New Haven Independent

These photos were sent in courtesy of New Haven Police Officer Shafiq Abdussabur, who has devoted his off-hours this summer to giving teens something constructive to do. He put together a summer program featured in this article and this article.

These photos are from another event the program featured: a work day for the teens at Blessed Detail Auto Shop, run by Dixwell Alderman Drew King. The

The second photo shows King, who’s a member of the Board of Directors of Abdussabur’s program, CTTRIBAT, with program sponsor Larry Thomas.

Following is a release Abdussabur sent in about the day:

Approximately 10 Students of CTRIBAT ages 15 years old to 17 years old reported to work at the Blessed Detail Auto Shop located at 55 Dixwell Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut. They met up with their boss, mentor, trainer and public official Aldermen Drew King. Students job shadowed King throughout the day and learned the key components for creating, managing and developing their own business. King provided the students with a complimentary lunch sponsored by “Tim’s Hotdogs.”


Drew King is the owner and operator of the Blessed Detail Auto Shop. In addition to being a neighborhood business and home owner, Drew King is a reverend. He serves on the Board of Directosr for CTRIBAT Youth Development. He is the Alderman for the Dixwell Avenue area in which he is also a resident. King was more than excited about the workshop. He cited that the city needs more programs like CTRIBAT and stated that he wished that other alderpersons would embrace CTRIBAT and its activities.
King said, “These young men are important to me and to our community. I feel a personal obligation to show them guidance in a time when being a teen seems to be very hard.”

CTRIBAT Executive Director Shafiq Abdussabur said, “Alderman Drew King has answered the call. He has made himself available to the Dixwell Community. He is a worker and not a talker. And given the current climate of the youth in our city, tough talk is the last thing we need! King’s efforts demonstrate level of determination that our elected officials should anticipate to have if they are serious about helping to deal with the current state of our youth. He has a family like everyone else. He has a business and responsibilities. Yet on one of the nicest Saturdays in the summer, he is sacrificing his time, livelihood, and family to help battle youth violence on the ‘Front Line.’”

Kings was not the only “Front Line” soldier of the day. Mike Morand of the Yale University Office of New Haven and State Affairs stopped in to support the young leaders in training. Larry Thomas, owner of LA Homes Construction, showed up to have his car washed. His company donated the banner and was one of the latest to join the partnership of CTRIBAT. The day wrapped up at Blessed Detail and King gave the young workers their pay and a new pair of sneakers for back to school.

It was a Blessed Day.