Many may see the smiling face of Reverend Leon Kelly cheering on the Regis Jesuit basketball team, but most don’t know the story behind the smile.

Reverend Kelly has been working in gang prevention in the Denver metro area for as long as gangs have been in the region.  Kelly is the founder and executive director of Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives, the oldest anti-gang foundation in Denver.

Kelly works with youth that are exposed or associated with gang activity by creating alternative settings, working to reduce and remove gang influence within Colorado.

At this year’s annual Diversity Day, Reverend Kelly gave several presentations explaining his work with gangs, presenting the crude facts, extreme violence, and great loss that is associated.

It was moving for students to see Kelly’s passion and desire to help remove the oppression caused by gangs and how great of an impact that he has had on the Denver community.  “The Rev” has touched thousands of lives and will continue to do so through his preaching and work with Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives.

Kelly has now become a true member of the Regis Jesuit family though his dedication to the basketball team and love for the community, he truly is a Regis Jesuit and local Colorado hero.