This week’s “Profiles In Power” features Nassir Scroggins, the youth outreach director for Community Partnership Collaborative 2.0 (CPC).
A recent graduate of Norfolk State University, an HBCU, Scroggins is spearheading an Anti-Hate/Anti-Bullying Campaign funded by Hennepin County — and taking it to the next level.
In his role, Scroggins equips youth with strategies to emotionally regulate their behaviors and navigate peer challenges. The campaign he’s designed goes beyond traditional anti-bullying messages; it’s a catalyst for skill-building, leadership development, and community healing. Through it, young people learn how to resolve conflicts, manage peer pressure, and address issues like sexual exploitation and substance use.
Scroggins’ curriculum is rooted in evidence-based models like the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. But it’s his culturally responsive approach and youth-centered lens that make the campaign so impactful. He believes today’s youth must be empowered with tools to not only protect themselves, but also advocate for others.
The campaign includes two components: community pop-ups and structured symposiums. Pop-ups take place at events like Juneteenth and Rondo Days, while symposiums are two-hour sessions for grades 4–12. Both offer practical tools to reduce bullying, improve peer relationships, and foster critical conversations about justice, safety, and well-being.
“This is about self-preservation,” says Scroggins. “Social justice isn’t just about police brutality. It’s also about helping young people feel safe, valued and protected in their schools and communities.”
Students engage with the campaign through arts-based projects: posters, bracelets, murals, and social media messaging designed to promote kindness and unity. Youth participants also gain a better understanding of their rights.
Scroggins emphasizes that bullying can cross legal lines. Harassment based on race, gender, disability, or national origin can be a civil rights violation. Physical violence may amount to assault. Sexting involving minors has even led to criminal charges.
Research supports the need for this work. A 2020 review published in “Aggression and Violent Behavior” found that Black, brown and immigrant youth are disproportionately affected by bullying, often due to adverse community and school environments. These youth are more likely to both experience and perpetrate bullying, and to face long-term health consequences as a result.
Additional insights come from the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey, one of the longest-running youth data collections in the country. The survey revealed that of 9th and 11th graders who had ever had sex, 203 students reported six or more partners in the past year.
Others reported high numbers as well. These findings point to complex issues of self-esteem, peer pressure, and access to sexual health education.
Scroggins’ campaign addresses those root causes head-on. “It’s about helping youth understand their worth,” he says. “When young people feel seen and supported, they make better decisions.”
At its core, this initiative is a village effort, an invitation for families, educators, and faith leaders to work together to raise healthy, whole children. “When we bully or perpetuate hate,” Scroggins adds, “we continue the same cycles of trauma that have historically harmed our community.”
To get your classroom, church, youth group, or organization involved, contact Nassir Scroggins at 612-423-9522 or email cpc@cpcmn.org.
Shanasha Whitson’s “Profiles in Power” aims to highlight community members spearheading positive impact in the local Twin Cities community. She is also the founder of Community Partnership Collaborative 2.0 (CPC).