Complicated Times

This morning, Gossips received an email from the Staley B. Keith Social Justice Center announcing their "State of Our Community" event, which will take place on Sunday, October 9. The theme of the event is "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" The keynote speaker is Dr. Richard Smith, whose bio, which follows, was provided.

Richard Smith’s story is one of trauma and triumph. His father was murdered before he was born. His mother struggled financially and emotionally as a single parent, his childhood chaotic, unstable and often frightening. He suffered childhood physical and sexual abuse and constant home insecurity. Depressed and traumatized, he failed two consecutive grades, was tracked into special education before dropping out of school in the 9th grade. He found comfort in his relationships with other wounded youth who shared his pain and anger. Displaced rage evolved into a criminal lifestyle. In and out of county jails, he was eventually sentenced to a 10-year bid in state prison at the age of 21.

A failed suicide attempt precipitated an emotional and spiritual awakening. He emerged transformed, with a new set of values and moral principles. He replaced his anger and rage with a “fear of ignorance,” determined to use the potential everyone told him he had.

Richard would earn his GED in prison and matriculated in the Boston University Prison Education Program and earned his BA cum laude within a year of his release. He went on to complete a MA in Africana Studies from the State University of New York at Albany (UAlbany). He is currently a doctoral student, working on a Ph.D. in Social Welfare at UAlbany. 

Richard has touched thousands of lives as a sought-after motivational speaker, workshop leader, and guest lecturer at colleges and universities. His message is that rage and antisocial behaviors are self-destructive adaptations to toxic and malnourished environments. Richard hopes to interrupt the cycle [of] such adaptations, by offering young people a different choice. He is the Director of Liberty Partnerships Program, a drop-prevention program that serves nearly 300 students.

He is the very proud father of two energetic sons, Kaleb and Kaden.

This evening, the Hudson Police Department announced on its Facebook page that Quintin Cross, executive director of SBK, had been arrested, accused of the unauthorized use of a debit card to withdraw more than $3,000 from someone's checking account. The press release, as it appeared on the HPD Facebook page, follows:

QUINTIN E. CROSS, 33 yrs. old, of Hudson was arrested today on charges of Grand Larceny 4th (E felony).

At about 1:06 pm Hudson Police Detective located CROSS sitting in his vehicle on North 5th Street. He was arrested without incident.

The charges stem from a Hudson citizen's complaint when she discovered large sums of money missing from one of her checking accounts. She showed documentation of over $3000 dollars removed from her account via a debit card. Hudson Police were joined by Investigators from the New York State Police, as various transactions occurred outside the city. The number of transactions and total amount of money stolen is still under investigation and other charges are pending. Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka assisted in this case.

QUINTIN E. CROSS is listed today on the Staley B. Keith Social Justice Center website as their "Executive Director." Former Executive Director Cederic Fulton was arrested on February 3, 2016 for stabbing another individual with a knife after an argument spilled into State Street.

CROSS was arraigned in front of City Court Judge John Connors and remanded to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $3,500 dollars bail.

"This is a pretty straight forward case. We are preparing for trial. Our victim claims under no circumstances did this individual have any permission, expressed or implied, to use her ATM card." Chief Moore

"This is no surprise. Given his track record, it was only a matter of time for this wannabe activist and so-called leader to prove once again who he really is and what he really stands for." Police Commissioner Gary Graziano