Coordinator Efrain Cotto, Jr.

The School District of Philadelphia

I have known personally Evangelist Joey Perez for over 28 years. His brother, a graduate of the class of 1974, at Edison High School died in his arms, within 8 months of his graduation, as a victim of gang turf war. This hardened Joey’s heart as a school dropout and avowed to avenge his brother’s death. Joey became a gang leader and a drug dealer in the North Philadelphia community where your school is located. For many years he terrorized the neighbors and shop owners. He recruited and trained gang members and had a great following of misfits and delinquents…until the day he met a higher power.

In dialogues I’ve had with him, he has expressed a deep desire to speak to young people, advising them through the testimony of his own life about the self-destructive force of revenge and violence. As a minister of the Gospel, Joey has developed shelters and halfway houses to assist many that want to leave drugs, alcohol and gang life.

Please read the book I’m sending with this letter and extend to him an invitation to speak to your school assemblies. While Brother Perez is most powerful in his sharing of his testimony, he is mindful of the “Separation of Church-State” clause and will not breach it in his presentation in school hours.

Let me know how to best I can help this cause. Our youth needs to hear this witness. I am confident he will impact positively with his real life story the whole school, especially those that are on the verge of joining local gangs.

Efrain Cotto, Jr.