Valentine44

Old Testament: Victor "Gotti" Cherry is the voice of young urban America. his vision and goals define a true Harlem Diplomat. He’s a multi-talented artist and poet, Motivational speaker, and Community Activist. Victor was born and raised in Central Harlem in what he calls “The Black Mecca, The heart beat of the world”. Victor has seen violence on all levels from domestic drug dealing to the 90’s birth of East Coast Gang-Banging. However, he transformed his pain into motivational speaking and passionate visionary poetry that uplifts people of all generations and color. In 1991, Victor became a member of Harlem Children’s Zone which is a Community Base Organization located in Central Harlem that serves a beacon of life too the Harlem community residents.Victor is very passionate about creating opportunity for youth that are at-risk of dropping out of schools or running down the wronge road. Victor is example of change through opportunity, after a few months of his participation he became "The Poster Boy" for Harlem Children’s Zone Beacon program. As a result of his outstanding participation the program Director which was his mentor, Shawn Dove allowed Victor too introduced the AmeriCorps, which is a voluteer program that helps young people earn money and a stipend fee towards books for college. This ceremony was accompany by United States Attorney General Janet Reno. In 1992, Victor was elected President of the Beacon program “Teen Youth Council”; Victor also sat on Governor Mario Cuomo State of New York, Youth Council chair. In 1993, Victor’s life changed forever when he lost his best friend Michael Duncan to a drunken driven accident on Easter Sunday in Harlem, then two weeks later his cousin Mark Luker was gunned down at a dice game in Central Harlem right before his high school graduation.New Testament: In 1994, Victor became a very outspoken Community Activist, and in this same year he self published his first book of poetry entitled, “Armed & Dangerous" the poetry of Victor “Gotti” Cherry. in Victor workshops he showed young trouble children and other professional facilitators how you can be Armed & Dangerous in the mind.This was very much the breakout year for a young Victor in the motivational speaking circut he was featured in a Nationally Aired Documentary called “Victory over Violence”. Victor also was featured in the Robin Hood Foundation "Teenage Pregnancy Prevention" video (PSA). In 1995, Victor had public debates with City Council members on youth prevention and services. Victor was also featured on WPIX, Channel 11 morning show with Mary Murphy “Pee Wee Gangsters”, which he discusses the issues with the State of New York Juvenile District Attorney Peter Reinhardt “should juveniles get judged as adults”.Victor has been awarded the CBS, Channel 2, and “Martin Luther King Jr. Award” for Outstanding Achievement. In 1996, Victor was on his Armed & Dangerous speaking tour promoting Peace Rehabilitation through creative thinking and writing, He also conducted workshops on Violence and Gang Prevention. Victor conducted presentations at Wesleyan University, Colombia University, and Binghamton University. In 1997,Victor was in the Nation’s Capitol giving presentations to congress on urban and minority’s studies and laws, representing the Common Wealth Foundation survey on Violence and Education amongst minorities in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles. In 1998, Victor was featured on two of WNET Thirteen programs, “Ethical Choices” and “Rights & Wrong” which is a scenario documentary on violence in schools it also featured Fox 5 new reporter, Rosanna Scotto. Victor gave one of his most powerful lectures at the American Bar Association convention on “Effects of violence" in Orlando Florida”.in 1998, Victor premiered his Golden Award Winning Documentary “Rain Makers” it was so powerful and inspirational that aboriginal groups in Winnipeg Canada flew Victor out too Canada to conducted a three week Inspirational and Motivational seminar on self love and violence prevention. 1999, Victor was featured on Bronxnet Documentary the “chains remain” Directed by sunny smith. In 2000, Victor landed a acting role in the movie “Drive-bye a love story” on B.E.T Black Star Power. In 2002, Victor was a featured Model in Michael Jordan’s first issue of Brand Jordan Magazine. In 2003, Victor recorded with Hip-Hop controversial gold recording artist Dead Prez “Get Free or Die Tryin Mix CD”.In 2004, Victor recorded various voice over for Terra Association’s Educational Programs. In 2005, Victor recorded and remixed (poetically) a few of Langston Hughes poems for the Scholastic Publishing’s Literacy Program, read 180. October 15, 2005 Victor reached his mark when he spoke eloquently at the “Million More Movement” in Washington DC representing “Passing of the Torch Ceremony”. Victor is defiantly a leader of this generation of young leaders. On November, 2006 Victor was also featured with some of Hip-Hop elites in a Anti-snitch Documentary "Death before Dishonor".Revelations: Getting Others Together Too Improve

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