2024 Grand Marshal: Tyrone C. Parker

Alliance of Concerned Men’s Tyrone C. Parker announced as Grand Marshals for the 19th Annual MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk and Parade on January 15, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Tyrone C. Parker is a founding member and former Executive Director of the Alliance of Concerned Men (“the Alliance”), a national and international renowned Washington, DC based nonprofit organization whose mission is to combat juvenile crime by providing life and social aptness skills to the youth of Washington, DC. In addition to his work with the Alliance, Mr. Parker has held several executive level positions throughout the District Government. During the Anthony Williams Administration, Mr. Parker served as a senior official under former D.C. Housing Authority Director David Gilmore; he was also named the Assistant Administrator for the D.C. Institution of Behavior for Youth, as well as an Intake Specialist with the D.C. Department of Corrections. Mr. Parker has and continues to lend his time and attention as a volunteer and mentor to several youth agencies throughout the city.

The event that catapulted Mr. Parker into becoming one of the area’s leading authorities in fighting juvenile crime was his orchestration of a truce between two of Washington DC’s most notoriously violent rival gangs–the “Avenue and Circle”.  The two warring factions hailed from the Benning Terrace Public Housing Development (Northeast DC). Their feud had been on-going for years but had propelled to the forefront with the untimely death of 12-year-old Darryl Hall, who was kidnapped and murdered. Many local leaders felt that such a feat could not be accomplished because of the rival’s long violent history. However, Mr. Parker and the Alliance remained steadfast and dedicated to seeing a sustainable end to the neighboring violence. Mr. Parker’s success in negotiating such an unprecedented truce not only garnered local attention and accolades, but several national print and media outlets also lauded Mr. Parker and the Alliance for their unwavering efforts.
In a tireless effort to raise awareness about juvenile justice and crime, Mr. Parker has not only sought the aid of local officials, but he has also sought the support of national leaders. He has testified on Juvenile Justice issues before former Congressman Henry Hyde (R-Ill) (former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee) and Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) (current Chair), about juvenile crime issues and solutions. He was also called upon to testify at a hearing entitled, “CSBG: Expanding Opportunities for Community and Neighborhood Partnerships” before Senator Dan Coats (R-ID), former member of the Subcommittee on Children and Families. In June 2005, Mr. Parker testified before former Congressman Tom Davis (R-ND) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) for the Committee on Government Reform at a hearing entitled “Under Fire: Does the District of Columbia’s Gun Ban Help or Hurt the Fight Against Crime, where he gave an extensive analysis of the issue. In December 2009, Mr. Parker represented the White House and the United States Justice Department as a Community Expert at a roundtable and community forum on “Responsible Fatherhood and Strong Communities”, in Atlanta, Georgia. In October 2010, Mr. Parker along with Alliance members served as Youth Violence experts at the Thurgood Marshall Memorial Fellowship Conference held in Washington, DC. The conference served as a global collaborative of experts seeking healthy results toward youth violence. Mr. Parker and the Alliance presented a myriad of views and analysis to the group of European leaders as well as provided formidable solutions to combat youth violence within their own respective countries. In August 2014, Mr. Parker, went to Kia Ukraine, to represent the United States State Department for the 50th Anniversary March on Washington D.C., led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Throughout his tenure, Mr. Parker has been featured in various media and print outlets around the world. He was profiled in the critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary “Across the River” by Hedrick Smith. He was also featured on ABC’s nationally televised special “The Power of One”; CBS’s “Eye on America” with Dan Rather, and an ABC Special with Connie Chung & Diane Sawyer, entitled “When the Whole World Was Watching,”. He has been featured in numerous editorials by the country’s leading newspapers, magazines, and journals such as the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Herald, U.S. News & World Report and Reader’s Digest magazine. Mr. Parker’s cause has not only been chronicled by the American media, but he has also received extensive international press in countries like Japan, Canada, England, and Australia. In all, media outlets, both domestic and international have recognized the commitment and valor of Mr. Parker and the Alliance of Concerned Men for their powerful impact on the lives of young men and women throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and beyond.
Mr. Parker has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and accolades. In 2002, he was selected as a “Hometown Hero” by the Washington Educational Telecommunication Association (WETA). In 2004, he was given the dubious honor of being chosen as “Washingtonian of the Year” by the Washingtonian Magazine. In 2007, Mr. Parker received the illustrious Petra Fellow Award, given to him by the Petra Foundation. This award is bestowed upon individuals who have made distinctive contributions to the rights, autonomy, and dignity of others. In 2009, Mr. Parker received the Trailblazer Award by the Universal Center for Development for his excellent work within the community. In October 2010, Mr. Parker received the coveted United States Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety. In March 2017, and in November 2019, Mr. Parker was appointed twice by Mayor Muriel Bowser to serve on the Comprehensive Homicide Elimination Strategy Task Force. In December 2020, Mr. Parker received the Marcus Mosiah Garvey Outstanding Community Service Award. In August 2022, Mr. Parker received the Community Leadership Award from One Flag Community Based Organization. January 2023, Mr. Parker received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for his lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.

Mr. Parker’s tremendous accomplishments with the Alliance has garnered him international notoriety. Prestigious delegations from countries such as Northern Ireland, Russia, Africa, and Brazil have called upon Mr. Parker for his acute expertise and capability in juvenile crime and justice. Many of these delegations have even traveled to the ACM headquarters in Washington, DC where they received in depth training and skills.

In November 2009, Mr. Parker along with the Alliance of Concerned Men launched their training manual entitled “Training Guide for Preserving Life and Intervening in Crisis in our Communities” at the United States Capitol. The guide serves as a “how-to” in tackling issues of youth violence. The “kick’ off” featured many local leaders and experts who addressed the topic of juvenile crime and its effects on the community. As a follow-up to the success of the first forum, in February 2010, Mr. Parker served as the principal organizer of the National Roundtable and Town Hall Meeting on Fatherhood & Solutions to Youth Violence which was held on the campus of the University of the District of Columbia and featured a keynote address by United States Attorney General Eric H. Holder. This forum brought together community members, practitioners, academicians, community leaders, and activist. The forum was a huge success; as a result, the issue of responsible fatherhood, a key component on President Obama’s domestic agenda, is now at forefront in the Department of Justices’ offender re-entry and crime prevention efforts. April 2019, The Alliance of Concerned Men in partnership with American University’s School of International Peace and Conflict Resolution launched the publication of the Conflict Resolution Manual.  This new cutting edge 88-page manual provides the tools for dealing with real-world issues relating to the many aspects of the conflict.

In addition to serving as Executive President to the Alliance of Concerned Men, Mr. Parker also presently serves as a member of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton Commission on Black Men and Boys (Board of Directors); Council for Court Excellence (Executive Committee); Campaign for Youth Justice (Board of Directors); Mayor Muriel Bowser the Safe and Stronger DC Advisory Committee April 2016…His reward is fulfillment!