As U.S. Gun Deaths Surge Past 47,000, Two Cultural Icons Turn Their Platforms Into Proven Community Solutions - Made for This Moment

September 25, 2025 at 13:07 PM EDT

Farley Flex Nwaigbo, original Canadian Idol judge, and Roderick Brereton, Juno Award-winning co-producer, bring their journeys together to lead Urban Rez Solutions in breaking cycles of violence and incarceration

Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2025) - With the United States facing more than 47,000 firearm deaths in the last year and more than two-thirds of prison releases ending in rearrest, Urban Rez Solutions Social Enterprise arrives at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) with a powerful message: cycles of violence and incarceration can be broken.

Urban Rez is led by two influencers whose careers began in culture and music and have converged in service to the community. Farley Flex Nwaigbo, best known as an original judge on the hit show Canadian Idol and a long-time cultural influencer, has spent decades using his platform to amplify Black voices, promote equity, and create opportunities for young people. Alongside him, Roderick Brereton, co-producer of a Juno Award-winning reggae album, has long combined artistry with mentorship, translating the lessons of resilience into the design of prevention and reintegration programs.

"Entertainment gave us platforms, but community gave us purpose," said FlexFarley Flex Nwaigbo. "This is about taking the visibility we had in music and television and turning it into tangible results that save lives."

Brereton added: "Our work proves what's possible. In our Inside-Out program, we see only a 4-6% recidivism rate, compared to national averages above 60%. In our R.E.A.L. School, we see a 93% graduation rate. These are not theories — they are outcomes."

Urban Rez will exhibit at the ALC for the first time, presenting a continuum of programs — from youth mentorship and conflict intervention to reintegration and wellness — that are Made for This Moment.

About Urban Rez Social Enterprise

Urban Rez Solutions Social Enterprise is a Black-led organization with more than 40 years of collective experience addressing systemic inequities in justice, employment, and community safety. Programs include Inside-Out (correctional facility programming and reintegration support), Street Entrepreneurs (Black community entrepreneurship development), Safe 6iX (community mobile outreach), An Ounce of Prevention (early intervention), JustThink 1st (digital anti violence campaigns) and Say It Loud (youth empowerment), R.E.A.L. School (reality education applied life skills, 93% graduation rate), MentorMe (career mentorship), OutFit ( clothing for court, jobs and for returning citizens), Urban Rez Medica (health care/wellness), and Beyond Bars (In partnership with Penguin Random House a digital literary publishing platform for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated persons).

Urban Rez equips people and communities with tools to prevent violence, support reintegration, and build pathways to stability.

For media inquiries or to schedule interviews, contact:

BrandEQ Agency
Nadine Spencer
Email: pr@brandeq.com | Phone: 917 858 1980

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(Left) Farley Flex Nwaigbo, Co Executive Director; (Centre) Roderick Brereton, Co Executive Director; (Right) Farley Flex, Canadian Idol

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Media Contact:
Nadine Spencer
BrandEQ Agency
Tel: 917 858 1980
Email: nadine@brandeq.com

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As U.S. Gun Deaths Surge Past 47,000, Two Cultural Icons Turn Their Platforms Into Proven Community Solutions - Made for This Moment

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