Carl Hardrick, known as “Brother Carl” to many, was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. Since the early 1960’s Carl has served as a youth development leader, gang intervention specialist and community activist. He is best known for his work with youth and young adults, working with families to help youths stay away from gangs and providing them with positive and life changing alternatives. Carl was the first to “pilot” a Violence Free Zone (VFZ) gang intervention and reduction program in Connecticut during the 1990’s.

Currently, Carl is employed by the Wilson Gray YMCA in Hartford and partners with Hartford Communities That Care-Crisis Intervention Team as a first responder to help shooting victims and their families. Carl also partners with and coordinates his gang intervention strategies with those of the Hartford Public Schools, the Hartford Peace Builders and Hartford Police Department. Carl is the current Chairman of the Community Safety Coalition in partnership with Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (HFPG) that works to reduce violence in the community.

Carl has served on a number of boards and has received national awards for Ambassador of Peace given to him by the National Leadership Council of Bridgeport, CT; Achievement Against the Odds, from the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise in Washington D.C. and the Milton/Brown Equal Opportunity Award from the Urban League of Greater Hartford.