Arthur Silky Slim Reed

Arthur “Silky Slim” Reed is a youth counselor, radio talk show host and the president of Stop The Killing, Inc. A former gang leader who was incarcerated for the first time at 14, Reed spent over 20 years between gang life and the Louisiana and California prison systems before turning his life around. His story and work as an activist has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Final Call and The Advocate. A native of Baton Rouge, he hosts the annual Stop The Killing Rally there. He has appeared as a speaker at churches, high schools, youth facilities and at college and university events including The State of the Black Youth Summit, The Hip-Hop Caucus Bayou Classic Community Meeting, and the Stop the Violence Summit at Southern University. Additionally, he teaches youth anti-violence techniques through his Life or Death mobile, a converted ambulance. Reed is the author of the 2007 book, Stop The Killing: Effective Communication Techniques to Avoid Violence and Senseless Killing.