BALTIMORE — Tackling youth violence is a huge responsibility many people in the community have been trying to commit to.
WMAR-2 news spoke with some school leaders and young professionals in our community about the work that’s been done and how all of us can join the efforts.
This week Edmondson High school is mourning another loss of a classmate, student, and friend after 16-year-old Andres Moreno Jr. was shot and killed in Northeast Baltimore.
This is the second Edmondson student to be killed by gun violence so far this year. Now the principal Karl Perry said people are trying to rally around these children and help change this violent culture.
"Some of the issues or the victims are younger, they're younger. And some of the acts of violence that are impacting our children are more heinous, and it's, it's very tragic,” Perry said.
January 4th was a day that shocked the entire community after 5 Edmondson Westside high students were shot across the street from school. 16-year-old Deanta Dorsey was killed.
"It's always tragic to lose one person, but we're losing children too frequently now,” Perry said.
Within this first month of the year, more than a dozen teens throughout the city were involved in some type of shooting. On February 5th , another Edmondson student ,16-year-old Andres Moreno Jr., was killed in Northeast Baltimore. Perry said the violence involving youth has recently become more problematic.
"People want to leave Baltimore City. Now they're afraid for the young boys and the young girls to venture outside. Sadly, to say they should be, I am as a father,” Perry said.
It’s why young professionals like DJ Flow are now stepping in to mentor kids and understand them better.
"So a lot of kids actually said, the reason why we're acting out is because no one was listening to us. They're feeling as if the community is not rallying behind them, because they're not getting support at the PTA meetings, at the sporting events. So now when they go into the community, they're just acting out because they feel like no one cares. That no one has their back,” Flow said.
DJ Flow is a Morgan State University alum and has a nonprofit called “Flow and friends” helping to shape kids. He jumped in to spread love to the students at Edmondson following the shooting claiming the life of a classmate.
"We attack anti-bullying, anti-violence and also emotional learning. So we kind of leave them with a sense of confidence that they don't have to be scared to voice their opinions. I just felt that it was really important to you know, just give those kids a kind of sense of care, like someone that cares for them. It was more of me being an ear for the kids,” Flow said.
Alvin Gray, who’s a local film producer and director, is another individual with a mission to help young adults. His idea for a workshop involves using art to potentially help shift the violent culture.
"I came up with the idea, 'stop shooting, start shooting' due to a unsettling amount of violence happening here in Baltimore, Maryland. I believe that everyone has a story to tell. I felt like maybe a solution could be that we stop shooting with the guns and actually start shooting with cameras telling a story through the lens,” Gray said.
Edmondson is not the only school who’s students have been involved in violent incidents this year. However, Principal Perry believes if everyone is more proactive in their efforts to positively influence kids, it could begin to impact the future of our young adults for the better.
"It should not take an act of violence or tragedy, such as we've been experiencing across our city, for people to become active and involved in helping to save our youth. It can't just be the educators at the forefront, saving our youth, everybody has to become involved,” Perry said.
Anyone wishing to get involved with what’s happening with our youth in city schools, Baltimore City schools announced this week they’re seeking parents, leaders, and people in the community to be part of the schools steering committee.
The community school steering committee allows members to promote, oversee, and evaluate implementation of the community school strategy in city schools.
Providing support to fit each neighborhoods needs is the goal, while promoting achievement, positive learning conditions and well being. The steering committee meets four times a year either virtually or in person
To learn more about the committee, visit here.
The deadline to apply is Friday, February 10.
