March 2026

Welcome to the March 2026 Lunchtime Learning with D’Markus Thomas-Brown

PowerPoint

Handouts

Topic: “Reducing/Preventing Youth Violence by Effective Community Enrichment”

Discussion: This presentation explores recent events and conversations surrounding youth violence. ‘It takes the whole village’ has been a major thread in community involvement and support of children, but we now understand the importance of the ‘village being healthy, wholesome, and in unity’ for the welfare of its youth. What, if any, impact has the national climate had on youth temperament? What might be systems to help to counteract and/or prevent violence enacted by and suffered by youth?

Speaker Bio: D’Markus is currently the Administrator for the Office of Violence Prevention at the City of Columbia. He previously served as the Managing Director for in2Action and as the Director of the Recovery Support & Reentry Opportunity Center (ROC) in Columbia, MO. He currently serves with the Boone County Overdose Response Coalition, the Central Missouri Recovery Coalition (CMRC), and the Mid-Missouri CIT Council. He is a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) and a Harm Reduction Trainer with the Missouri Credentialing Board (MCB). He graduated from Columbia College with his Master's in Business Administration (MBA). He is an ordained minister who also serves as a Co-founding pastor of Confluence Church. He is married and has 2 young children who keep him on his toes.