Leroy G W BeanPastor Leroy Bean was appointed as Bermuda's first-ever Gang Violence Reduction Coordinator. He is an ordained bishop, pastor, and counselor. He is also the founder of Transfiguration Ministries Church, Transfiguration Safe House for substance abuser, and the anti-violence organization C.A.R.T.E.L., which is an acronym for Challenging and Reclaiming the True Essence of Life. He is the author of a previous publication, "The Garden Within: A Place of Covenant Relationship." Pastor Bean has spoken both locally and internationally in places such as South Africa, Eastern Europe, Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, Canada, Polynesian Islands, and extensively through Northern America. As one that certainly is no foreigner to the criminal underworld and having once participated in such nefarious activities Pastor Leroy G. W. Bean 246 himself, he shares his testimony of how he was transformed and thrust into this arena. At the tender age of 13, he lost his maternal grandfather, with whom he lived, to murder. As his journey continued, he witnessed the shooting and murder of other close family members, which compelled him to make a difference. Pastor Bean says he did not choose this pathway, it chose him. He goes on to say "this is not a job, but a Call; for the Call equips you with the passion, vision, and strategy to carry out the work. A Call gives you the ability to rise above your critics and to focus on the task at hand." Pastor Bean currently holds a B.A. in Christian Counseling and Addiction, a Master's degree in Family Counseling and a second Master's in Government Public Policy, as well as a certificate in Law with a plethora of other certifications from gang specialist to Restorative Justice Train the Trainer, to name a few. Pastor Bean believes it is time for us as a country to address the root cause that has influenced and shaped our Island, Bermuda, for too long. He invites you to join him on this journey by reading this gripping, yet revelatory book called Gang Violence Is by Design: Exposing the Lie. Read More Read Less