Robert & Keba Guns Down Pens Up, Inc. was founded in loving memory of my son, Robert Louis Black, and my sister, Keba Grazette.

Robert was my son, a father, and a young man with a daughter who deserved to grow up with him in her life. He was extraordinary. He had strength, personality, and purpose. He loved boxing, and like many young men from Brownsville, he had dreams, potential, and a future ahead of him.

Robert was more than what happened to him. He was loved. He was a father. He was family. He was a life that mattered.

After Robert was taken by gun violence, I knew his name could not become just another story of loss. His life had to stand for prevention, purpose, and change.

Keba Grazette was my sister, a mother of two children, and a woman who dedicated her life to helping others. She worked as a social worker serving people in need, including individuals in homeless shelters and women facing difficult circumstances. Keba cared for people who were often overlooked, underserved, and struggling to be heard. Through her work and her life, she gave others support, compassion, and dignity.

Together, Robert and Keba represent the heart of this organization. Robert’s legacy anchors our gun violence prevention, youth safety, mentoring, literacy, and leadership work. Keba’s legacy anchors our wellness awareness, colon cancer prevention and early-screening education, grief support, healing, and family care.

Their names are in our name because their lives remain part of our mission.