Demetrius Phillips is an active youth leader in Start Strong Oakland and has led the student effort to educate the Oakland community about teen dating violence. Throughout his three years in the Family Violence Law Center’s Relationship Abuse Prevention Program, he has created awareness of teen dating violence and abuse by speaking at local middle schools and community training programs, performing in plays and assisting in organizing public awareness events and student health fairs throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.  In addition, he spoke at the 1^st Annual Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week in Oakland.

Oakland is a community racked with violence.  Demetrius has witnessed friends, peers, and family members experience relationship violence and he knows that it is up to teens like him to make positive changes.  He is especially excited about the teen leadership aspect of Start Strong and believes that younger teens are much more comfortable speaking to and learning from their peers.