I am Victorious Ministries is bringing back its summer bootcamp this year.
According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute, black youth are arrested at three times the rate of white youth.
About 41 percent of north Tulsa’s population identifies as black or African American, according to census data.
Meleiaa Powell, the head pastor at the church, has said she wants to help lower these incarceration numbers.
“We want to break generational curses, for sure,” said Powell. “So the biggest thing that we can do is actually put out different in order to get different results.”
Powell said that the program is also taking in kids who have had legal troubles to allow them to use the bootcamp as evidence when it comes to case workers.
“If they finish the program and complete it, we can give them great remarks for the judge,” she said. “To show that they want to participate. They want to be out here in society.”
Aubre Taylor is a single mom who needs help caring for her three kids while she works to put food on the table every day.
She said the bootcamp has helped enrich her children’s lives while also allowing her to connect with them after they come back home.
“Every step of the way, whatever they’re feeling, they can always come to this and get peace,” she said. “And to know that I’m not alone, I’m not fighting alone.”
Her daughter Keiona said she loves the camp and has learned a lot.
“Sometimes we can’t find things to do,” she said. “We can be able to do it and have more fun instead of just sitting.”
Keiona said one of her favorite parts of the camp was learning survival skills and doing animal therapy.
Powell said there are still about 30 spots waiting to be filled.
For more information on how to register, call the church at (918) 409-2629 or visit the church website here.
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