Steve Gates is Founder and CEO of Reimaging Roseland Community Collaboration (R2C2), a place-based initiative in a community he has lived in his entire life. R2C2 is a collective of experts in healing, education, violence prevention. Justice and equity are his life’s work, and Steve has spent over 25 years doing direct service, in service of young people.  

Steve has his B.A. in Criminal Justice from Jackson State University and his M.A. in Social Work from the University of Chicago with a concentration in Violence Prevention. He previously served as Senior Manager of New Partnerships at Chicago Beyond, and as a Director at Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. where he helped launch the program in Chicago.