Let’s create something meaningful together.
Guns Down Gloves Up
MIKE FORD
Michael Ford stands as the visionary Founder and President of Guns Down Gloves Up, a transformative nonprofit organization serving the State of Indiana and expanding its impact across the United States. Driven by an unwavering commitment to community healing, Mr. Ford established this pioneering initiative to address the profound need for comprehensive support in communities devastated by gun violence.
Hi, I’m Mike Ford, the Founder of GUNS DOWN GLOVES UP for the State of Indiana and the USA. My mission is to serve our community one child at a time and help stop gun violence. My efforts are carried out through boxing programs, mental health services, and substance abuse reentry resources.
Mr. Ford founded Guns Down Gloves Up in response to the daily trauma he witnessed in his community — seeing families grieving the loss of loved ones to senseless violence and recognizing the critical need for accessible healing resources. His organization provides essential counseling services for both direct and indirect victims of violence, creating structured pathways for community healing and personal transformation.
Founder & President
ONNA JONES
Onna Jones is a dedicated community leader whose heart beats for the empowerment and upliftment of others. While widely recognized as the President of Queen Vibes Indy, where she fosters mentorship, leadership development, and safe spaces for women seeking new beginnings, her passion for service extends to a pivotal partnership with the impactful initiative, Guns Down Gloves Up (GDGU).
As an Advocate and Referral Specialist bridging both organizations, Onna plays a crucial role in addressing the need for healing and transformation among individuals and families impacted by violence. She actively directs and refers women from her network who have been affected by gun violence to GDGU’s conflict resolution classes, youth mentorship programs, and positive behavioral change initiatives. Her work strengthens outreach, fosters unity, and ensures that women’s empowerment remains central to the shared mission of building safer, stronger communities.
Onna embodies love in action, consistently going above and beyond to meet the needs of others. With her nurturing spirit, fierce dedication, and unwavering commitment, she continues to inspire change, spread kindness, and create a lasting impact that transforms lives and strengthens communities.
Community Leader & Advocate for Change
Cheif Executive for Structural Development and AdvocacyNallely Garcia Nava serves as the Chief Executive for Structural Development and Advocacy at Guns Down, Gloves Up, where she combines her expertise in organizational development with specialized mental health training to drive community transformation. In this pivotal role, she provides strategic direction to ensure that funding opportunities and community partnerships are maximized to support programs that create lasting impact in violence prevention and youth empowerment.
Her professional qualifications include QPR Certification for suicide prevention and specialized trauma certificates, equipping her with essential tools to address the mental health challenges faced by individuals affected by violence. These certifications enhance her ability to develop programs that not only address immediate safety concerns but also provide comprehensive support for healing and resilience.
Nallely focuses on aligning organizational initiatives with Guns Down, Gloves Up’s mission of transforming lives — offering participants a pathway from the streets to the ring, where they can channel their energy into discipline, resilience, and purpose. Her structural development expertise ensures that the organization’s boxing, mentorship, and educational programs are built on solid foundations that support long-term community impact.
nallely garcia nava
latonya jackson
BOARD MEMBER & SECRETARY
LaTonya Jackson brings over 26 years of dedicated medical experience to her role as Board Member and Secretary of Guns Down Gloves Up, a conflict resolution initiative that resonates deeply with her personal journey and professional calling. As a proud mother of three adult children, she has built her life around nurturing and protecting others, both in her healthcare career and community service.
Her commitment to violence prevention stems from profound personal experience, having survived a domestic violence relationship that profoundly shaped her understanding of the importance of conflict resolution and community safety. This lived experience fuels her passionate advocacy for helping children and others stay safe while achieving their goals.
MARQUITA BERRY
EA-Treasurer, Guns Down Gloves Up
Marquita Berry serves as Treasurer of Guns Down Gloves Up, where she leverages her extensive financial expertise to ensure the organization’s fiscal health and sustainability in the fight against gun violence. As a licensed Enrolled Agent and founder of Supreme Tax Team and The Trillion Wealth Syndicate®, she brings over 20 years of financial empowerment experience and more than a decade of IRS expertise to support the organization’s mission of creating safer communities.
Personal Commitment to the Mission Marquita’s dedication to Guns Down, Gloves Up stems from profound personal experience with gun violence that has scarred her life since her freshman year of high school. She has endured the devastating loss of a longtime friend, family members, and classmates whose lives were cut short by violence — faces she grew up with who never got the chance to grow up. When this same violence later touched her children, their friends, and classmates, she recognized the urgent need to act. She chose to use her voice, talent, and influence to ignite change, joining Guns Down, Gloves Up to channel pain into purpose and create real solutions that empower communities to live, grow, and thrive safely.
Financial Stewardship for Community Impact In her role as Treasurer, Marquita provides strategic financial oversight that enables Guns Down, Gloves Up to maximize its impact in violence prevention and community healing. Her expertise in tax resolution, credit building, and asset protection helps ensure the organization’s resources are managed effectively and sustainably. She applies the same principles of financial justice and empowerment that guide her professional work to support the nonprofit’s growth and stability.
Bridging Financial Security and Public Safety Marquita’s understanding of the connection between financial stability and community safety directly serves Guns Down, Gloves Up’s holistic approach to violence prevention. Her advocacy for affordable housing as a public safety cornerstone aligns with the organization’s mission to create safe spaces and stable environments where individuals can heal and thrive. By ensuring the organization’s financial health, she helps maintain programs that address both the immediate and root causes of violence in underserved communities.
Cherie “REE” Dickerson
Born in Seattle, Washington, and later planting roots in Indianapolis, Cherie “Ree” Dickerson stands as the visionary founder of Queen Vibes (QV) Nation — a thriving movement that has expanded to five chapters across the following states: Seattle, Washington; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; all of Florida; and Indianapolis, Indiana. Her dedication to women’s empowerment has created transformative spaces where every woman feels loved, seen, and heard.
In her collaborative role with Guns Down Gloves Up, Ree serves as a Community Advocate and Referral Specialist, bridging the vital connection between Queen Vibes Nation’s empowerment mission and Guns Down Gloves Up’s conflict resolution initiatives. Through this partnership, she directs and refers women from QV Indy who have been impacted by gun violence to Guns Down Gloves Up’s classes, providing them with essential support and pathways to healing.
FOUNDER, QUEEN VIBES NATION & COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
CHAIR, DUNS DOWN GLOVES UP
ANITRA KENDRICK
Anitra Kendrick serves as Chair of Guns Down Gloves Up, a non-profit community-based organization dedicated to reducing gun violence and supporting families impacted by loss. In this leadership role, she provides guidance and oversight to the organization’s mission of creating safer communities through conflict resolution and violence prevention initiatives.
As Chair, Anitra’s responsibilities include presiding over board meetings, facilitating strategic discussions, and helping coordinate the organization’s community outreach efforts. She supports the implementation of programs that promote healing and provide constructive alternatives to violence, working alongside other board members to advance Guns Down Gloves Up’s impact in the community.
