Kiwanis Vilella

Kiwanis Vilella is a nationally recognized advocate in the areas of both substance use disorders and violence interruption. Kiwanis currently assists in running the Metro Youth Diversion Center, managing a team that works directly with youth on the streets of Minneapolis with the goal of reducing justice involvement and offering alternatives to incarceration. Kiwanis has lived experience with incarceration and uses this to create a bridge between himself and the communities he works with. Kiwanis also has 13 years of recovery behind him, and, as part of his role in street outreach, works tirelessly to connect people with treatment options and peer support. He is a dedicated father to his sons Quincy and Ervin.