male Community Leaders Welcoming Students to D'Abate Elementary on Tuesday

Photo Courtesy Sean Holley
Providence community leaders -- and men of color --  will be welcoming students to D'Abate Elementary School in Providence on Tuesday morning, in an effort of support mirroring other national back-to-school events that have taken place nationally this year.  

Promoted as "Role Models: Community Men Inspiring Youth and Inspiring Education," organizer Anthony Roberson, a Detective in the Providence Police Department, said he saw the other welcome events taking place across the country, and decided he wanted to do it in Providence

"I actually saw a similar initiative -- I said why can't we do that here?  And I think it sends a great message," said Roberson. "For little effort it will make a great impact on the kids, especially in the immediate neighborhood. There's a lot of crime, and it's mostly men of color.  This is for community leaders to show that they're there for the kids."

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Roberson said that men of "all walks of life" would be at Tuesday's event.

"We've got doctors, attorneys, administrators," said Roberson.  "We had 20 murders in Providence alone last year. The victims and shooters of those may or may not be in gangs, and these kids might know of this.  I just wanted to encourage these kids that there are men of color who are role models in our community."

Later, Roberson said he wanted to help see an similar event take place with female community leaders.

"Later on I want one with women," said Robinson. "We do have a lot of programs and attention paid to the males...and sometimes we lose focus on the girls"


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