Atlanta teens, advocates call for plan to prevent youth violence as summer approaches
By Leondra Head
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ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — Atlanta city leaders heard from teens and youth advocates on Wednesday on ways to tackle youth violence and prevention.
Officials say data show crime is trending down, but as summer approaches, city leaders, youth advocates, and teens want a comprehensive approach to prevent youth violence.
Sixteen-year-old Sonali Thomas participated in Wednesday’s panel with the Atlanta Office of Violence Reduction. She said the issue of violence was at the top of mind.
“Just walking down the street with my younger sisters. We’re scared to go to the park because there’s so many just killings,” Thomas said.
Three weeks after a teenager was shot and killed at Piedmont Park after 404 Day celebrations, Thomas and her sisters are concerned.
“Some kids go out there to have fun and not to go out there and cause drama. But for other teens, they see somebody they don’t like. They’re going to kill them,” Thomas said.
She believes summer programs and sports will help keep Atlanta’s youth out of trouble.
“I have to say the sports. I play flag football. It’s a lot of kids that’s out there playing flag football instead of being in the streets. So I have to say, the sports may be a safe space for us to be,” Thomas said.
The organization Heavenly Culture World Peace, Restoration of Light, known as HWPL, also participated in the panel discussion. The international group is planning summer programs for kids and teens.
“We’re building up for our initiative called the Youth World Peace Summit and Soccer Camp,” Elizabeth Doyne, HWPL Georgia’s director of international law, said.
The camp is for students in grades 6 through 12 and will run from June 1 to 19.
“We are bringing together youth from all across the Atlanta metro to provide peace education, training so they understand their value and their role to be peace leaders, and also giving them soccer training and leadership skills,” Doyne said.
Marcus Walker, the director of the Office of Violence Prevention, says the city plans to bring back midnight basketball for Atlanta’s youth.
“Athletics, we know, can be a key motivator. Those programs will be back active, and we look forward to the next iteration of basketball and the other programs,” Walker said.
You can learn more about midnight basketball ahead of the season here.
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