Two boys, just 13 and 14 years old, felt they needed a gun to survive. Months later, both were executed—killed over a stolen weapon.
A 16-year-old, on track for college and success, visits his mom for the weekend. In one moment, she baits him into a fight—and he ends up beating her drug dealer to death.
Just blocks away, a little girl was taken from her home by DHS after suffering abuse that no child should endure.
These are not isolated tragedies. They are symptoms of a deeper crisis of violence and trauma in Pulaski County and across Arkansas.
In this episode, Executive Director Drew Davis of Every Arkansan shares stories of heartbreak and hope. Nearly 20 years ago, Davis walked away from a career in investment banking to knock on doors along Martin Luther King Drive in Little Rock. “I didn’t know what to do,” he said, “but I knew I had to do something.”
Every Arkansan runs afterschool programs, feeding initiatives, and family support services. The organization connects parents to housing, jobs, education, and even the court system.
“Poverty isn’t just a lack of stuff,” Davis explains. “It’s a lack of relationships." He says the answer lies in connecting families to resources so they can thrive.
Despite heartbreaking losses, Davis says what keeps him going are the small wins, like the story of a boy three grade levels behind in reading. A volunteer showed up every day for a year to read with him. Within months, the boy was reading above grade level and teaching others.
“One man’s consistency changed everything,” Davis said. “That’s what hope looks like.”
To change that future, Every Arkansan is also piloting a new school. META 24 is designed for students who struggle in traditional classrooms. The curriculum uses hands-on, entrepreneurial learning. Kids design products, learn business skills, and see real results.
For Davis, collaboration is the key to reducing violence in Pulaski County. “We worry too much about who gets the credit,” he said. “When no one’s worried about that, miracles can happen.”
“If we don’t have hope,” Davis says, “these kids won’t either.”
Smart Justice is a magazine, podcast, and continuing news coverage from the nonprofit Restore Hope and covers the pursuit of better outcomes on justice system-related issues, such as child welfare, incarceration, and juvenile justice. Our coverage is solutions-oriented, focusing on the innovative ways in which communities are solving issues and the lessons that have been learned as a result of successes and challenges.
The podcast is available on all major podcasting platforms.
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