Our stories.
By Aman Rahman
Monté Streeter- El
Growing up in the heart of North St. Louis, Monté was all too familiar with the daily struggles of navigating violence and poverty in his community. Later in life, Monté’s family moved to North County in hopes of finding more security. Being a resident of both St. Louis City and the County allowed him to witness violence and hatred in both communities, which he felt was important to change.
After serving time in federal prison, Monté returned home in 2008, a single father of five, dedicated to raising and mentoring his children. In 2015, his oldest son was murdered, a loss that altered the course of his life once more. This tragedy further ignited a desire to help others caught in the same cycle of violence.
Now, Monté works as a Site Supervisor in The Ville neighborhood with SHOW ME PEACE, mentoring the youth and guiding them away from violence. For proper mediation, Monté explains that it is important to make connections and relationships based on trust and understanding. In many ways, his work goes beyond violence mediation. It also can connect youth to opportunities once they are off the streets. Community centers and local businesses that SHOW ME PEACE has connected with will often hire participants that have reoriented their life toward making better choices.
Monté hopes to reduce the amount of crime that occurs in North St. Louis, using his life story to inspire change. As a mentor, he wants to drive home the point that you can be different and do not have to engage in criminal behavior daily to survive.
Markus “Tank” Haskins
Born and raised in Dutchtown, St. Louis, Markus, also known as “Tank,” has experienced both the vibrant sense of community, and the challenges of crime and violence. A victim of violence himself, Tank has used his experiences as the impetus to create change within himself and now to give back to the neighborhood he feels deeply connected to.
His commitment to bettering the community inspired him to create “Marquette Community Day,” an event aimed at connecting the neighborhood. His passion for connection and empowerment led him to SHOW ME PEACE.
In his role as a violence interrupter, he engages the community through canvassing and addresses violent instances, taking direct action on the ground.
Trust is a critical component of his work and Tank has established himself as a community leader by sharing his story of transformation, earning credibility within the very community he is passionately committed to.
“I made a transformation within myself, within my community. And that transition made it to where I have a voice.”
Tank hopes for a future where individuals experiencing challenges find healthier ways of resolving conflicts and believes that education and confidence are key, especially for the youth.
“Reeducating the youth is a big factor in my work. It's trying to get the youth to understand who they are,” Tank says. “One of my goals for my participants and for my community is to find another strategic way to resolve their frustrations besides using violence.”
Calvinetta Favron
When Calvinetta Favron first came to us, she was dealing with personal challenges that weighed heavily on her mental health. During this time, she also began volunteering with SHOW ME PEACE (SMP) after attending one of their community events.
Through her involvement with us, she found more than just a place to volunteer—she found the support she had long been searching for. The organization helped her connect with a therapist and secure stable housing. “I’ve experienced major growth since I first started. It’s overwhelming at times,” Calvinetta shared, reflecting on how the program became a foundation for her well-being.
As Calvinetta became more involved with SMP, her role as a volunteer soon turned into a part-time staff role as a violence interrupter, where Calvinetta now uses her natural ability to create peace to help others in the community," Calvinetta says. I always step in because I believe this is what we need in the world today." She feels respected within the community and finds that people often value her opinion, which is how she has built trust.
For Calvinetta, she hopes to become a full-time violence interrupter because she has found her passion in this work and feels deeply connected to SMP.
“Sometimes I cry because I was kind of written off by my own family and SMP has become my new family.”
Reginald “CAT” Beasley
Reginald Beasley, also known as CAT, began his journey as a peacemaker in an unexpected place: federal prison. Growing up in East St. Louis, CAT was no stranger to the violence that grips so many communities. During his incarceration, he found himself in a unique position: conflict mediation between gangs. He was appointed Commissioner of Recreation and united the community by organizing sports tournaments and competitions. This sparked his passion for violence intervention work, leading him to us at Mission: St. Louis.
As a violence interrupter, CAT’s job is to pinpoint individuals that are at high risk of engaging in violent crime. His approach is simple yet powerful: he meets people with peace, love, and a handshake, sharing his own story to inspire change. He also utilizes this opportunity to introduce individuals to the programs offered by Mission: St. Louis.
“I find them, I mentor them, I befriend them, and we mediate beef,” CAT explains. “That comes with engaging the community, being out there in the community, befriending them.”
Even if the change is not immediately visible, the impact of the work CAT and other SHOW ME PEACE members are doing is undeniable as it is building the foundation for lasting peace. CAT shares that he is often greeted with smiles, acknowledgment, and words of encouragement in the neighborhoods he works in.
“The first thing they say is, ‘We like what y'all doing. We glad y'all out of it.’ They also call us when things are going on.”
“Molly” Burns-Baxley
Growing up on the Northside of St. Louis and moving to the Southside at the age of 14, Molly has always been drawn towards serving the community she grew up in, especially after witnessing the differences in safety. Molly attended Harris-Stowe University, studying Sociology which further solidified her desire to work in spaces dedicated to social change.
Molly’s journey with SHOW ME PEACE began in early 2024, when she was introduced to the program by Wes, a violence interrupter, who recognized her background and deep passion for community service.
In her role as a resource specialist in Dutchtown, Molly connects people to resources and advocates on their behalf to ensure proper support. Her work is driven by a powerful sense of purpose.
“My main motivation is being able to say I am serving the community that I grew up in. I just want to see people that I grew up with do better.”
Molly reflects on her own childhood, recalling the freedom and joy she felt sitting outside on her porch, relishing the simplicities of childhood. Now, her commitment to SHOW ME PEACE is driven by a desire to inspire the restoration of safe spaces where children can experience that same sense of safety and freedom, that is vital for their growth.
“I desperately want the next generation to feel as safe and free as I did sitting on the front porch, jumping rope or simply enjoying the day worry-free as kids.”
Tyra “Norky” Lewis
Tyra “Norky” Lewis was seven years old when she witnessed her mother’s boyfriend get murdered in their living room. This moment, along with countless others in her youth, shattered her childhood, forcing her to mature much too quickly. “Violence for me didn’t start in the community—it started at home,” Tyra explains. While growing up in this environment, Tyra had to make tough decisions, even ones she was not particularly proud of, simply to survive.
“That’s the game that I know,” Trya explains. “Yeah I know it, but do I want to know it? No. But how else am I gonna eat? Because we were hungry.”
When Tyra was first introduced to SHOW ME PEACE (SMP) by another member, she was met with the support and stability she was seeking. “SMP makes you feel welcome, makes you feel loved,” Tyra explains.
Her experiences are a testament to the importance of this program and reflect her dedication to creating safe spaces. “We need programs like SMP to help people because a lot of times they don’t know that these resources are available,” Tyra explains. “They don't know that there’s help and that someone will listen.”
Recognizing her own struggles during her youth, Trya hopes that younger generations can evade this cycle of violence. “Peace is everything and all of our children deserve to grow old and live life without the fear of violence.”