The Beginning of 2nd Call

     Bo Taylor and Kenny Smith met on the campus of LA High School in the early 1980’s. Bo lived in the Midtown area of Los Angeles sometimes referred to as St. Elmo Village, while Kenny lived just one mile east in the Arlington Heights area. Both were avid body builders and would often work out together.  Although the two became great friends, the communities in which they lived had already began a civil war that would eventually lead to a high number of gang related shootings and homicides lasting over 20 years.After the civil unrest of 1992, and only hours after the city stopped burning and released its mandated curfew, Bo Taylor decided to mediate a truce between his Midtown areas Crip’s with the neighboring Arlington Heights Bloods. This was the seed Bo planted in the minds of many. As it was a difficult task for some to heal or forgive the years of violence that had been afflicted upon the communities, others saw the opportunity to redirect the course of energy and aggression that had once dictated the lives of many.At the time when Bo Taylor was championing the call for peace and unity, Skipp Townsend an Arlington Heights resident and tow truck driver was more interested in the fact that Bo Taylor also owned a tow truck and they could collaborate on business deals to support both men. Bo was focused, committed and determined to create different results in the two communities and was no longer interested in the towing business. Bo continued his mission and soon created Unity-One, an organization to assist in the redevelopment of the community and all the disconnected people that reside in it. Skipp continued his dreams of being a tow truck driver and soon created Level One Tow Service.After many years of challenges and obstacles, trials and tribulations, Bo Taylor and Kenny Smith came together again to discuss the movement of peace that had settled on the two communities and the surrounding areas because of the hard work of Bo Taylor and the members of Unity-One.  After attending several meetings, Kenny invited Skipp to attend a life skills session at Community Harvest Charter School to hear speakers from Unity-One and the Amer-I-can Program. It was then that Kenny Smith and Skipp Townsend made a conscious effort to join the peace movement and join in the movement with Bo Taylor and Unity-One. They also decided to create an agency that is sensitive to the communities that were not priorities with the current Unity-One staff. They first examined the long list of agency’s that Bo had already giving birth to, Unity Two, Unity Three, Kush, Venice 2000 and Belize Unity. It was then Kenny and Skipp decided on giving the community a “Second Chance at Loving Life” and creating the acronym 2nd Call.2nd Call has continuously grown each year with a bright glow shining proudly on the name and has quickly become the organization often referred to when mentioning “Hard Core Gang Intervention” as well as when mentioning prevention and community representatives. However 2nd Call just like the moon has no direct light and can only shine bright because of the reflection of the light above.  We at 2nd Call thank our Devine Intervention for allowing the light to shine on us and we are also thankful for our guide and mentor and the vision and life of Darren Bo Taylor.  January 20, 1966 – August 11, 2008. 
 

     Kenneth Smith is a Los Angeles native and former gang member.  He attended Los Angeles High and Dorsey High Schools.In 1992 Darren “Bo” Taylor introduced Kenneth to his concept of peace between rival gang communities.  As Kenneth became more involved in gang violence intervention, he became a member, student, and graduate of Jim Brown's Amer-I-can program.  Unfortunately, Kenny had to serve four years in prison.  However, during his incarceration, he practiced keeping peace behind the walls, completing a six month drug and alcohol program in addition to a five hundred hour comprehensive drug, alcohol, lifestyle and cognitive thinking program.   Since his release, Kenny has completed the following courses:·         First Responder’s training program through the City of Los Angeles Fire Department in conjunction with Maximum Force Enterprises.·         A physical deterrent, maneuvering and control course under the supervision of Maximum Force Enterprise and crisis survival training center.·         The 2nd level of the First Responder’s Training; a sixteen week training and development course that included: First Aid and Adult CPR/AED Certification, the Professional Community Intervention Training Institute (P.C.I.T.I.) in conjunction with Maximum Force and A Better L.A.·         Kenny is a graduate of the Pat Brown Institute Youth and Gang Violence Intervention course. As Co-founder and Program Director of 2nd Call, a member of Unity One, P.C.I.T.I., C.C.V.I.P., Southern California Cease Fire Committee and in collaboration with many other violence reduction organizations, Kenny remains committed to saving lives through hard work, training and professionalism.  

 Skipp Townsend’s Bio                               

                                          
     Skipp has spent more than 27 years of his own life involved in gang violence and the entire culture that dictates to most of today’s youth. He spent most of his childhood and young adult life in the revolving door of recidivism, until ultimately; He made a clear decision to unburden himself of all negative habits and routines that had become part of his everyday existence.
          He works on the front lines of “HARD-CORE GANG INTERVENTION” and has coordinated different strategies, with law enforcement and other organizations to create safe and healthy communities. Skipp has spoken on behalf of intervention in a closed door conference with United States Attorney General Eric Holder and Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa on July 18, 2009. On June 3, 2009 Skipp collaborated with the Advancement Project & others to give an intervention presentation to the LA County Sherriff Department. He has on October 15 & 16, 2007 assisted in a Gang Symposium with over 400 individuals in law enforcement, and on numerous occasions he assisted in Intervention training L.A.P.D. officers at their training facility located in Westchester, California. On September 27, 2008 Skipp Townsend was the first Interventionist to have dialog & training with different Battalion Chiefs and Fireman from the Los Angeles City Fire Department regarding the collaboration of Intervention. He was one of many organizers working gang intervention for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in 2007 & 2009. He has facilitated Basic Life Management Skills in several schools around Los Angeles such as Western Academy CDS and also Community Harvest Charter School. He has successfully completed a Basic Life Management Skills class and graduation on June 26, 2007 at 10th District Councilman Herb Wesson’s office in Los Angeles. He has also facilitated a Leadership Class for the young adults at the Occupational Therapy Training Program in Torrance, California, and also a Leadership Class at Tri-City Alternative School in Compton, California. He has been a key figure in organizing cease fires between rival street gangs in certain areas of South Los Angeles, Compton and Inglewood and constantly maintains similar agreements between other at risk youth.
          He’s a graduate of the Pat Brown Institute Youth and Gang Violence Intervention Course, a graduate of the Amer-I-can Basic Life Management Skills Facilitators’ Course, a graduate of the Be Well Now Institutes Substance Abuse, Anger Management, Domestic Violence and Violence Prevention Course. He also participated in the Imagine 21 Course facilitated by a Better LA.  He is one of the few “First Responders” to graduate from the P.C.I.T.I. course from Maximum Force Enterprises. He has also participated in several hours of LA Bridges 2 training as well. He has completed the Family Wellness Facilitators Training Program. He has completed several units of Child Development from L.A. Trade Tech College, and is currently continuing his education.
          He has received several awards and certificates for his outstanding achievements in the field of intervention of at risk youth, parolees and ex-felons. He has on appeared several times on FM radio KJLH Front Page and with Stevie Wonder on Thunder Thursdays to discuss youth and gang violence. He has appeared on radio station V-100 several Sunday mornings on the gospel show as well as on the Bo Taylor show.  July 4, 2006 He was a guest on radio station KPFK 90.7, on the same week the Los Angeles Sentinel news paper covered an exclusive article on the personal efforts and issues he addresses in the community. May 14, 2008 he was a guest on AM Radio 970 the Larry Elder show and on the 17th of May 2008 on Radio station NPR. He was also featured in the Baron Davis Project, a film by Stacy Peralta entitled “Crip’s and Bloods Made In America”. He was featured on the History Channels 2008 research of “One Blood” in the Gangland series. He currently sits on the Executive Board of the Southern California Cease Fire Committee, the Executive Committee of the Council of Community Violence Intervention Professional (CCVIP) and is the Executive Director of 2nd Call a grass roots community organization addressing violence reduction in the greater Los Angeles Area.  He was often heard on Sunday mornings on Inspire me Sunday with host Neile on 93.5 fm radio giving a community update to all the Beat listeners.