Another Headline Of Street Violence In Chicago

It hardening to turn on the television or read the headlines just to see another story about a young man or woman shot down in street violence. This has a numbing effect on a lot of people who see this everyday and wonder what can be done to stop it. As of August, 29, 2015, at 4:03 p.m., their has been 304 murders in Chicago alone, most being young black and hispanic males under the age of 25.  There are still four more month to go and who knows what the body count will be.

These young men involved in street violence have people around them, even family members, who do nothing to help change their path. Some are sons, nephews or even grandsons, who have never been told by their fathers that what they are doing is wrong and some have never had the guidance of a positive male figure to look up to. There are some angry and misguided young men who have never been loved by anyone, who have been alienated by the church and even the community they live in.

We as people have the power to influence so much if we just stop looking around and do something. As a parent of 8 children, I make it my business to engage in good conversation daily on things they like and I let them know how much I love them. That can make the difference between an angry child and a dangerous young man. But this can be done by anyone just by striking up a conversation. Most young men involved in street violence are not looking for it, it is a product of their surrounding. Some say, there are not enough things to do within their community to keep them from the streets or not enough opportunities to create the kind of money they need to survive.

So what should we do… We must stop watching the news feeds and reading the headlines and find ways to get involved. Become a contributor to a non-profit project or mentor at a local community center. By inspiring hope in the younger children growing up in these areas, we can change the violence streets, one heart at a time.

Street Violence Documentary

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