Former Gang Leader Speaks To Kids In OKC

Seeworth Academy is nestled in the fields of Northeast Oklahoma City near N.E. 122nd and Kelly Ave.

It is a long way from the streets of Los Angeles. It’s one of three schools 60-year-old Michael Concepcion, former founder of the notorious Crips street gang, came to visit to share his story.

Some of the kids who came to hear Concepcion’s message know it all too well, because they live it every day.

"Three-fourths of our students are in gangs," said Stevie Taylor, an Administrator at Seeworth Academy. "I hate to say that. It's not just Seeworth, it's all these schools. You go to the malls you go to the parks, they're everywhere."

But that's why Concepcion is trying to reach out to these kids, and have them learn from his mistakes.

"Be better than me," Concepcion said during the assembly. "Sometimes we don't understand what we do in life."

He told them how being in a gang led to him getting shot and put in a wheelchair. He admitted he even shot and killed a man as a teenager and did time.

Some of the kids in the gym can tell you similar stories.

Honesty Rushing is a 17-year-old Junior at Seeworth Academy and said she lost a cousin to gang violence last year.

"And then recently we had a student here die," said Rushing. " It really doesn't bring any positive in your life just brings disaster and early death."

Honesty said that's why she will never join a gang. Neither will Darrius Tramble. 

"We have many students here who we have lost to gang violence and its way out of hand," said Tramble.

Tramble is a senior at Seeworth and said he has a relative who was in a gang and is now in jail for murder. 

"Gang violence has to stop," said Tramble. “Black on black crime has to stop, because it's way out of hand. We are losing brothers and sisters every day!"

That's why Michael Concepcion, who is now a real estate and music mogul, plans to keep doing what he's doing. He told the students about how he has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, MC Hammer, Dr. Dre and Ice-T. He said he has traveled throughout the country to speak to at risk kids and to try to promote peace between criminal street gangs.

"Eventually it will get to them," said Concepcion. "You know it took me a long time but eventually it got to me and i turned my direction into a positive direction now so I know that it can work."

But will it?

Taylor is not so sure.

"I wish, but I don't see it going away," said Taylor. "I feel like it's going to keep getting bigger. I feel like they (gangs) make them feel like they're wanted, and they can be part of an organization, because they don't have that at home. Little do they know that those gang members, they're not going to be there for them when they are on the ground, and they are bleeding, and dying."

But Taylor said she is hopeful that Concepcion will make an impact.

"I think you need it first hand from someone's who's been there," said Taylor.

And Concepcion said you can never lose hope.

"We need more people like myself to get out and talk and tell the truth what it was like," said Concepcion. "You know, to let them know that wasn't a good life. To make sure they understand that somebody's going to die, somebody's going to be in jail the rest of their life."

During his visit to Oklahoma City, the former Crips founder also visited Douglas High School and Oklahoma Centennial High and the Oklahoma City Urban League. The program was brought together with the help of the US Attorney's office.