Skipp Townsend
Skipp Townsend
Rock - Black University
Co-Producer - A Matter Of Black Lives
For numerous years Skipp Townsend has been a key interventionist to the city of Los Angeles Gang Reduction Youth Development (GRYD).
Skipp responds to incidents of violence in the community at the same time law enforcement is deployed to investigate. Skipp uses his community relationships to calm matters, control rumors and reduce retaliation between the victims emotional family members, friends and the community believed to be responsible.
Skipp Townsend, is the founder and CEO of 2nd Call, a violence reduction and reentry organization serving the greater Los Angeles area. He served as an executive board member of the Southern California Cease Fire Committee and currently sits on two highly distinguished boards in Los Angeles, County. Skipp Townsend is one of 5 individuals chosen to the Los Angeles, District Attorney's office Advisory Council and also chosen to serve on the Community Advisory Board for the University of Southern California (USC).
Prior to 2nd Call and his work in the community, Mr. Townsend was identified as an active gang member in the CAL Gangs database used by law enforcement to identify local gang affiliates. After transitioning from a negative life style, Mr. Townsend received various forms of formalized training, such as; Grief Recovery by Russell Friedman; Imagine 21 by Lou Tice and the Pacific Institute; California State University LA- Pat Brown Institute; training through the University of Southern California School of Public Policy collaboration with the Advancement Project /Urban Peace Academy; the California Cognitive Behavioral Institutes Mathis & Associates Training Program; the National Building Trades Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) Instructors "Train the Trainer"; USC Non-Profit and Resilient Leaders and Capacity Building Programs and a host of other trainings.
As a community activist, Mr. Townsend currently facilitates intervention trainings for Los Angeles city certified intervention workers and law enforcement officials. Mr. Townsend also regularly facilitates trauma informed life skills courses throughout various communities in the greater Los Angeles area along with facilitating course through various California prisons. Because of his personal history, experience and training, Mr. Townsend has been requested to facilitate trainings nationally, including Fontana, CA, Sacramento, CA; Chicago, Illinois, Memphis, TN, Columbus, Ohio, Anniston, AL; and Douglasville Georgia.