ATLANTA,โฃ Ga. (Atlanta News โขFirst) – A local nonprofit is offering at-risk youth inโข a troubled area of Atlanta โaโ path toward a โbrighter future through the discipline and structure of boxing. Atlanta Phoenix โBoxing Club, operating as โฃpart of โBig Fish Outreach Ministries, aims to steer children away from negative influences and toward positive life choices.
co-executive director Marlon Richardsonโค explained, “Someone has to show them the way, โคand that’s what โwe’re trying to โฃdo.” He and his wife,Umunique’Danielle,founded the program to provide hope and guidance to youth who may or else feel lost.
The program, โserving approximately 15 students at aโค time, focuses โขon conflict resolution and emotional โregulation. “It helps them navigate their anger. โขItโ helps them to control themselves,” Umunique’Danielle said. Many participants, ages 12-to-21, arrive at โฃAtlanta Phoenix facing challenges at home or within the juvenile justice โsystem.
The Richardsons’ commitment is deeply personal; Umunique’Danielle’s son experienced involvement with the โwrongโข crowd and is โnowโค under probation supervision. This experiance โfuels their โdedication toโฃ the program.Participants โthemselves attest to โthe positive impact of โboxing.Fourteen-year-old Jermise Smith described it asโฃ “a form of lettingโ out stuff without going the wrong way,” while Jyhid caldwell added, “I โlike boxing, because I โฃcan get all my anger out punching โthe bag.”
Beyond physicalโฃ training, Atlanta Phoenix Boxing Club โprovidesโฃ comprehensive support, including assistance with obtaining high school diplomas. Marlon Richardson emphasizes the โprogram’s coreโฃ beliefs: “Be you, but be the bestโ version of you.”
The organization actively encourages participants to choose “guns to gloves,” as umunique’Danielleโ put it, offeringโ a constructive outlet and a chance to โdiscover โuntapped potential.โ Smith โฃnoted, “Notโ onlyโ are they hard on me, but they see something in me that I don’t see in myself.”
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