For 42 years, Running Rebels have provided pathways for young adults in Milwaukee
Victor Barnett was not an average 19-year-old. While most teenagers at his age were uncertain about their future pursuits, he already had a dream and the foresight to bring it to fruition.
In 1980, gangs were widespread on the streets of Milwaukee. Barnett aimed to protect children from this lifestyle and other detrimental influences, and to keep them out of the criminal justice system. He chose basketball as a means to keep the youth busy, aiming not just to cultivate their skills on the court, but also to ensure they were responsible in their community, home, and school.
Barnett approached the gang leaders and got permission to use the local park to work with young people in the area. They gave their blessing and, just like that, the Running Rebels Community Organization was born.
Running Rebels mission is to engage “the community, youth, and their families; prevent involvement in gangs, drugs, violence, and the juvenile justice system; intervene and guide youth by assisting them with making positive choices; and coach youth through their transition into adulthood.” They accomplish this through building relationships with youth and providing resources and more for participants “to become thriving, connected, and contributing adult members of [the] community.”
Barnett’s wife, Dawn, who is the Running Rebels Co-Executive director, said being raised in the South before moving to Milwaukee helped shape Victor.
“Dawn Barnett shared that in the south, the community elders, who had a significant influence, were individuals whom Victor could approach for advice. However, when he relocated to Milwaukee, he found no such support system. She noted a disconnect between the older and younger generations. Despite being only 19 and not an elder himself, the idea of nurturing a younger individual was deeply ingrained in him. He was determined to make a difference in the world, even though he was unsure of how that would manifest. She affirmed that he indeed fulfilled his ambition,” said Dawn Barnett.
For the first 15 years, Victor Barnett single-handedly managed the Running Rebels without any resources.
“In the mid-1990s a couple of therapists saw the work Victor was doing and asked: how do you take that concept of a young person having a positive influence and scale that so more people have that opportunity?” Dawn Barnett said. “And we structured ourselves and started recruiting people from the community to mentor the young people who needed it most.
We believe it’s not necessary to import highly educated individuals from different places to work with our youth. We strongly feel that the solution to enhancing our youth’s lives lies within our own community members.
When Running Rebels first started, it focused on preventing young adults from engaging in gang activities or anything similar that might lead to time in prison.
The recipients of the 2022 Running Rebels Scholarship program.
As time progressed, the number of intervention programs increased and they started collaborating with teenagers in the juvenile justice system.
“We have several programs for young people who made mistakes in their lives,” Dawn Barnett said. “We have advocates, our staff people who work with them to try to think differently and make different choices that would prevent them from going deeper into the system or losing them into the adult system. We have intense programming that works with young people every day. ‘Are you at school today?’ ‘What are you doing after school, come to group.’ It’s very intense work that they do to keep those young people on the right track.”
Running Rebels has after school and summer programs and connects participants by providing outlets they are passionate about such as music, arts, photography and basketball. The typical age of a Running Rebels participant is 12 and up.
Dawn Barnett stated, “Our focus was on the age group of 12-18, but thanks to some of the funds from the NBA Foundation, we developed a program known as Pipeline to Promise that also caters to adults. This program is designed to equip young adults with the necessary skills and preparation to enter their chosen career field or pursue the required education. We don’t restrict participation based on age, adhering to our principle of ‘once a Rebel, always a Rebel’. We are committed to providing any assistance we can.”
Kevon Looney, the center for the Golden State Warriors, was raised in the Running Rebels program.
Golden State Warriors big man Kevon Looney is probably the most famous Running Rebels alum. He entered the program in the second grade and attended tutoring sessions two or three times a week. When he got to high school, he started tutoring students. Once he reached the NBA, he donated money to the program and helped with the Running Rebel’s initiatives.
“We are coaching youth through their transition to adulthood,” Dawn Barnett said. “Not all young people are going to go to college. Some want to pick up a trade. Some want to go to a two-year school. Some want to enter directly into the workforce. So, Running Rebels wants to provide whatever young people need to be successful in their transition. Pipeline to Promise does just that.”
To learn more about the Running Rebels, click here.
