Our Team
Our Team
Soldiers of Love
Paul Lindsey
Youth Program Director
For the past two years, I've been closely involved with Love Is Stronger and now hold the position of Youth Program Director. My focus has been guiding teens in crucial areas like de-escalation, accountability, and making positive life choices. My own experiences, particularly overcoming gun violence trauma, have shaped my approach. Any teen can make positive choices for a successful future with proper guidance. Inspired by fatherhood, I'm committed to passing on the tools and support I've received from my elders and community members who helped me navigate my trauma.
Roy Bunn
Positive Influencer
I have been working with LIS in various roles since 2021. I am a mentor to the youth in Portland, and I also advocate for the youth. I work with the Gang veterans/positive influencers as a point person and supervisor. I am also a Gang Veteran, having gone down the road that is a dead-end for any who decide to take that path; I will give my knowledge and compassion that can guide and sway individuals away from a life of violence, crime, and negativity. I love doing this work because I can share what wasn’t shared with me when I was coming up and give insight on what not to do. Being in and through the system, I changed my lifestyle, became a business owner, gave back to my community, and helped people understand the pitfalls of being on the streets.
Lionel Irving
Executive Director
Lionel grew up in North Portland in a family involved in drugs and gangs. He was drawn in, selling drugs starting at age 12. Before long, he was carrying and using a gun, and at age 18, he shot and killed another teen. He went to prison in 2004 for manslaughter. In prison, he reinvented himself and turned his life around. He found mentors who helped him heal and showed him that he could be the person he wanted to be. He learned to read, gained job skills and financial literacy, and trained as a peer support specialist and recovery mentor. In 2012, Lionel started What It Do while still in prison to help young men like him reimagine their lives. When he returned to Portland in 2016, he continued this work, leading to the founding of Love Is Stronger in 2020. Lionel is driven to help people intergenerational affected by gangs and violence feel safe and supported, work through trauma, and learn the skills they need to contribute positively to their communities.
