Taking Back Our Neighborhoods
Ronzell Buckner has a community commitment built in from childhood. It was greatly exhibited when Charlie Mae Banks and Zelma Hennessey sought him out and asked if he could help them find a way to address the out-of-control street-level drugs and crime in their neighborhood. He readily responded by searching for what could help the most. He remembered having viewed a 60 Minutes episode on Dr. Herman Wrice. a Philadelphia drugfighting activist who had appeared on the show. He had success in taking back his own neighborhood and others across the USA from drug trafficking. CBS was able to put Ronzell in touch with Dr. Wrice. Possibly include links to 60 Minutes HW interview, photo and articles and resolutions.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Outdoor Learning Trail
The Learning Trail is built on the legacy and success of the drugfighters’ efforts. Ronzell saw a severe lack and depth of local black history knowledge and the impact it had on youth. This need to educate the black community and all of Columbus on its lost Afro African history led to the creation of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Outdoor Learning Trail. A series of 11 markers describing the history and impact of individuals and locations forming an unique history learning initiative.
Youth Entrepreneurship
Years ago TAC partnered with the city of Columbus and one of the shopping mall developers to create a youth operated T-shirt business. And a little over 5 years ago with city assistance TAC trained youth to create and operate a fruit and vegetable stand as an entrepreneurship initiative. This led to plans for establishing a youth entrepreneurship educational center at George Washington Carver High School.
Drugfighting Training
This led to Ronzell arranging for Dr. Wrice and M.Andy Garr to come to Columbus to train neighborhoods, law enforcement and officials in the Wrice Process for eliminating drug trafficking. The training spread to almost 20 neighborhoods with names such as CHAD (Caver Heights Against Drugs) and SWAD (Southwestview Against Drugs).The neighborhood drug fighters forged a remarkable partnership with law enforcement that is still seen to this day almost 20 years later. The success resulted in several Columbus drugfighters helping to train other communities and cities across the country. Primary was Mrs. Zelma Hennessey. She visited over 30 locations with Dr. Wrice and Mr. Garr to tell her story, the history of SWAD and the remarkable impacts of Columbus’ drugfighting efforts. She become known as the Godmother of Drugfighting. Brown Avenue bridge in Columbus was renamed in her honor and her family sponsors a Zelma Hennessey scholarship program each year.
Turn Around Columbus
As the Wrice Process expanded and evolved it adopted the Turn Around name to signify the holistic approach to revitalizing and turning around neighborhoods and cities. Mr. Buckner established Turn Around Columbus to continue the fight to build up neighborhoods through mentoring, tutoring and assisting community youth to reduce dropouts, create the next generation of business owners and reduce violence and crime. He has also consistently trained youth in how to start and run a business using his restaurant as a real world classroom.
George Washington Carver Victory Garden and Farm
These efforts created the opportunity to collaborate with the Muscogee County School system to create the youth run George Washington Carver Victory Garden and Farm planting seeds, raising crops and saving lives using agriculture and youth entrepreneurship to build new futures for Columbus youth.