About Gerald Givens Jr.
Gerald has held several senior management positions within organizations over the past three decades. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Raleigh Boots On The Ground, a community involvement and capacity building nonprofit specializing in violence prevention. Prior to Boots, Gerald was President of the Raleigh-Apex National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) branch for 4 years and vice president for two years. He joined the NAACP from St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home, a nonprofit serving hundreds of children per day who had been abused, abandoned, neglected or traveled across the U.S. border, where he was the Project Manager and Facilities Director for a $16 million, 20 acre safe and very beautiful campus.
He came to St. PJ’s via the United States Air Force, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, retired with 20 years of honorable service as a Protocol Officer in the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Agency. Gerald during his long and successful career
in the Air Force, spent half of his time in combat support and the other half in intelligence. Having spent 20 years in the Air Force, he also served in various non-profit organizations, from member to Chairman. Gerald previously owned two small businesses, while serving as the Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce. He is a trusted advisor to commercial enterprises, institutions, and community leaders worldwide.
Gerald is currently President of the Rotary Club of All Nations and Treasurer of the North Carolina Second Chance Community Development Corporation and a Board member of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, North Carolina Transit Workers, and Activate Good. He has studied at the Art Institute of San Antonio, Air University, Lincoln University (HBCU) and Gaylor Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
He has lost seven family members to gun violence over his lifetime, including his grandfather, uncle, brother, and four cousins. Most recently his two-year-old cousin Israel had access to his father’s firearm and accidentally took his own life.
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Violence prevention is not something that can be done by some of us. It has to be taken on head first by all of us. Get involved in a growing movement of dedicated volunteers that are constructing safer, healthier homes, schools, and communities for our children.