When I first moved back to my hometown, which had under gone an eight year transformation of redevelopment and revitalization, I fell in love with this vibrant urban area that had become a start up paradise and tech savvy town. An area that had previously been abandoned like a ghost town, due to violence and high crime, was now a comeback story-a trendy hotspot full of young professionals flocking back into the city as part of an urban movement. I was soon disappointed to find that all my fellow city dwellers had done in ditching suburbia, was push the plight further to the fringes, because crime was on the rise within city limits, and cries of gentrification were causing friction, dividing the community even further.
I went for a walk through a part of town that bordered both sides of the tracks….literally, and discovered an abandoned and graffiti painted warehouse, next to a stretch of vacant overgrown land, sitting between two state trail systems, near a large green space park, and smack in the middle of downtown. All I could think was, “Wow. Wonder if I could bring horses here?” So, I did some research, and yes, I could absolutely bring horses downtown. This was not an original idea.
Horses have been in downtown Philadelphia, Fletcher Street to be specific, for as long as residents can remember. There are horses in Compton. Oakland. New York City, of course. I found some amazing people and some videos on YouTube that completely disrupt everything perceived by those privileged to be part of the equestrian community, and the result is that these “at risk” troubled teens are choosing horses over gangs, violence, and criminal offenses. So, why do we think inner city kids would benefit from including horses in their lives?
Most people consider PTSD to only affect veterans, but research is proving that complex trauma has the same harmful ramifications to children and teens. And let’s be honest, kids today walk around in war zones everyday, especially in urban areas. The lower the poverty level, the higher the incidents of violence. The number one symptom of PTSD in teens, is violent and aggressive behaviors. Most violent offenders have been diagnosed with untreated PTSD, but we have an opportunity to change that. The equestrian community has seen how transformative equine assisted activities/therapy (EEA/T) has been with combat veterans suffering from debilitating PTSD, as well as positive outcomes for those with autism, and other physical disabilities and mental disorders. Inner city kids, who have been exposed to countless acts of violence, creating trauma, and resulting in PTSD, could benefit from horses, and could create a connection with them to help heal PTSD with fewer sessions than tradition talk therapy, because of the experiential nature of EEA/T. And as the number of individuals with untreated PTSD is reduced, the reduction in the perpetuation of urban violence will follow. Which begins an intervention, and that leads to awareness, then exposure, followed by education about the equine industry and an entire world of opportunities, even careers. Then we’ve impacted entire neighborhoods, and vulnerable groups that deserve to be included as participants if they so choose. And they are choosing to be-when horses are integrated into urban areas, kids are choosing the number nclusive community horse riding provides them. This is an opportunity to reduce violence and alleviate suffering, stopping the cycle of violence in at risk youth. I believe this is the first step in the evolution of the inner city equestrian-we herd these kids to the horses. One at a time, or one school bus load at a time, if we can.
Bootstrapping any endeavor is difficult, and nonprofits prove even more so, while tax exempt status is pending with the IRS, so we’ve created this campaign to jumpstart our pilot program, which will include pre and post assessments, to measure effective outcomes. We have partnered with area therapeutic facilities, to provide equine therapy for 12-18 students identified as “at risk” for a six week program. Our volunteers will provide transportation to and from the farms every Saturday, and assist in equine related activities. Each group will consist of 3 students per volunteer and horse, and they will participate in various problem solving, team building, and character development activities.
We have carefully created a volunteer training program that focuses on inclusion and diversity, and handpicked researchers from leading universities and health practitioners. Our comprehensive business plan has strategies to partner with more community programs and initiatives, resulting in long term sustainability. Some of those key milestones and goals include:
Creating leadership, scholarship, and internship opportunities through horse riding in a billion dollar industry.
Repurposing vacant plighted industrial space into environmentally sustainable horse stables and facilities to promote education and opportunities in the equine industry
Promoting economic development by reducing urban violence and providing alternative recreation and equestrian facilties to nearly 100,000 professionals working or living inside city limits.
Fostering new relationships and cultivating communities through outreach with Birmingham Police Department’s mounted patrol horses, and engaging veteran led mentorship programs.
Offering Collaborative team and board building experiences, corporate leadership workshops, and effective communication strategy skills, including conflict resolution workshops to area professionals, and finding unparalleled partnership possibilities throughout the region in cross sectors, including agribusiness, tourism, education, and social enterprise.
So, this “little” equine therapy nonprofit is really laying the foundation for explosive economic development potential, like a combustible weapon of massive community outgrowth, serving the entire region as a force for good, and the therapeutic program is merely the match to ignite a spark, and light the way to a brighter future. Overlooking our city, is a huge statue of Vulcan....the Greek god of fire, so in honor of our past thriving steel and iron industry, and in celebration of our entrepreneurial ecosystem where social enterprises can thrive, not because of handouts, charity, or donations....but because you see this as an impact investment, where the bottom line is about more than profit, and we all reap the benefits, we honor the fuel you are adding to our fire! Thank you for contributing to our LIGHT IT UP campaign. 🔥🔥🔥
