Warren Hardy is a dedicated youth development professional and street mediator. Born and raised in Hartford, Mr. Hardy graduated from Weaver High School in 1992. He gained valuable street knowledge in the 1990s as a member of Hartford's notorious gang, '20 Love.' Following his release from a 12-year prison sentence for racketeering and gang affiliation in 2000, Warren transformed his life and mentality from negative to positive, dedicating himself to spreading a message of empowerment and ending community violence. He began educating young men about the dangers of gang activity, moving from victim to victory, and sharing his knowledge with a passion for peace. Since his release, he volunteered for over six years in service to his community before being employed as a youth outreach intervention specialist. From 2007 to 2012, Warren Hardy led a team of first responders and served in that capacity himself to address gang violence crises in Hartford and surrounding areas with the COMPASS Peacebuilders. Mr. Hardy has received the Governor's Award for outstanding work with community residents through the Faith Works Initiative. Warren holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services from Springfield College and is the founder and CEO of H.Y.P.E. (Helping Young People Evolve). Mr. Hardy is a certified Level I Kingian Nonviolence trainer and serves on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence. Mr. Hardy has given talks and facilitated workshops at Harvard, Yale, U Conn, Columbia, Trinity College, Capital Community College, Manchester Community College, Public Schools in Hartford and surrounding towns, CREC Crossroads High School, local YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, and churches across New England and internationally. He also ran life skills groups, fatherhood groups, and other programs at prisons for youth and adults. Warren is also a part of a global organization named Narrative4, where he has trained and facilitated story exchanges that focus on empathy throughout the US
