Our team.

FOUNDER

TJ's life is a testament to resilience and transformation. After enduring a turbulent upbringing filled with abuse and bullying, TJ was expelled from school and homeless by the age of 15, drawn into a life of crime and violence. His story is one of survival, having lived through gang involvement, addiction, and brushes with death, including multiple stabbings and a near-fatal drive-by shooting. At his lowest point, facing a 10-year prison sentence and an unsuccessful suicide attempt, TJ made the decision to turn his life around.

Today, TJ is a leader at Gloves Not Guns where he developed the impactful program for at-risk youth in Calgary, successfully steering them away from criminality and gang involvement. In partnership with law enforcement, corrections, academia, and various nonprofits, TJ’s work has reached 75 youth in just nine months, with particular success in connecting with marginalized groups such as the homeless, addicts, and incarcerated individuals.

Through his leadership, TJ is not only a role model for those overcoming adversity but also a driving force behind efforts to heal and uplift his community. His goal is to help young people avoid the dangerous paths he once walked and become the best versions of themselves.

LEAD FACILITATOR

Kale Barr is a Canadian artist and poet from Calgary, Alberta, whose work delves deeply into themes of pain, resilience, and transformation. His raw, unapologetic creations reflect a life shaped by violence, loss, and self-discovery.

A former hockey enforcer, Kale’s career abruptly ended after a severe knee injury, leaving him vulnerable to destructive influences. By 19, he was entrenched in the criminal world, selling drugs and using his imposing 6-foot-3 frame to enforce gang rules. Violence became routine until an assault charge in 2016 forced him to sever ties with his gang and begin rebuilding his life.

Kale’s journey of healing began with painting and poetry, which allowed him to process his trauma and rediscover his identity. His art, now displayed internationally in Germany, Poland, and Miami, transforms his pain into powerful storytelling and has connected with audiences worldwide.

Today, Kale is channeling his experiences to help others by working with Gloves Not Guns, a boxing mentorship program dedicated to steering at-risk youth away from gangs, drugs, and violence. Through mentorship, fitness, and his own life story, Kale provides young people with the guidance and hope needed to create a better future.

Kale Barr’s art and advocacy stand as a powerful testament to the strength of redemption and the ability to turn hardship into purpose.

MENTOR | SPEAKER

Sajid Khandoker’s story is one of resilience and redemption.
Growing up in a violent, unstable home, he endured years of abuse before attempting to take his own life at 14. By 16, his path led to a 2022 arrest on serious charges, facing the possibility of life in prison. Determined to change, Sajid focused on self-improvement, finishing high school, and becoming a positive influence in custody. His progress earned him one of Alberta’s rare early releases after just two years.

His turning point came through Gloves Not Guns, where TJ saw his potential. With mentorship and discipline, Sajid found purpose and began speaking to youth about hope and transformation. Once disruptive in custody, he grew into a leader, showing others that change was possible.

Now 19 and a second-generation immigrant, Sajid relates deeply to marginalized youth facing cycles of violence and insecurity. As a student at the University of Calgary pursuing Psychology, he balances academics with public speaking, using his past not as a burden but as a tool to connect with at-risk youth.

His message is simple: if he can turn his life around, so can they. Through honesty, mentorship, and lived experience, Sajid is breaking cycles—one conversation at a time.

MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE

El is a survivor of hardship who turned his pain into purpose. Born in Trinidad and raised in Toronto, he grew up in a close-knit family until mental health struggles deeply impacted his household. While his mother battled bipolar disorder and depression, his father worked overtime to provide for the household and his brother was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, El began to disconnect and fall into neighborhood politics. His choices led him down a path of violence, criminal charges, incarceration, and even being shot.

Behind bars, El experienced a turning point. Through reading, self-reflection, and discipline, he reshaped his mindset and began building a new life. That transformation carried him forward, eventually leading him to Edmonton where he purchased a home, relocated his family and established himself as a self-employed professional.

Today, El is the founder of Our Mental Matters, a mental health platform dedicated to creating “a light space for heavy topics”. His work focuses on providing education, awareness, and breaking the stigma around mental health through workshops and tools that help people recognize signs, symptoms, triggers, and trauma. He now shares his story to inspire youth and adults affected by gangs, addiction, violence, and abandonment, proving that change is always possible no matter where you start.