STR8 UP is a street gang outreach program based out of Saskatoon that offers support to those who are living or have lived the criminal lifestyle.
In May of 2018, they hosted a Provincial Gang Strategy Forum to brainstorm ways to end gang activities in communities across Saskatchewan.
STR8 UP hosted an interactive presentation at the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre in La Ronge this afternoon to bring new approaches to the tri-communities to help terminate gang activities.
Around 100 people attended the meeting, including Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, La Ronge mayor Ron Woytowich and Air Ronge mayor Gordon Stomp.
Each leader took a turn at the microphone explaining what issues are important to their community. All of them spoke to the recent gang activity in Lac La Ronge when a five-year-old was injured during a drive by shooting.
STR8 UP member, Debby Waskewitch joined a gang when she was 13 years old. She addressed the crowd telling her story of addiction and time in prison.
Waskewitch explained that in previous years, gang members had an unspoken rule that they would not conduct a home invasion or do a drive-by shooting if they knew that there were children were present.
She added that those days are gone, and that now gang members don’t care who may be in the line of fire.
Her audience gave her a sincere round of applause when she stated she is a recovering addict and has been clean for one year and three weeks.
Typically, a gang has a colour that they associate with. Dave Shanks of STR8 UP asked the crowd if they are aware of the different colours that are connected to different gangs, and almost every colour was shouted out.
Members are expected to follow a set of conditions at STR8 UP starting with, ‘dropping your colours’, which refers to disassociating with the colour that their gang identifies with.
The other conditions require members to deal with their addictions, be honest, be humble and give STR8 UP four years of dedication.
“Leadership needs to do some listening to the community members,” explained NDP MLA Doyle Vermette. “Then the leaders have to act on that. Hopefully the leadership will work together as the tri-community.”
Chief Cook-Searson noted that it is not a secret that gangs are very active in the tri-communities.
“It’s all of us needing to work together with all of the different agencies,” says Chief Cook-Searson on creating a solution to the gang activity. “We all have to work together regardless of who we are or where we come from.”
Co-founder of STR8 UP, Stan Tu’Inukuafe said that they were not in town to create a STR8 UP program in La Ronge since each community has unique requirements to create a solution.
“What La Ronge needs will be much different than what Saskatoon needs,” he states.
They conducted the presentation to show support to a community struggling with gang activity and to support those who want to leave the criminal lifestyle.
“We are here to support those who want to give back to the communities that they took so much from,” says Tu’Inukuafe.
STR8 UP started in the 1990’s by Father Andre who was the lead Chaplain at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre. Today, they have over 150 members who rely on STR8 UP for support and community connection.
(Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson addressing the crowd at the JRMCC. Photo by Katrina Cameron.)