Leaders of the sports and political world gathered in the Boston Seaport on Sept. 19 for its annual Celebration of Milestones event and raised $500,000 for Boston Uncornered, an organization with an innovative approach to ending gang violence and generational urban poverty.

The organization sets high expectations for gang members who are its Core Influencers and have the charisma and intelligence to lead others and are willing to change their lives. “Uncornered is about believing that those closest to the challenges in our communities are the ones that we should turn to and support to make a difference,” said Boston Uncornered co-founder Mark Culliton.

Uncornered supports students with a weekly $400 stipend and empowers them to earn an education while providing mental health counseling, and educational guidance. The students work with trusted peer mentors who understand their struggle. This approach is working to end gang violence and generational urban poverty in Boston and beyond.

Boston Chief of Planning and director of the BPDA Arthur Jemison was named Uncornered Champion of the Year. “I’m honored and thrilled to be part of what Boston Uncornered is doing,” Jemison said. “They have the courage to be available to these young people and have a track record of being there for them.”

The honorary chair of the event, Gov. Charlie Baker. gave Jemison a special citation to mark the occasion.