Across the country, activists, advocates and volunteers are working tirelessly in communities to make their neighborhoods safe and decent places for families over the summer. The goal is to have programs to keep youth off the streets and away from violence.
From the Baltimore Brothers eight-week summer program, to the continuation of D.C.’s “Stop the Killing Tour” by Crisis Management Unit, to parents finding summer fun, the focus for many people is on providing youth alternatives to crime.
Crisis Management Unit (CMU), a security company, recently hosted a “Stop the Killing Summit” at D.C.’s historic Malcolm X Park. The day-long summit included speakers, entertainment and food. The goal was to bring together thought leaders and changemakers for a park gathering to further conversations on gun violence and the killings affecting D.C. CMU provides specialized security solutions.
“We are dedicated to serving the community and stamping out gun violence experienced by D.C. residents. We also assist returning citizens by helping them re-acclimate to community life. CMU believes we must work with the community to disrupt the pipeline to prison and graveyards due to needless killings,” Dyrell Muhammad, CMU CEO told The Final Call.
Dyrell Muhammad was inspired by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan who went on a nationwide Stop the Killing tour 35 years ago because of the killings of young, Black men and fratricidal violence impacting the community.
“We still see the same problem 35 years later. I decided to help make this community a decent and safe place to live by engaging our people because there are three crises in Washington, D.C.,” he explained.
“There’s a mental health crisis, which is a result of the killings. There’s a homeless and housing crisis, and there’s a job crisis, which is a result of the theft of property. There’s a cocktail of issues in Washington, D.C., which is under siege,” Dyrell Muhammad added.
Jamal Russell is a returning citizen after 12 years of being incarcerated. He told the crowd at Malcolm X Park, there is a need need for men to step up and help change the conditions in their communities.
“It’s going to take our experience, our know-how and our network to get these things done. I had to learn from all of these people all around the country that’s been doing work in their respective states. These people know how to come together,” he said.
According to the Department of Justice, the estimated number of youth arrests for violent crime, which includes murder, robbery, and aggravated assault, has declined since the mid-2000s. By 2020, the number of violent crime arrests involving youth reached a new low, 78 percent below the 1994 peak, and half the number 10 years earlier. However, D.C. and other cities have seen a surge.
In April, an 18-year-old was shot and killed at Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas. That was an eye-opener for Amarah Ali, a mother of five. She told The Final Call, “After that shooting, I became even more concerned about making sure my children have constructive things to do this summer.
Children need to stay busy and stay positive. It’s very important for parents to have the resources for their children. Otherwise, all the academic gains they made during the school year will be lost.”
Her son Antoine is 14 years old. He likes football, music and girls. “I want to stay busy this summer. When kids my age don’t have anything to do, they find things to do that are not so positive. I’m going to football camp and working with my dad this summer,” he told The Final Call.
The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services recently released research that showed most categories of youth crime—including violent crime—are below pre-pandemic levels and have generally been declining for more than a decade. Findings also show that the proportion of crime that is committed by youth is much smaller in comparison to crime committed by adults, overall.
While youth crime has primarily declined in recent years, violent gun crime committed against young people—especially in Baltimore City—has increased significantly, as has the number of youth under the care of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services who are victimized by gun violence.
Those statistics are why Baltimore Brothers exists. The organization is dedicated to empowering youth with a safe environment, leveraging community assets, and building relationships. Their goal is to create a future without violence and provide educational opportunities, safety, and hope for communities.
“We’re running youth programs for the entire eight weeks of summer at the James McHenry Recreation Center,” Andrew Muhammad, executive director of the Baltimore Brothers, told The Final Call. “We will also oversee youth employees from Youthworks.
Our summer program for youth ages 11-17 will include educating them on life skills, career development, hygiene, and drug education. Every week we will bring professionals (men and women) to talk about conflict meditation and resolution as well as healthy eating and mental health. There will also be athletics,” he said.
The program is free, Andrew Muhammad stated. “Our goal is to keep 60 youth safe and free from violence for eight weeks and, prayerfully, this will carry over into the school year. Youth who complete the program will be honored at the end with family and friends.”
The Baltimore Brothers recently graduated 77 young men from their Manhood Training 101 program who will participate in the summer program. Krystal Cornish, principal at Calvin M. Rodwell Middle School, addressed the audience at the recent graduation.
“I want you (Baltimore Brothers) in my school. This is about our children. I’m looking at four to five rows of Black and Brown children who are not in the news for burglary or theft. We cannot thank your families enough for trusting the process,” she said.
—Nisa Islam Muhammad, Staff Writer
