Otis Lyons A.K.A. “Vegas Don” is a former leader of one of the most ruthless street gangs in Durham, North Carolina history, the North Durham Vice. Otis and some former members of the group recently established an alliance of change for the new generation. Lyons has created this collaboration through a preventative program dubbed Campaign4Change, where he serves as president and founder.

Campaign4Change is an anti-gang, crime and drug diversion production. Vegas Don stated, “I do it basically, to save lives. You know I was a gang banga too. You know I sold drugs, so I know that ain’t the route to go, so I’m just trying to save as many lives as I can.”

Vegas Don is far too familiar with the “School of Hard Knocks” and its repercussions. According to Lyons, “All my life people use to tell me that I would never amount to anything. Amazingly, I still managed to graduate. My only reason for doing so was to grant my grandmother’s only wish of me. Back then graduation was a very big accomplishment, especially to the older generations. To my disappointment, my grandmother died on the same morning of my graduation. I was devastated and extremely furious but most of all mad at God. That night I vowed to hurt anyone that crossed my path.”

As a young teen, Otis embarked on gang involvement, drug dealings, drive-by shootings and armed robberies. Living that John Gotti and Al Capone type of life style proved to be anything but rewarding, and ultimately resulted in a thirty-year (30 yr.) prison bid. While in prison, Lyons appealed his conviction after researching laws, statutes and individual right violations that occurred during his arrest and sentencing. Subsequently he was only required to serve five (5) years of his thirty-year (30 yr.) sentence.

During those five (5) years, Otis began to slowly turn his life around. Otis believes that God touched him in his last year of incarceration. During that year God showed Vegas a vision to bestow upon the current youth that are living the same lifestyle he once lived. He wanted to develop an effective alternative to those youth and redirect them from a life of crime, particularly dealing drugs, robbing, stealing and killing.

Campaign4Change relies on the influence, popularity and the culture of hip-hop to attract kids to their message. “Campaign4Change” is a combination of spoken word, musical acts and some real life situations simulated through interactive youth role-playing. Otis uses his connection with Phatnum Entertainment to bring pro boxers, such as Head Banga and musical entertainers including Lil’ Mac and Blaaz to make sure that his intervention messages resonate effectively.

Lyons hopes that Campaign4Change will prove to be a positive outlet for youth, particularly, at-risk youth between the ages of thirteen (13) and sixteen (16). Hip-hop pioneer Big Daddy Kane states, “I believe in what he’s trying to do because, I think it is important that someone makes an effort to reach out to touch the youth and I feel that this brother is the right person to do it.”