Christopher Foye, The College of New Rochelle

Christopher Foye, a Communications major at The College of New Rochelle, started the Christopher S. Owens Foundation in honor of his son who was shot and killed by a stray bullet on April 26, 2009. The Christopher S. Owens Foundation is a non-profit organization that advocates against gun violence in marginalized neighborhoods. The Foundation provides youth with community resources, financial literacy programs, alternatives to violence via annual basketball tournaments, job creation programs, internships, and empowerment programs to improve the development and quality of their lives. This February, Christopher attended congressional hearings on gun violence, meeting First Lady Michelle Obama and New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. As director and producer at BRIC Art Media and through the foundation’s website, film and television networks, Christopher has created a platform to give victims and survivors of gun violence opportunities to tell their stories. This year, Christopher continues to build the foundation, planning a memorial scholarship awards dinner, a basketball tournament organized with other nonprofits, and a holiday toy drive in partnership with The College of New Rochelle. A new program, called The First Responders, is being developed this year, a community-based resource for community leaders to deal with incidents of gun violence.