A Community Advocate’s Path: Roosevelt Brooks and the Work of Alternatives to Violence

Alternatives to Violence (ATV) launched in 2021 in response to an uptick in violent acts and homicides, with the goal to reduce violence by 70% over four years. Trained Violence Interrupters (VIs) work on the ground to identify and diffuse potential violence by connecting high risk individuals with educational, emotional, and economic tools. ATV also provides broader community programming. They are currently working in three sites in Charlotte, where they have reached over 1,200 people.

A Life Shaped by Mentorship and Intentional Choice

Roosevelt Brooks is a proud Charlotte native, raised in the West Boulevard corridor. Growing up, he was surrounded by violence and drug activity…realities that impacted his community and family. But Roosevelt made a deliberate decision not to follow that path.

That decision was shaped in large part by the presence of strong male role models in his life – especially his father and athletic coaches. While his father had been personally involved in drug activity, he was determined to steer Roosevelt in a different direction. Roosevelt, for his part, had no interest in that world. He found his peace and purpose on the football field.

Most days after school, Roosevelt could be found at the local recreation center, where he could play for free. It was there that he met a staff member who would help plant the seeds of a different future. “This man was a college graduate,” Roosevelt recalls, “and he talked to us about college and things of that nature. And so it planted that seed.” Roosevelt’s football coaches continued to nurture that vision, helping him reach college, where he went on to play football. After graduating, he launched a career in the workforce and eventually retired in 2020.

Shortly after, seeing the work they were doing in the neighborhood he grew up in, Roosevelt joined Alternatives To Violence as a violence interrupter. He took on a direct mentor role to individuals who were at a high risk of committing violent crime. Now, he is the site supervisor at the Beatties Ford office. In his work, he stresses the importance of trust and credibility. Many program participants are sensitive about others knowing they are in the program, and maintaining that privacy is incredibly important.

As part of an initiative to connect with youth, the Beatties Ford Road team reached out to a local high school. Once every week they staff a table during the lunch hour and talk with students. After learning that some students hung out at a nearby rec center, the team started dropping by to play basketball. There they noticed several young women sitting on the sidelines, “when you look deeper into what’s going on here in some of these communities, you find that the young ladies need help and they’re getting left out.” Although ATV’s main focus is young men, the team recognized the importance of reaching as many facets of the community as possible. The Beatties Ford Road office now runs a small mentorship group for several young women. 

When the topic of leadership came up, Roosevelt was quick to identify himself not as a community leader but as a community advocate. “The leaders in that community live in that community. Part of my job is to help empower them as the community leaders to lead their community on a daily basis.” In his role as Beatties Ford Site Supervisor, Roosevelt defines a leader as “An individual that allows his team or people around him to be the best individuals they can be while he or she is being the best they can be.” He also emphasizes giving credit where credit is due. Throughout our discussion he brought up specific team and community members who had been involved in different initiatives. This respect for others is integral to his practice of leadership.

During his lifetime Roosevelt has watched Charlotte expand rapidly. He views this as a double edged sword. On one hand, this growth has brought new opportunities. However, it also destabilizes existing communities and leaves them vulnerable to people who “want to be disruptors of good society.” Furthermore, opportunity is not divided equally. Many young people he works with get into certain types of life in part because of the lack of opportunity. In this he holds up the importance of both societal and personal factors, emphasizing the power of personal decisions. “My message to a lot of these young men is don’t be afraid to step outside the lane that everybody else is going to… Find your lane, get in it, stand.” For many young people going against the grain can be a more difficult decision, but it is the best in the long run. 

Roosevelt Brooks’ life is a testament to the combined power of strong mentorship and intentional choice. He understands firsthand the impact that committed role models can have within a community. Roosevelt’s work reflects a deep respect for the people he serves, a belief in second chances, and a conviction that real change happens when individuals are given the tools—and the encouragement—to find their own path and stand firmly in it.