May 21, 2025 • 35 mins
Survivors have a unique perspective that can drive meaningful change in policy. In this episode of Crime Survivors Speak, host Aswad Thomas speaks with Dion Green, a survivor of the Dayton mass shooting that claimed his father's life. Dion shares his journey from trauma to advocacy, discussing the importance of survivor resources, community healing, and the establishment of the Fudge Foundation in his father's memory. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by survivors in the aftermath of trauma, the need for support systems, and the impact of gun violence on communities. In this conversation, Dion Green shares his experiences as a survivor of gun violence and his commitment to supporting communities impacted by trauma. He emphasizes the importance of building trust within these communities, advocating for accountability in the gun industry, and the intersections of economic justice and incarceration. Dion also discusses his journey into politics as a means of making change and the significance of maintaining personal wellbeing while engaging in activism.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Welcome to Crime Survivor Speak.
My name is Aswad Thomas.
I'm the National Director of CrimeSurvivors for Safety and Justice.
We are a national network of 200,000victims of crime from across the country.
If you haven't already subscribed, youcan do that on YouTube, Apple Podcasts,
Spotify, and other streaming services byclicking the link on your screen or going
(00:23):
to the website at www.cssj.org/podcast.
Oh man, I'm excited, today,I get to talk to my brother.
Today we're honored, to be joined by DionGreen, a survivor, advocate, and a founder
of the Fudge Foundation, an organizationdedicated to supporting victims of mass
(00:44):
violence and also, promoting community,healing and wellbeing, as well.
Dion's life changed forever in 2019when he survived the Dayton, Ohio
mass shooting that took nine lives,including his father, Derek Fudge.
Since then, he has turned his pain intopurpose, fighting for survivor resources,
(01:05):
safe firearm storage, and also legalaccountability for gun manufacturers.
In this conversation we'll hereall about his personal journey, his
advocacy work, and what real justiceand healing look like for survivors.
Dion, welcome to the CrimeSurvivors Speak podcast.
Man.
Appreciate you, man.
Thank y'all for allowing me to be here.
(01:26):
It's always a great feeling being inthe room with you and just, you always
give me that boost of energy to wantto keep fighting as well too, brother.
Appreciate it, man.
As always, great, to be in this workwith other black men who have survived
trauma and who are healing through action.
So I'm excited about,today's conversation.
I'd love for our listeners toget to know you a little better.
(01:47):
Can you tell us something about yourselfthat people might not know, maybe
a hobby you enjoy or something thatbrings, joy in your day-to-day life?
One of the things that bring me joyin life is just being around family.
I love canoeing and being on the water.
In those moments everybody on the riveror on the lake are just having a good
(02:08):
time, it's just a, a day of healing to me.
So, you know, if people don't knowthat or if they never tried that,
just being out on the water, leavingall your phones behind and technology
and just meeting the people inthe water and having a good time,
reconnecting with nature and yourselfis what brings me joy and healing.
That's amazing.
So enjoying nature, being on the water.
I have also found a new passion,a new love for hiking, as well.
(02:33):
So that's something that I do at least,three or four times a week is going
hiking and being in nature as well.
So you gotta come hiking with me oneday and one day I'll get on the water
with you.
I'm,
I'm ready.
Dion, your story and your family's,story is one of tremendous
loss, resilience, and purpose.
Would you share as much of your survivorexperiences as you're comfortable
(02:57):
with from that mass shooting thattook your father away and impacted
you and others in that community?
And also tell us how you'veturned your pain into the
mission of the work you do now.
Yes sir. The year 2019 was a momentthat changed my life forever.
It started in May 31st when Dayton washit by the 18 tornadoes, and my house
(03:22):
got pummeled by the tornadoes, but thatwhole area got ravaged by the tornadoes.
And then 35 days later on August 4th,2019, while I didn't know what to do
next from my house being taken away,
I went canoeing, being on thewater, and I had a great time.
And while I was down in Springfield,my mother lives in Springfield, so I
(03:44):
stopped at my mother's to speak to her.
But I called my father to lethim know I was in town and if
he wanted to come hang out.
Just being at my mother's,I never forget that day.
It was a beautiful day, Isaid, let me just enjoy myself
and be around great people.
So that's what drove me toSpringfield to get on the river.
While I was at my mom's, my fathercame over, we was talking, I said,
(04:04):
Hey, you wanna come back to Dayton?
Here in Dayton we have an entertainmentdistrict called the Oregon District,
where, University of Dayton studentsattend and just the local community
and people that come from out of town.
a street of nothing butrestaurants and bars and clubs.
After we got off the water, we came upto Dayton, picked up my child's mother.
My sister came up with her husband,so it was a good time that I got
(04:28):
to see everybody because during thetornadoes I was so stressed out.
Just to be around my familyand we was having a great time.
My father has always been like my son.
I always took care of my father.
My father had a very rough lifegrowing up and the situation that
transpired from this event reallybothers me because outta all those
years was his 57 years of living.
(04:51):
My father really got to realize what lifewas really about, and that was not getting
in trouble no more, and just being withfamily and just enjoying his grandchild.
I said, you know what?
Let's just get outta here.
I'm ready to go to bed.
So me, my father, and my child'smother, we left the club.
My sister and her husbandwas still inside of there.
So as we exit the building ontothe sidewalk, there's a taco
(05:14):
standing that's right there.
We're standing in the line.
While we're standing in the line, I justsee, a gentleman walk down the side of
a building with a body armor and a biglong assault weapon onto the sidewalk.
And as he walk onto the sidewalk,you just see him just start
shooting and stuff like that.
But in that moment.
I'm not believing this is happeningbecause the Oregon District is very, very
(05:37):
heavily armed with police officers andit's just an area where you don't think
this type of situation would happen at.
But as he walks over to the otherside of the street where his life
was taken trying to get into anotherclub, me and him lined up eye to eye.
And I'm looking at him justlike, what are you doing?
And I never forget, like all hehad to do was flick his wrist.
(06:01):
And I probably would've been dead.
But come to find out that my fatherand his sister was aligned directly
in front and behind of each other.
So I'm saying, Hey, pops, get up.
We're getting the H up outta here.
But while I'm telling him to getup, the individual in front of
me has said they've been shot.
So now I'm attending to the individualin front of me saying, are you all right?
(06:25):
Trying to check on her.
But I'm also trying to callthe police at that time.
But while I'm trying to call thepolice, everybody else is calling the
police because now it's mayhem goingon, people's running, people's falling.
As I'm attending to her, tending backto my father, checking on my father,
he's just laying there with his eyesopen and I'm just like, dad, get up.
What's going on?
So something just told me tokneel down and take my phone
(06:48):
out and shine it on his chest.
And then as I took the phone and shiningaround his head and shoulders, I started
to see the blood, coming outta my father'shead and his, and his and his shoulders.
In that moment, I started doingCPR, I started yelling for help.
I'm going crazy while there's a full-blownassault going on in the middle of the
(07:10):
street between the police and the shooter.
And in those moments, as my fatheris just looking there, with his eyes
open like he wanted to say something,I could see that he was struggling.
So I, I stopped administering CPR andI just grabbed my arms around my father
and kept telling him I loved him.
Like, get up man.
You done been throughway much more than this.
Get up.
(07:31):
And in that moment I just, I justhugged my father and now the troopers
have come onto the scene and theyhad to pry me from my father.
They took me across the street towhere the Oregon District signs at
while people having their phonesout, I'm knocking phones away and
all of this, out of people's hands.
(07:52):
When I seen them throw over the whitesheet, I just ran back to my father and
fell out on the concrete and just wasimmediately beating the pavement up.
I don't know what just happened.
I just know I, I came with fivepeople and I'm leaving with four,
and one of those people that'snot leaving with me is my father.
So in that moment, they take me downthe street to the Dub Pub, some of
(08:15):
the survivors that were still on thestreets where they can ask questions.
So they put us on the bus, but Iend up tearing that whole bus up and
they just said, Dion, just go home.
We'll be there to talk to you.
And then that morning they comeand they're asking questions
and this, this and that.
So it, it, it was a lot that was going on.
And then, you know, just realizingas the autopsy come back.
(08:37):
My father got shot five timesright beside me, and not one
of those bullets touched me.
In the beginning of myfight, I kept asking, why me?
You attacked me in May with thetornadoes that took my house.
And then months later, youtake my father from me.
I just kept saying, why me?
And now I just say, why not me?
(08:57):
People just always kept saying,Dion at least you was there with
your father in those last moments.
At first I didn't understandthat, like that made me so mad.
But I always say as a parent, a mother ora father, what is the one thing that you
give your life for and that's your child.
So for my dad to be able to transitionand not see his son laying beside
(09:20):
him, I hope it gave him peace.
And now I'm here fightingfor him and many others.
'cause he gave me the opportunityto continue to create a legacy.
Not for him, but for many.
I fight for my father,but it's bigger than him.
I was in that stage where you wasjust questioning God every moment.
(09:42):
Like, why me?
But why not?
They say he don't put nothing onyour shoulders that you can't handle.
So I guess this was already in the works.
It was already written.
One of the topics that Ialways speak about is choices.
Every day we wake up, we have a choice.
You had a choice to be on this podcast.
I had a choice to be on it.
(10:02):
I had a choice to be angry and not donothing or step in and make something
out of this, hopefully create changeand be able to help others 'cause
especially just being a black man,I went through a lot by myself.
Nobody have to suffer in silence.
Dion, you just, so strong man.
How you just look at lifeand just like, why not you?
(10:25):
I can't imagine what that experiencewas like for you, to be on that
scene and not just, having yourfather taken away from you.
but there were other livesthat were lost that night, just
seeing the trauma and the loss,
uh, that happened on that night.
and we often don't talk about thatmass shooting enough as we should.
(10:46):
Through that experience of you witnessingthat shooting and losing your father,
working with a lot of the victims andfamilies impacted by that shooting,
think about the days, the weeks,the months, the years, what support
were made available to you and yourfamily and that community of survivors
that was impacted by that incident?
(11:07):
I'm gonna be honest with you,my support came from pretty much
family and from organizationsout of, out of the state of Ohio.
and starting to meet people andother survivors reaching out
loving on me giving me their earsand their shoulder to cry on.
and when it was time for me to startasking those questions on what's
next, they was there, but I, Ididn't have that guidance on what
(11:30):
to do next, how to file for thispaperwork, how to do this, and that.
It was frustrating.
At the same time, while I'm stilltrying to understand what am I doing?
Am I burying my father?
From a day that we just had laughsand now in five, seven days,
I'm saying my final goodbye.
(11:50):
I remember getting letters from thesynagogue from Pittsburgh, sending
love, and then Sandy and LonniePhillips from the Colorado shooting
that reached out and just was givingme the love and just comforting me.
I didn't feel alone, buthere in Ohio I felt alone.
Back to that night, I alwaystell people that was a nightmare.
(12:11):
When I had to walk to that end ofthat, that block to get on that bus.
Do you know how manybodies I had to step over?
It's not just that night.
It's a vision.
As I'm talking to younow, I'm replaying it.
visually, and that's what create me tohelp do what I do here, because I'm like,
why are we not being helped more and beingdirected and guided to these resources.
(12:37):
Hey, this is what's happening,this is what's going on.
And that's what created my foundation.
My father got denied victim crimecompensation because he was nine
years and six months from not beingin trouble and it had to be 10.
He didn't ask to die, and there were somany others being denied that type of
help and assistance in those moments, andI'll always say, somebody going through
(12:59):
something like that shouldn't have toworry about how to bury their loved one.
But I just kept fighting.
That's been my whole journey.
Nobody gave me a playbook.
I just show up.
But I'm intentional from the heart.
Some doors might try to close and I putthat foot in there and I keep showing up.
And then sometimes I get to walk inthat door and now I'm at the table.
I start to go to the State House andspeak, that's how I start learning
(13:21):
about CSSJ and how they advocate andall the great work that y'all doing.
And what happened?
We got it changed here.
Man, just, you and I, we, we've known eachother for years and to just hear that your
family was denied victim compensation, thejustice system and victim services failed,
your family failed so many communitiesacross the country, but the support that
(13:43):
you receive from the other community ofsurvivors, the other organizations, in
this work and you also connecting withCrime Survivors for Safety and Justice,
we were able to change that law in
Ohio, that remove barriers tothe victim compensation program,
to help increase more access, tocompensation, but also know that
(14:04):
there's still barriers that exist
as well.
We've made a lot of progress, butstill more work needs to be done
as it relates to removing barriers,helping people get access to services.
So in honor of your father, youcreated the Fudge Foundation to
support all victims, especiallyvictims of mass violence.
Can you share a little bit more,kind of what inspires you to start
this work and what are some of the,services and resources that your
(14:26):
foundation provides not only inOhio, but also across the country?
The Fudge Foundation is in honorof my father, Derrick Fudge.
That's the acronym, but itstands for Flourishing Under
Distress Given Encouragement.
And I mean, right now in the shape ofthis country, man, we're under distress
and looking for leaders to encourage us.
From being denied that service, I neverforget, the day of my father's funeral, I
(14:52):
get a letter from the attorney general'soffice saying that you've been denied.
Do you want to appeal?
And I ripped that letter up, and ithad to come on the day that I'm about
to say my last goodbyes to my father.
You know, that was what driven meto start that foundation because
not only did it happen to me.
I was hearing from those thatwere still here living, that was
(15:12):
being denied the services and thehelp to thrive later on in life.
It was sad to see this happening.
So, I took the step out in faith andcreated my nonprofit and ever since then,
I show up in communities far and wide.
A lot of people don't even knowthese things exist so we have to
bring that awareness, having thesemeetings, having these town halls
(15:35):
saying, Hey, have you heard of this?
Have you heard of that?
Because a lot of people don't even knowthat these, these funds even exist.
Yep.
Some of the things that I'm stillhaving an issue with here in Ohio is
every 88 county haven't been updated.
families are still calling mesaying, Dion, I'm being denied.
Please have them reach out to me or givethem the number so I can reach out to
them and say, Hey, this has been changed.
(15:57):
I couldn't apply becausethat was the year 2019.
I came home in 2015.
I did nine years in prison, so I wasgoing to get denied all around the board.
But as I was speaking on the StateHouse and speaking to them, saying,
How did you expect us to move forward?
If we don't address this issue,I'll always use this because
(16:18):
the beginning of this was me.
When the shooting happened, if I'm notgetting the help, I'm coping with alcohol.
I'm not sleeping.
I'm missing bills.
I don't care about nothing.
I shared what the cycle would look like.
So it goes from substance abuse,from being on alcohol, but while
you're doing that, you don'tcare about nothing else in life.
So now you're missing bills.
So now you have a chanceto becoming homeless.
(16:40):
So now you go to something higher tohelp mask what you're running from.
So now you on hard drugs.
But now to get those drugs,you done lost everything.
Here comes crime.
So you have substance abuse, homelessness,and crime that evolves around that, if
we don't take care of those that arestill here and, give them everything
that we can offer them, for them to beproductive and be able to thrive and give
(17:02):
them some sense of joy in life again.
So often we don't talk aboutthe ripple effects of trauma
that it have on our lives.
Our families, our households,you know, us being able to take
care of our families, our bills.
Right.
I was always honored to meet you, becauseyou saw the need in your community and
wanted to help your family and survivors,but there's been other mass shootings.
(17:24):
Buffalo.
I know, you've been to Buffaloand supporting those families.
Maine.
Really across the country.
I'm curious to hear from you.
In those communities, what has beensome of the common themes that's
been coming up for you as it relatesto access to victim services.
So this is a good question becausewhen I go to these communities after
(17:44):
they have experienced somethingthat I have experienced, first and
foremost, I need to let them knowthey're not alone, especially in
communities that are black and brown.
I need to let them knowthat they're not alone.
There are people here that cares foryou and wants to see the best, but
also not only am I focusing on thefamilies, I'm also trying to focus
(18:05):
on the elected officials or thepolice who's working the situation.
Just being mindful, Hey, if you'regonna release something, make sure the
family knows before the public knows.
I'm giving them everything thatI didn't have, so I'm making sure
that they're being mindful and beingrespectful, but also, as I go to
these places, NOVA shows up, right?
So they know me on a face-to-face basis,but also, there's a trust part too.
(18:28):
So when you are in certaincommunities that look like us, we
know that you come there for five,six days and then you disappear.
And then I gotta keep sharingmy story to somebody else.
You don't have to share that with me.
I know what you've been through.
I work with CSSJ.
I work with so manyorganizations across the country.
So if you go through something, Mr.Thomas, when you're ready, I can get
you in support groups, this is advocacy,
(18:49):
they do mental health.
So I know organizations for all overaround the country, so when you're
ready to advocate on whatever it lookslike, if you want to, 'cause some people
do, some people don't wanna be a partof it because it, it relives them.
But I have to show up to let themknow, don't just bring these resources
today and they gone tomorrow.
Because even if my shooting happenedin 2019, don't tell me how fast
(19:12):
I need to process my trauma.
My trauma might start reallyaffecting me probably tomorrow 2025.
Are those resources still available?
Yep.
I just go there to hold them accountable,but to also let them know like, Hey,
I'm not trying to tell you how todo it, but I'm sharing what I've
been through and I see the rippleeffects and what it looks like.
(19:33):
In certain communities, like even withNOVA, like Dion, a lot of people don't
like really coming into these placesbecause you here today, gone tomorrow.
I go to the community, I loveon the community, I cry with
them 'cause I'm still healing.
So we cry together and I don't go there
pushing resources on thembecause first of all, it starts
with trust and relationships.
(19:55):
So I go there, love on 'em,Hey, this is my number.
They give me theirs and I check on them.
So during the whole time I'm calling, justchecking on, Hey, you been out the house,
'cause we know when trauma comes, trauma'sside chick is depression and isolation.
So we know that that kicks in real quick.
And I let you process a little bit becauseit's natural to go through that, but I
don't want you to go through it too longso I'll call and say, Hey, how you doing?
(20:18):
You been out?
Oh, let's get out.
You need to get out.
Just move around.
But then, once they build the trust,then they start calling, Hey Dion,
are them resources still available?
Do you know if they're?
So now I'm not walkingthem through the door.
If they want me to walk withthem because they don't feel
comfortable or safe, then I will.
But now, I'm not beatingresources on them.
They're asking about it.
(20:38):
Mm-hmm.
I'm just a connector building bridges, butalso making sure that trust is involved
because we know that there's not a lotof trust when it comes to these things,
because you are here today and goingtomorrow, and then I'm sitting here
sharing my story again to the next person,to the next person, to the next person.
We just become a name on the list onwho they served and what they filed
(20:59):
to get more money for the next grant.
But nothing has really changed.
And so, your key role, as a survivorin working with families all across the
country, like peer-to-peer support, right?
being able to show up for folks,being able to let folks know that
you know what they're going through'cause you've experienced it.
And also being able to help connectthem to services and support.
(21:19):
The relationships that you havewith other organizations and being
able to offer that, and not forcingthem to access those services.
Right.
But when they are readyto seek that support.
Because of that trust has been built,with you, they reach back out to you.
Then you're able toconnect them to services.
So if you want to learn moreabout the FUDGE Foundation,
you go to, FUDGEFoundation.org.
(21:40):
Learn more about Dion and hisincredible work and support
the work, that he's doing.
and also Dion, you do alot of other work, as well.
Right?
So you also serve on the boards ofseveral organizations, including like
Felons with a Future and UpTurn Ohio.
You also mentioned your experiencewith the justice system.
So how do you see theintersections between gun violence,
(22:02):
incarceration, and economic justice?
When I travel, the goal was to bring hope.
That's why I go there too, tolet them know that it is possible
to come out of that dark tunnel.
And with the boards, so I sitwith Felons with a Future, UpTurn,
National Center for Victims of Crime,National Mass Violence Center, Island
Park Council, Sinclair Social Work
(22:23):
'cause I am a social worker,Adamis, Urban Institute, Justice
Research and Stop Program.
So just, being involved.
As also someone who's been incarcerated,how do you see those intersections
between gun violence, incarceration,and also economic justice?
We're seeing that a lot of,young black men are carrying
(22:44):
these guns, these switches,
these hunter round drums, and Idon't know why our youth think
that owning guns is the solution.
I mean, we have responsible gun owners,but these youth, and even grown adults
are making decisions that are puttingthem in prison for life or some of
(23:05):
'em are not even making it to prison.
Part of my experience Dion and yourexperience, is the impact of unaddressed
trauma, that shows up, for survivors.
and also in our communities.
You and I, you know, we wantedto make a difference, right?
to help our communitiesadvocate for more resources.
(23:26):
Would love to hear from you what aresome of the key policies or changes
you're fighting for right now?
And how can people support, your efforts?
Like, especially when it come toVOCA, that's something that has
been very near and dear to my heart.
Just to make sure that we takecare of those that are here that
needs the help that can affordto get the services they need.
One of the other things that I amgoing through right now, actually
(23:48):
it took five years and I finally bein court this year is I am holding
the gun industry accountable for theevent that took place on August 4th,
2019, the night of the killing of myfather and the other eight victims.
Our lawsuit is againstthe hundred round drum.
Its the first ever in the country.
My case is in Las Vegas, but also we wonin the Supreme Court to be able to bring
(24:09):
North Korea over the mother company.
So, hopefully we can get someinjunctions and get those a hundred
round drums off the streets.
I know these type ofthings are life saving.
Just being on the streetthat night and hearing
the war going on between the shooterand the police, where the police had to
reload and the shooter just had to keephis finger on the trigger was just crazy.
(24:33):
So we know that thosethings can save lives.
The things that I'm fightingfor is common sense.
If we say get rid of guns I wouldn't careif we just have baseball bats I would
never put something over human life.
We understand here in Americathat would never happen.
But if it had to happen,it would be that way.
Some of the other thingsis just, safe storage.
There's a lot of things thatwe can prevent from happening.
(24:56):
A lot of the guns that come intothe schools, come from home.
Like I always tell people, if we goto a Walmart and walk in a parking
lot down every aisle, we'll find adoor unlock and probably a loaded
gun in the middle of the seat.
There are things that we can prevent.
My goal is to save the world.
That's my goal.
But always say one life is worth savingand that goes to our leaders in DC.
(25:20):
Somebody has to step up because thatlife could be yours or your loved ones.
I always tell people it don'tmatter how much work I've done,
whatever accolades come through it,
whatever change that comes out of it, whenI leave my office today and get in my car
and call my father, whether the phone'sgonna ring or somebody else gonna pick up,
but it won't be my father.
(25:41):
That's why I tell it isbigger than just my dad.
It's, you know, I care about thewellbeing of others and I wanna
see our youth continue to grow.
And that's why I pour so much intothem, with the mentorships and the
programs that I run just on socialemotional learning, for these kids
that are making these life changingdecisions that's gonna end up in prison.
I'm gonna share to themwhat it looks like.
(26:02):
'cause I've been there for a longtime and that's why I go to a lot
of schools and speak to our youthbecause I'm not reading from a book,
I'm not watching from nothing on tv.
This is my life.
And if you making those bad decisions,
this is what your lifeis going to look like.
And when I speak to'em, I have to be real.
You can't go in there being this and that'cause one thing about our youth, they
(26:22):
can pick you apart if you're not real.
If you don't come in there beingyourself, you just wasted your time.
You're giving the true reality, of whatpeople have to experience from both sides,
witnessing violence in your community.
Also, you have the other side ofit, which is being incarcerated.
(26:42):
You know, you do a lot of work, Dion.
You're on a lot of boards, you are anauthor, you're a motivational speaker.
you work in policy, You alsoran for office, last year.
So I what made you, want to run forelected, office in Ohio then also talk
about some things you're doing now.
Yes sir. Before we get into that,when I speak to my kids man and
(27:04):
I'm up there speaking, I alwaystell them, This was never me.
But from that situation, insteadof allowing that situation to
tear me apart, I allow God to workthrough me so I can work for him.
I'm a servant leader through him, andwhen I step outta my house, he puts his
shield on me and sends me in directions.
(27:26):
I've never understood whyhe takes one broken heart to
help heal other broken hearts.
But I told you I don't ask no more.
I just show up.
It's time for us to start standing up.
If we want change, it's timefor us to start demanding it.
And that's what I did.
I, I held myself accountable,but also I wanted people to
(27:49):
know it ain't where you been.
It's where you going.
And if you look like me and been like,where I've been, but you're bringing
change and want the wellbeing ofothers, why not run for that seat?
And that's exactly what I did.
I ran for that seat and I barelylost, to be my first time I ran
against a two time incumbent.
(28:09):
My district, like I said, ittotaled out 54,000 voters.
I end up finishing my race with 23,000.
Wow.
And I learned a lot because onething about me is I always challenge
systems and they would say, doit this way, do it that way.
And you know who created those way.
It was a white man, so I always wanted tochallenge why I have to run it like that.
(28:31):
I wanna run it my way, andif I lose, I lost my way.
And I told people, don't be upset.
I'm a black man that had a pastand I finished the race so I
won because they go through yourpast, they wanna bring up things.
They want to attack you.
They want to beat you down whereyou don't even exist no more.
(28:52):
So for me to step up to knowwhere I've been and knew that it
was gonna be used, exposed, andput out there to the community.
To show my vulnerability andI still finished the race.
Hey, I won and I'll be back.
Yep,
I'll be back.
That's what's up.
But if God wants me to focus on theresource center and the community center,
(29:17):
that's where my heart's gonna be, becauseI got that building in the worst place
in the city of Dayton, where it's thehigh crime, violence, all of that.
And I got that place intentionallyto bring resources and hope to
that community, to be able towatch it transform, but also to
see the youth be able to thrive,the community be able to thrive.
(29:38):
And I'm bringing socialservices, mentorship.
I got the union bringing in trades tohelp with plumbing and all of that so
these kids can learn and adults can learnthese trades to be able to make money.
Because I always say if we canmake them think for a second,
it can change their life.
It can change their life.
So if we put money in theirpocket and little Ray, Ray
(30:00):
say, Hey, let's go do this.
Like man, hey, I just got paid.
I gotta work tomorrow.
I got money and, and that's all.
We just need them tothink for a hot second.
They're not thinking right now.
They're just reacting.
And I always tell them, once you getin front of that judge and that black
robe or that person to the left thatsits over there, you can't look back
and say, Hey mom, hey dad, help me.
It's to that judge and to thatprosecutor over there that
(30:22):
got your life in their hands.
So, you know, I'm just real with themand direct and I be that way with them
because I love them and I know whattheir future could be, but you gotta
allow yourself to let your future grow.
And that's why I run my summer camps.
So social emotional learning, wedo role plays, we do self love.
And then I take 'emaround the state of Ohio.
(30:44):
We go to the top restaurants to letthem see that life is bigger than
your environment, but if you're goingdown the wrong path, you'll never
be able to achieve these things.
So we need to go back to the drawingboard and see how we can work around that.
I take 'em to those places onpurpose to the top restaurants.
I wanna do this, I wanna do that.
You can, but you gottagive yourself a chance.
(31:06):
I just want them to be able to saythat they gave theirself a chance.
Don't be a victim of your decisions.
Thank you for sharing.
If you are listening, goto FUDGEFoundation.org to
learn more about Dion's work.
If you are in Dayton, in Ohio, oracross the country, want to help support
the development of this communityresource center, please go to the
(31:29):
website and reach out to Dion directly.
Dion, it's been a great conversation.
I do have one more question.
For many survivors, whether it'shelping survivors engaging in
legal battles or engaging in policywork, that can be exhausting.
How do you balance your ownwellbeing, while fighting for change?
And what advice would you give toother survivors who want to take
(31:51):
action but may not know where to start?
In the beginning of my fight, andeverybody knows this, even, you know
this, anybody that has experiencedthat man, we tend to just fight,
fight, fight, because we don't wantnobody else to go through that.
But man, you gotta have a greatsupport system, whether it's church,
whether it's just someone that youcan just call and vent and cry.
(32:14):
So you gotta make sure that you buildyour tribe to keep you in line, but also
so they can hold you accountable as well.
So for them to keep checking on you,you know, because people get on me.
Dion, sit down.
You've been moving.
you don't need to respond to this one.
Sometimes they'll look upand I'll be gone already.
Find the things that you love todo and make sure that you take
time and be gentle with yourself.
(32:35):
You know, everybody processestrauma differently and
everybody grieves differently.
Just because I got up in there and startedrunning full speed ahead, don't mean
that the next person can, just 'cause Imight do this don't mean that you can.
So find what works for youand find what you feel is best
that you can be effective in.
You can always write letters,you can always make phone calls.
(32:56):
You can always do this.
So there is always somewherein this fight where you can be
productive and also make a change.
Get with CSSJ, man.
It's a awesome organization, man.
They do amazing things.
There's so many great organizationsthat's out here doing things.
We gotta bring awareness becausepeople don't even know that
resources even are across the street.
(33:17):
That's why I bring bills up.
So if I say, Hey, there's a bill.
If you don't do nothing, youcan't say, y'all didn't tell you.
So I always try to keep the communityaware of what's going on, of
resources, of bills and policiesto whether submit or fight against.
So that's to yourself.
But yeah, man, find what you love to do.
You know, mines is working out.
You know, as I'm still in school, Idon't know where I got the time to go
(33:40):
for another masters, but, I'm in it.
Dion, its been, uh, as always, man, Iappreciate to be in this work, with you.
the work you are doing.
You're saving lives.
You're helping so many survivorsand communities across the country.
We are here to support you.
So to our listeners, again, go toFUDGEFoundation.org to connect with Dion.
(34:00):
This year, you all going to hear ustalk a lot about access to victim
compensation, so educating people aboutit, doing surveys, hearing from our
members, their experiences, doing a lotof trainings to help train people on
how to navigate victim compensation.
So access to compensation is one ofour biggest campaigns at Crime Survivor
for Safety and Justice and also onthe upcoming episode, I'm also going
(34:23):
to share something exciting aboutone of our biggest events in 2025.
Stay tuned for that.
Dion, once again, thank you somuch for joining today's, episode.
Appreciate you.
Man, I appreciate y'all forallowing me to be able to speak.
This is therapeutic,
thank you so much to everyonefor listening to today's episode.
Remember to become a member ofCrime Survivors for Safety and
(34:45):
Justice, you can visit our websiteat www.cssj.org if you are already a
member, share that information witha survivor, in your family, in your
community to be part of our CrimeSurvivors for Safety Justice network.
Remember, you can tune into allpodcast episodes on YouTube,
(35:06):
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, andother streaming platforms as well.
Thank you so much for listening tothe Crime Survivors Speak Podcast.
We are healing through action, andas we say, when survivors speak,
change happens.
Thank you all so much.
Talk to you all soon.
Peace.
Welcome to Crime Survivor Speak.
My name is Aswad Thomas.
I'm the National Director of CrimeSurvivors for Safety and Justice.
We are a national network of 200,000victims of crime from across the country.
If you haven't already subscribed, youcan do that on YouTube, Apple Podcasts,
Spotify, and other streaming services byclicking the link on your screen or going
(00:23):
to the website at www.cssj.org/podcast.
Oh man, I'm excited, today,I get to talk to my brother.
Today we're honored, to be joined by DionGreen, a survivor, advocate, and a founder
of the Fudge Foundation, an organizationdedicated to supporting victims of mass
(00:44):
violence and also, promoting community,healing and wellbeing, as well.
Dion's life changed forever in 2019when he survived the Dayton, Ohio
mass shooting that took nine lives,including his father, Derek Fudge.
Since then, he has turned his pain intopurpose, fighting for survivor resources,
(01:05):
safe firearm storage, and also legalaccountability for gun manufacturers.
In this conversation we'll hereall about his personal journey, his
advocacy work, and what real justiceand healing look like for survivors.
Dion, welcome to the CrimeSurvivors Speak podcast.
Man.
Appreciate you, man.
Thank y'all for allowing me to be here.
(01:26):
It's always a great feeling being inthe room with you and just, you always
give me that boost of energy to wantto keep fighting as well too, brother.
Appreciate it, man.
As always, great, to be in this workwith other black men who have survived
trauma and who are healing through action.
So I'm excited about,today's conversation.
I'd love for our listeners toget to know you a little better.
(01:47):
Can you tell us something about yourselfthat people might not know, maybe
a hobby you enjoy or something thatbrings, joy in your day-to-day life?
One of the things that bring me joyin life is just being around family.
I love canoeing and being on the water.
In those moments everybody on the riveror on the lake are just having a good
(02:08):
time, it's just a, a day of healing to me.
So, you know, if people don't knowthat or if they never tried that,
just being out on the water, leavingall your phones behind and technology
and just meeting the people inthe water and having a good time,
reconnecting with nature and yourselfis what brings me joy and healing.
That's amazing.
So enjoying nature, being on the water.
I have also found a new passion,a new love for hiking, as well.
(02:33):
So that's something that I do at least,three or four times a week is going
hiking and being in nature as well.
So you gotta come hiking with me oneday and one day I'll get on the water
with you.
I'm,
I'm ready.
Dion, your story and your family's,story is one of tremendous
loss, resilience, and purpose.
Would you share as much of your survivorexperiences as you're comfortable
(02:57):
with from that mass shooting thattook your father away and impacted
you and others in that community?
And also tell us how you'veturned your pain into the
mission of the work you do now.
Yes sir. The year 2019 was a momentthat changed my life forever.
It started in May 31st when Dayton washit by the 18 tornadoes, and my house
(03:22):
got pummeled by the tornadoes, but thatwhole area got ravaged by the tornadoes.
And then 35 days later on August 4th,2019, while I didn't know what to do
next from my house being taken away,
I went canoeing, being on thewater, and I had a great time.
And while I was down in Springfield,my mother lives in Springfield, so I
(03:44):
stopped at my mother's to speak to her.
But I called my father to lethim know I was in town and if
he wanted to come hang out.
Just being at my mother's,I never forget that day.
It was a beautiful day, Isaid, let me just enjoy myself
and be around great people.
So that's what drove me toSpringfield to get on the river.
While I was at my mom's, my fathercame over, we was talking, I said,
(04:04):
Hey, you wanna come back to Dayton?
Here in Dayton we have an entertainmentdistrict called the Oregon District,
where, University of Dayton studentsattend and just the local community
and people that come from out of town.
a street of nothing butrestaurants and bars and clubs.
After we got off the water, we came upto Dayton, picked up my child's mother.
My sister came up with her husband,so it was a good time that I got
(04:28):
to see everybody because during thetornadoes I was so stressed out.
Just to be around my familyand we was having a great time.
My father has always been like my son.
I always took care of my father.
My father had a very rough lifegrowing up and the situation that
transpired from this event reallybothers me because outta all those
years was his 57 years of living.
(04:51):
My father really got to realize what lifewas really about, and that was not getting
in trouble no more, and just being withfamily and just enjoying his grandchild.
I said, you know what?
Let's just get outta here.
I'm ready to go to bed.
So me, my father, and my child'smother, we left the club.
My sister and her husbandwas still inside of there.
So as we exit the building ontothe sidewalk, there's a taco
(05:14):
standing that's right there.
We're standing in the line.
While we're standing in the line, I justsee, a gentleman walk down the side of
a building with a body armor and a biglong assault weapon onto the sidewalk.
And as he walk onto the sidewalk,you just see him just start
shooting and stuff like that.
But in that moment.
I'm not believing this is happeningbecause the Oregon District is very, very
(05:37):
heavily armed with police officers andit's just an area where you don't think
this type of situation would happen at.
But as he walks over to the otherside of the street where his life
was taken trying to get into anotherclub, me and him lined up eye to eye.
And I'm looking at him justlike, what are you doing?
And I never forget, like all hehad to do was flick his wrist.
(06:01):
And I probably would've been dead.
But come to find out that my fatherand his sister was aligned directly
in front and behind of each other.
So I'm saying, Hey, pops, get up.
We're getting the H up outta here.
But while I'm telling him to getup, the individual in front of
me has said they've been shot.
So now I'm attending to the individualin front of me saying, are you all right?
(06:25):
Trying to check on her.
But I'm also trying to callthe police at that time.
But while I'm trying to call thepolice, everybody else is calling the
police because now it's mayhem goingon, people's running, people's falling.
As I'm attending to her, tending backto my father, checking on my father,
he's just laying there with his eyesopen and I'm just like, dad, get up.
What's going on?
So something just told me tokneel down and take my phone
(06:48):
out and shine it on his chest.
And then as I took the phone and shiningaround his head and shoulders, I started
to see the blood, coming outta my father'shead and his, and his and his shoulders.
In that moment, I started doingCPR, I started yelling for help.
I'm going crazy while there's a full-blownassault going on in the middle of the
(07:10):
street between the police and the shooter.
And in those moments, as my fatheris just looking there, with his eyes
open like he wanted to say something,I could see that he was struggling.
So I, I stopped administering CPR andI just grabbed my arms around my father
and kept telling him I loved him.
Like, get up man.
You done been throughway much more than this.
Get up.
(07:31):
And in that moment I just, I justhugged my father and now the troopers
have come onto the scene and theyhad to pry me from my father.
They took me across the street towhere the Oregon District signs at
while people having their phonesout, I'm knocking phones away and
all of this, out of people's hands.
(07:52):
When I seen them throw over the whitesheet, I just ran back to my father and
fell out on the concrete and just wasimmediately beating the pavement up.
I don't know what just happened.
I just know I, I came with fivepeople and I'm leaving with four,
and one of those people that'snot leaving with me is my father.
So in that moment, they take me downthe street to the Dub Pub, some of
(08:15):
the survivors that were still on thestreets where they can ask questions.
So they put us on the bus, but Iend up tearing that whole bus up and
they just said, Dion, just go home.
We'll be there to talk to you.
And then that morning they comeand they're asking questions
and this, this and that.
So it, it, it was a lot that was going on.
And then, you know, just realizingas the autopsy come back.
(08:37):
My father got shot five timesright beside me, and not one
of those bullets touched me.
In the beginning of myfight, I kept asking, why me?
You attacked me in May with thetornadoes that took my house.
And then months later, youtake my father from me.
I just kept saying, why me?
And now I just say, why not me?
(08:57):
People just always kept saying,Dion at least you was there with
your father in those last moments.
At first I didn't understandthat, like that made me so mad.
But I always say as a parent, a mother ora father, what is the one thing that you
give your life for and that's your child.
So for my dad to be able to transitionand not see his son laying beside
(09:20):
him, I hope it gave him peace.
And now I'm here fightingfor him and many others.
'cause he gave me the opportunityto continue to create a legacy.
Not for him, but for many.
I fight for my father,but it's bigger than him.
I was in that stage where you wasjust questioning God every moment.
(09:42):
Like, why me?
But why not?
They say he don't put nothing onyour shoulders that you can't handle.
So I guess this was already in the works.
It was already written.
One of the topics that Ialways speak about is choices.
Every day we wake up, we have a choice.
You had a choice to be on this podcast.
I had a choice to be on it.
(10:02):
I had a choice to be angry and not donothing or step in and make something
out of this, hopefully create changeand be able to help others 'cause
especially just being a black man,I went through a lot by myself.
Nobody have to suffer in silence.
Dion, you just, so strong man.
How you just look at lifeand just like, why not you?
(10:25):
I can't imagine what that experiencewas like for you, to be on that
scene and not just, having yourfather taken away from you.
but there were other livesthat were lost that night, just
seeing the trauma and the loss,
uh, that happened on that night.
and we often don't talk about thatmass shooting enough as we should.
(10:46):
Through that experience of you witnessingthat shooting and losing your father,
working with a lot of the victims andfamilies impacted by that shooting,
think about the days, the weeks,the months, the years, what support
were made available to you and yourfamily and that community of survivors
that was impacted by that incident?
(11:07):
I'm gonna be honest with you,my support came from pretty much
family and from organizationsout of, out of the state of Ohio.
and starting to meet people andother survivors reaching out
loving on me giving me their earsand their shoulder to cry on.
and when it was time for me to startasking those questions on what's
next, they was there, but I, Ididn't have that guidance on what
(11:30):
to do next, how to file for thispaperwork, how to do this, and that.
It was frustrating.
At the same time, while I'm stilltrying to understand what am I doing?
Am I burying my father?
From a day that we just had laughsand now in five, seven days,
I'm saying my final goodbye.
(11:50):
I remember getting letters from thesynagogue from Pittsburgh, sending
love, and then Sandy and LonniePhillips from the Colorado shooting
that reached out and just was givingme the love and just comforting me.
I didn't feel alone, buthere in Ohio I felt alone.
Back to that night, I alwaystell people that was a nightmare.
(12:11):
When I had to walk to that end ofthat, that block to get on that bus.
Do you know how manybodies I had to step over?
It's not just that night.
It's a vision.
As I'm talking to younow, I'm replaying it.
visually, and that's what create me tohelp do what I do here, because I'm like,
why are we not being helped more and beingdirected and guided to these resources.
(12:37):
Hey, this is what's happening,this is what's going on.
And that's what created my foundation.
My father got denied victim crimecompensation because he was nine
years and six months from not beingin trouble and it had to be 10.
He didn't ask to die, and there were somany others being denied that type of
help and assistance in those moments, andI'll always say, somebody going through
(12:59):
something like that shouldn't have toworry about how to bury their loved one.
But I just kept fighting.
That's been my whole journey.
Nobody gave me a playbook.
I just show up.
But I'm intentional from the heart.
Some doors might try to close and I putthat foot in there and I keep showing up.
And then sometimes I get to walk inthat door and now I'm at the table.
I start to go to the State House andspeak, that's how I start learning
(13:21):
about CSSJ and how they advocate andall the great work that y'all doing.
And what happened?
We got it changed here.
Man, just, you and I, we, we've known eachother for years and to just hear that your
family was denied victim compensation, thejustice system and victim services failed,
your family failed so many communitiesacross the country, but the support that
(13:43):
you receive from the other community ofsurvivors, the other organizations, in
this work and you also connecting withCrime Survivors for Safety and Justice,
we were able to change that law in
Ohio, that remove barriers tothe victim compensation program,
to help increase more access, tocompensation, but also know that
(14:04):
there's still barriers that exist
as well.
We've made a lot of progress, butstill more work needs to be done
as it relates to removing barriers,helping people get access to services.
So in honor of your father, youcreated the Fudge Foundation to
support all victims, especiallyvictims of mass violence.
Can you share a little bit more,kind of what inspires you to start
this work and what are some of the,services and resources that your
(14:26):
foundation provides not only inOhio, but also across the country?
The Fudge Foundation is in honorof my father, Derrick Fudge.
That's the acronym, but itstands for Flourishing Under
Distress Given Encouragement.
And I mean, right now in the shape ofthis country, man, we're under distress
and looking for leaders to encourage us.
From being denied that service, I neverforget, the day of my father's funeral, I
(14:52):
get a letter from the attorney general'soffice saying that you've been denied.
Do you want to appeal?
And I ripped that letter up, and ithad to come on the day that I'm about
to say my last goodbyes to my father.
You know, that was what driven meto start that foundation because
not only did it happen to me.
I was hearing from those thatwere still here living, that was
(15:12):
being denied the services and thehelp to thrive later on in life.
It was sad to see this happening.
So, I took the step out in faith andcreated my nonprofit and ever since then,
I show up in communities far and wide.
A lot of people don't even knowthese things exist so we have to
bring that awareness, having thesemeetings, having these town halls
(15:35):
saying, Hey, have you heard of this?
Have you heard of that?
Because a lot of people don't even knowthat these, these funds even exist.
Yep.
Some of the things that I'm stillhaving an issue with here in Ohio is
every 88 county haven't been updated.
families are still calling mesaying, Dion, I'm being denied.
Please have them reach out to me or givethem the number so I can reach out to
them and say, Hey, this has been changed.
(15:57):
I couldn't apply becausethat was the year 2019.
I came home in 2015.
I did nine years in prison, so I wasgoing to get denied all around the board.
But as I was speaking on the StateHouse and speaking to them, saying,
How did you expect us to move forward?
If we don't address this issue,I'll always use this because
(16:18):
the beginning of this was me.
When the shooting happened, if I'm notgetting the help, I'm coping with alcohol.
I'm not sleeping.
I'm missing bills.
I don't care about nothing.
I shared what the cycle would look like.
So it goes from substance abuse,from being on alcohol, but while
you're doing that, you don'tcare about nothing else in life.
So now you're missing bills.
So now you have a chanceto becoming homeless.
(16:40):
So now you go to something higher tohelp mask what you're running from.
So now you on hard drugs.
But now to get those drugs,you done lost everything.
Here comes crime.
So you have substance abuse, homelessness,and crime that evolves around that, if
we don't take care of those that arestill here and, give them everything
that we can offer them, for them to beproductive and be able to thrive and give
(17:02):
them some sense of joy in life again.
So often we don't talk aboutthe ripple effects of trauma
that it have on our lives.
Our families, our households,you know, us being able to take
care of our families, our bills.
Right.
I was always honored to meet you, becauseyou saw the need in your community and
wanted to help your family and survivors,but there's been other mass shootings.
(17:24):
Buffalo.
I know, you've been to Buffaloand supporting those families.
Maine.
Really across the country.
I'm curious to hear from you.
In those communities, what has beensome of the common themes that's
been coming up for you as it relatesto access to victim services.
So this is a good question becausewhen I go to these communities after
(17:44):
they have experienced somethingthat I have experienced, first and
foremost, I need to let them knowthey're not alone, especially in
communities that are black and brown.
I need to let them knowthat they're not alone.
There are people here that cares foryou and wants to see the best, but
also not only am I focusing on thefamilies, I'm also trying to focus
(18:05):
on the elected officials or thepolice who's working the situation.
Just being mindful, Hey, if you'regonna release something, make sure the
family knows before the public knows.
I'm giving them everything thatI didn't have, so I'm making sure
that they're being mindful and beingrespectful, but also, as I go to
these places, NOVA shows up, right?
So they know me on a face-to-face basis,but also, there's a trust part too.
(18:28):
So when you are in certaincommunities that look like us, we
know that you come there for five,six days and then you disappear.
And then I gotta keep sharingmy story to somebody else.
You don't have to share that with me.
I know what you've been through.
I work with CSSJ.
I work with so manyorganizations across the country.
So if you go through something, Mr.Thomas, when you're ready, I can get
you in support groups, this is advocacy,
(18:49):
they do mental health.
So I know organizations for all overaround the country, so when you're
ready to advocate on whatever it lookslike, if you want to, 'cause some people
do, some people don't wanna be a partof it because it, it relives them.
But I have to show up to let themknow, don't just bring these resources
today and they gone tomorrow.
Because even if my shooting happenedin 2019, don't tell me how fast
(19:12):
I need to process my trauma.
My trauma might start reallyaffecting me probably tomorrow 2025.
Are those resources still available?
Yep.
I just go there to hold them accountable,but to also let them know like, Hey,
I'm not trying to tell you how todo it, but I'm sharing what I've
been through and I see the rippleeffects and what it looks like.
(19:33):
In certain communities, like even withNOVA, like Dion, a lot of people don't
like really coming into these placesbecause you here today, gone tomorrow.
I go to the community, I loveon the community, I cry with
them 'cause I'm still healing.
So we cry together and I don't go there
pushing resources on thembecause first of all, it starts
with trust and relationships.
(19:55):
So I go there, love on 'em,Hey, this is my number.
They give me theirs and I check on them.
So during the whole time I'm calling, justchecking on, Hey, you been out the house,
'cause we know when trauma comes, trauma'sside chick is depression and isolation.
So we know that that kicks in real quick.
And I let you process a little bit becauseit's natural to go through that, but I
don't want you to go through it too longso I'll call and say, Hey, how you doing?
(20:18):
You been out?
Oh, let's get out.
You need to get out.
Just move around.
But then, once they build the trust,then they start calling, Hey Dion,
are them resources still available?
Do you know if they're?
So now I'm not walkingthem through the door.
If they want me to walk withthem because they don't feel
comfortable or safe, then I will.
But now, I'm not beatingresources on them.
They're asking about it.
(20:38):
Mm-hmm.
I'm just a connector building bridges, butalso making sure that trust is involved
because we know that there's not a lotof trust when it comes to these things,
because you are here today and goingtomorrow, and then I'm sitting here
sharing my story again to the next person,to the next person, to the next person.
We just become a name on the list onwho they served and what they filed
(20:59):
to get more money for the next grant.
But nothing has really changed.
And so, your key role, as a survivorin working with families all across the
country, like peer-to-peer support, right?
being able to show up for folks,being able to let folks know that
you know what they're going through'cause you've experienced it.
And also being able to help connectthem to services and support.
(21:19):
The relationships that you havewith other organizations and being
able to offer that, and not forcingthem to access those services.
Right.
But when they are readyto seek that support.
Because of that trust has been built,with you, they reach back out to you.
Then you're able toconnect them to services.
So if you want to learn moreabout the FUDGE Foundation,
you go to, FUDGEFoundation.org.
(21:40):
Learn more about Dion and hisincredible work and support
the work, that he's doing.
and also Dion, you do alot of other work, as well.
Right?
So you also serve on the boards ofseveral organizations, including like
Felons with a Future and UpTurn Ohio.
You also mentioned your experiencewith the justice system.
So how do you see theintersections between gun violence,
(22:02):
incarceration, and economic justice?
When I travel, the goal was to bring hope.
That's why I go there too, tolet them know that it is possible
to come out of that dark tunnel.
And with the boards, so I sitwith Felons with a Future, UpTurn,
National Center for Victims of Crime,National Mass Violence Center, Island
Park Council, Sinclair Social Work
(22:23):
'cause I am a social worker,Adamis, Urban Institute, Justice
Research and Stop Program.
So just, being involved.
As also someone who's been incarcerated,how do you see those intersections
between gun violence, incarceration,and also economic justice?
We're seeing that a lot of,young black men are carrying
(22:44):
these guns, these switches,
these hunter round drums, and Idon't know why our youth think
that owning guns is the solution.
I mean, we have responsible gun owners,but these youth, and even grown adults
are making decisions that are puttingthem in prison for life or some of
(23:05):
'em are not even making it to prison.
Part of my experience Dion and yourexperience, is the impact of unaddressed
trauma, that shows up, for survivors.
and also in our communities.
You and I, you know, we wantedto make a difference, right?
to help our communitiesadvocate for more resources.
(23:26):
Would love to hear from you what aresome of the key policies or changes
you're fighting for right now?
And how can people support, your efforts?
Like, especially when it come toVOCA, that's something that has
been very near and dear to my heart.
Just to make sure that we takecare of those that are here that
needs the help that can affordto get the services they need.
One of the other things that I amgoing through right now, actually
(23:48):
it took five years and I finally bein court this year is I am holding
the gun industry accountable for theevent that took place on August 4th,
2019, the night of the killing of myfather and the other eight victims.
Our lawsuit is againstthe hundred round drum.
Its the first ever in the country.
My case is in Las Vegas, but also we wonin the Supreme Court to be able to bring
(24:09):
North Korea over the mother company.
So, hopefully we can get someinjunctions and get those a hundred
round drums off the streets.
I know these type ofthings are life saving.
Just being on the streetthat night and hearing
the war going on between the shooterand the police, where the police had to
reload and the shooter just had to keephis finger on the trigger was just crazy.
(24:33):
So we know that thosethings can save lives.
The things that I'm fightingfor is common sense.
If we say get rid of guns I wouldn't careif we just have baseball bats I would
never put something over human life.
We understand here in Americathat would never happen.
But if it had to happen,it would be that way.
Some of the other thingsis just, safe storage.
There's a lot of things thatwe can prevent from happening.
(24:56):
A lot of the guns that come intothe schools, come from home.
Like I always tell people, if we goto a Walmart and walk in a parking
lot down every aisle, we'll find adoor unlock and probably a loaded
gun in the middle of the seat.
There are things that we can prevent.
My goal is to save the world.
That's my goal.
But always say one life is worth savingand that goes to our leaders in DC.
(25:20):
Somebody has to step up because thatlife could be yours or your loved ones.
I always tell people it don'tmatter how much work I've done,
whatever accolades come through it,
whatever change that comes out of it, whenI leave my office today and get in my car
and call my father, whether the phone'sgonna ring or somebody else gonna pick up,
but it won't be my father.
(25:41):
That's why I tell it isbigger than just my dad.
It's, you know, I care about thewellbeing of others and I wanna
see our youth continue to grow.
And that's why I pour so much intothem, with the mentorships and the
programs that I run just on socialemotional learning, for these kids
that are making these life changingdecisions that's gonna end up in prison.
I'm gonna share to themwhat it looks like.
(26:02):
'cause I've been there for a longtime and that's why I go to a lot
of schools and speak to our youthbecause I'm not reading from a book,
I'm not watching from nothing on tv.
This is my life.
And if you making those bad decisions,
this is what your lifeis going to look like.
And when I speak to'em, I have to be real.
You can't go in there being this and that'cause one thing about our youth, they
(26:22):
can pick you apart if you're not real.
If you don't come in there beingyourself, you just wasted your time.
You're giving the true reality, of whatpeople have to experience from both sides,
witnessing violence in your community.
Also, you have the other side ofit, which is being incarcerated.
(26:42):
You know, you do a lot of work, Dion.
You're on a lot of boards, you are anauthor, you're a motivational speaker.
you work in policy, You alsoran for office, last year.
So I what made you, want to run forelected, office in Ohio then also talk
about some things you're doing now.
Yes sir. Before we get into that,when I speak to my kids man and
(27:04):
I'm up there speaking, I alwaystell them, This was never me.
But from that situation, insteadof allowing that situation to
tear me apart, I allow God to workthrough me so I can work for him.
I'm a servant leader through him, andwhen I step outta my house, he puts his
shield on me and sends me in directions.
(27:26):
I've never understood whyhe takes one broken heart to
help heal other broken hearts.
But I told you I don't ask no more.
I just show up.
It's time for us to start standing up.
If we want change, it's timefor us to start demanding it.
And that's what I did.
I, I held myself accountable,but also I wanted people to
(27:49):
know it ain't where you been.
It's where you going.
And if you look like me and been like,where I've been, but you're bringing
change and want the wellbeing ofothers, why not run for that seat?
And that's exactly what I did.
I ran for that seat and I barelylost, to be my first time I ran
against a two time incumbent.
(28:09):
My district, like I said, ittotaled out 54,000 voters.
I end up finishing my race with 23,000.
Wow.
And I learned a lot because onething about me is I always challenge
systems and they would say, doit this way, do it that way.
And you know who created those way.
It was a white man, so I always wanted tochallenge why I have to run it like that.
(28:31):
I wanna run it my way, andif I lose, I lost my way.
And I told people, don't be upset.
I'm a black man that had a pastand I finished the race so I
won because they go through yourpast, they wanna bring up things.
They want to attack you.
They want to beat you down whereyou don't even exist no more.
(28:52):
So for me to step up to knowwhere I've been and knew that it
was gonna be used, exposed, andput out there to the community.
To show my vulnerability andI still finished the race.
Hey, I won and I'll be back.
Yep,
I'll be back.
That's what's up.
But if God wants me to focus on theresource center and the community center,
(29:17):
that's where my heart's gonna be, becauseI got that building in the worst place
in the city of Dayton, where it's thehigh crime, violence, all of that.
And I got that place intentionallyto bring resources and hope to
that community, to be able towatch it transform, but also to
see the youth be able to thrive,the community be able to thrive.
(29:38):
And I'm bringing socialservices, mentorship.
I got the union bringing in trades tohelp with plumbing and all of that so
these kids can learn and adults can learnthese trades to be able to make money.
Because I always say if we canmake them think for a second,
it can change their life.
It can change their life.
So if we put money in theirpocket and little Ray, Ray
(30:00):
say, Hey, let's go do this.
Like man, hey, I just got paid.
I gotta work tomorrow.
I got money and, and that's all.
We just need them tothink for a hot second.
They're not thinking right now.
They're just reacting.
And I always tell them, once you getin front of that judge and that black
robe or that person to the left thatsits over there, you can't look back
and say, Hey mom, hey dad, help me.
It's to that judge and to thatprosecutor over there that
(30:22):
got your life in their hands.
So, you know, I'm just real with themand direct and I be that way with them
because I love them and I know whattheir future could be, but you gotta
allow yourself to let your future grow.
And that's why I run my summer camps.
So social emotional learning, wedo role plays, we do self love.
And then I take 'emaround the state of Ohio.
(30:44):
We go to the top restaurants to letthem see that life is bigger than
your environment, but if you're goingdown the wrong path, you'll never
be able to achieve these things.
So we need to go back to the drawingboard and see how we can work around that.
I take 'em to those places onpurpose to the top restaurants.
I wanna do this, I wanna do that.
You can, but you gottagive yourself a chance.
(31:06):
I just want them to be able to saythat they gave theirself a chance.
Don't be a victim of your decisions.
Thank you for sharing.
If you are listening, goto FUDGEFoundation.org to
learn more about Dion's work.
If you are in Dayton, in Ohio, oracross the country, want to help support
the development of this communityresource center, please go to the
(31:29):
website and reach out to Dion directly.
Dion, it's been a great conversation.
I do have one more question.
For many survivors, whether it'shelping survivors engaging in
legal battles or engaging in policywork, that can be exhausting.
How do you balance your ownwellbeing, while fighting for change?
And what advice would you give toother survivors who want to take
(31:51):
action but may not know where to start?
In the beginning of my fight, andeverybody knows this, even, you know
this, anybody that has experiencedthat man, we tend to just fight,
fight, fight, because we don't wantnobody else to go through that.
But man, you gotta have a greatsupport system, whether it's church,
whether it's just someone that youcan just call and vent and cry.
(32:14):
So you gotta make sure that you buildyour tribe to keep you in line, but also
so they can hold you accountable as well.
So for them to keep checking on you,you know, because people get on me.
Dion, sit down.
You've been moving.
you don't need to respond to this one.
Sometimes they'll look upand I'll be gone already.
Find the things that you love todo and make sure that you take
time and be gentle with yourself.
(32:35):
You know, everybody processestrauma differently and
everybody grieves differently.
Just because I got up in there and startedrunning full speed ahead, don't mean
that the next person can, just 'cause Imight do this don't mean that you can.
So find what works for youand find what you feel is best
that you can be effective in.
You can always write letters,you can always make phone calls.
(32:56):
You can always do this.
So there is always somewherein this fight where you can be
productive and also make a change.
Get with CSSJ, man.
It's a awesome organization, man.
They do amazing things.
There's so many great organizationsthat's out here doing things.
We gotta bring awareness becausepeople don't even know that
resources even are across the street.
(33:17):
That's why I bring bills up.
So if I say, Hey, there's a bill.
If you don't do nothing, youcan't say, y'all didn't tell you.
So I always try to keep the communityaware of what's going on, of
resources, of bills and policiesto whether submit or fight against.
So that's to yourself.
But yeah, man, find what you love to do.
You know, mines is working out.
You know, as I'm still in school, Idon't know where I got the time to go
(33:40):
for another masters, but, I'm in it.
Dion, its been, uh, as always, man, Iappreciate to be in this work, with you.
the work you are doing.
You're saving lives.
You're helping so many survivorsand communities across the country.
We are here to support you.
So to our listeners, again, go toFUDGEFoundation.org to connect with Dion.
(34:00):
This year, you all going to hear ustalk a lot about access to victim
compensation, so educating people aboutit, doing surveys, hearing from our
members, their experiences, doing a lotof trainings to help train people on
how to navigate victim compensation.
So access to compensation is one ofour biggest campaigns at Crime Survivor
for Safety and Justice and also onthe upcoming episode, I'm also going
(34:23):
to share something exciting aboutone of our biggest events in 2025.
Stay tuned for that.
Dion, once again, thank you somuch for joining today's, episode.
Appreciate you.
Man, I appreciate y'all forallowing me to be able to speak.
This is therapeutic,
thank you so much to everyonefor listening to today's episode.
Remember to become a member ofCrime Survivors for Safety and
(34:45):
Justice, you can visit our websiteat www.cssj.org if you are already a
member, share that information witha survivor, in your family, in your
community to be part of our CrimeSurvivors for Safety Justice network.
Remember, you can tune into allpodcast episodes on YouTube,
(35:06):
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, andother streaming platforms as well.
Thank you so much for listening tothe Crime Survivors Speak Podcast.
We are healing through action, andas we say, when survivors speak,
change happens.
Thank you all so much.
Talk to you all soon.
Peace.
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