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Yvonne Pointer was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, the
fourth of ten
children. Yvonne's oldest daughter Gloria was abducted, raped
and murdered. Since the death of her daughter, Yvonne has worked
tirelessly towards
safer communities, in and out of the City of Cleveland. Ms. Pointer is often called upon to give words of consolation
to individuals
and families victimized by violence. She is convinced the problems of
drugs and gang violence will not just go away. Her motto is One Pointer, One Passion, One Purpose. According to Yvonne, one person can make a difference.
When Yvonne learned of a successful program in Chicago, Illinois
called The
Midnight Basket Ball Program, she waged a one woman campaign to bring
the program to the attention of then Mayor of Cleveland Michael R. White. She was
successful and in September 1991the program became a reality in Cleveland,
Mayor White named Yvonne the Mother of Midnight
Basket Ball in Cleveland.
As a direct result of her work, Yvonne has been recognized on numerous
occasions. In 1991, Yvonne appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show on November 7, 1991,
and was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame by former
Governor George Voinovich. That same year she was one of the Fifteen Points
of Light. from the City of Cleveland for Volunteering. Her
name was placed in the rotunda of City Hall in Cleveland on
September 30, 1992. She was awarded the 908th Point of Light national
tribute to Americans who made positive differences by then
president George H. Bush.
The Federal
Bureau of Investigation awarded Ms. Pointer the Directors
Community Leadership Award on April 19, 1993. On May 4, 1994, Yvonne
received The National Council of Negro Women's Tribute to Black Women
Community Leaders Award. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland's Ohio Dailey
Newspaper, honored Yvonne with the "Making A Difference" Award in
1995. She was given the Greater Cleveland Women of Achievement Award in
1996. In July 2000, Yvonne was a recipient and speaker at the annual
Essence Award at ceremonies at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Yvonne is the co-founder of P.A.C.K ( Parents Against Child Killing),
the founder of Positive Plus Women's Support Group which is funded by the
United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland Inc.an active member of P.O.M.C.
(Parents of Murdered Children), and a mentor in the Cleveland City
Schools.
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