Spend much time around Keefe Ricks, and pretty soon you will hear him repeating, “for the kids for the kids.” Once a gang member, he is the founder, CEO and Executive Director of one of the most creative programs for at-risk youth in Albuquerque, Prime Time.

Keefe has made a complete turnaround from a life of gangs, drugs, and physical, emotional, and verbal abuse—a time when many had given up hope on his ever becoming a productive citizen. The reality of Keefe even being alive today is only a miracle from God, the one true and living God who has no problem giving us another chance. Keefe’s destiny and purpose was, is, and always has been “for the kids, for the kids.”

Keefe was raised mostly in California. He grew up in an abusive home, which pushed him to rebel and to seek acceptance from street gangs in Compton. His life spiraled downward until the day he was facing a judge because he’d broken his probation agreement with the school district. The school district court was looking to place him in a reform school. However, before the judge gave his sentence, Keefe’s parents requested to speak to the judge in his chambers. Something special happened in that courtroom that day, something that Keefe will always remember: God had mercy on him and he was given a second chance in life.

Keefe was given a second chance, but not in California; he was given an opportunity to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had a hard time adjusting to a school system that seemed different. Over time, however, he began to slow down from his California lifestyle. He still wrestled with the demons of his old gang mentality, however, which led to his being shot at a teen nightclub in 1980. Although still angry, after some time he began to realize that God had a calling for him. He came to understand that the life he was living wasn’t right for him, and he looked to God to try to find the answer.

Keefe then started in college on a football scholarship, but his past habits and a knee injury caused him to lose the scholarship. Although these setbacks were disheartening, God’s mercy was still available to Keefe through his new family. He married Cheryl Diane Carrell over 29 years ago, and they had three daughters and two sons.

One day Keefe met a total stranger who told him about a place where he could take all the negative behavior and anger and use it to do some good. He started working with Outreach ministries helping former gang members start a new life in Christ, then later he moved on to Hogares group home in Albuquerque, working with youth. Because of his background he knew how to identify with and understand the most difficult kids that were brought to the group home.

In 1990, Keefe was offered an opportunity of a lifetime to work with some of the top doctors, RN’s, and therapists in New Mexico and around the country, designing special programs for the most at-risk kids at Desert Hills. This venture lasted for 11 years, and it led Keefe to a greater desire and vision. He wanted to help these young men and women after they completed their treatment, and this was the beginning of Prime Time For the Kids, For the Kids.

Prime Time was to be a place where kids could continue to work on themselves and giving up the life they once lived. Prime Time was to be a place where these youth could create fun activities for themselves in a safe place free of gangs, drugs, and the other negative influences from their environment.

On April 4, 2007, House Bill 363 was signed into law by Lt. Gov. Diane D. Denish, in the absence of Gov. Bill Richardson, creating an official state holiday to honor all New Mexico’s Youth for their academic and community achievements each year. Keefe says that he won’t stop until he gets a National Youth Day Holiday to honor every young person for their accomplishments in life and encourage them not to give up. In spite of having little funding and little support, Keefe turned his hard work and undying devotion for young people into the reality of Prime Time. Today, Prime Time enjoys community support and is viewed as a valuable stakeholder in the community and in the schools.