In the United States, young black men face a homicide rate 20 times higher than the national average. Healing Communities in Crisis: Lifesaving Solutions to the Urban Gun Violence Epidemic, from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the PICO National Network, outlines solutions, through policy changes and intervention programs like Youth ALIVE!’s Caught in the Crossfire program, which is featured. Among the strategies discussed: group intervention; approaching violence like you would a communicable disease; and hospital-based violence intervention.
It’s the most active and exciting time of year for our Teens on Target youth leaders. Since late January and on through the spring, TNT teams from Castlemont High and Life Academy have been taking their comprehensive violence prevention curriculum to middle school students throughout Oakland.
With murders up, the police force depleted, and a mayor under threat of recall, 2011 was a very bad year for Oakland. To stem the tide of violence, former victims are stepping up to take care of their own. San Francisco Magazine details how Youth ALIVE! is making a difference in Oakland with their Teens on Target, Caught in the Crossfire, and Khadafy Washington Project programs.
Your Call discussed programs working to make a difference in the Bay Area to halt gun violence and provide victims of violence with resources to keep them from the revolving cycle of gang violence. Demetria Huntsman, Program Director of Youth ALIVE’s Teens on Target program was a guest on the show.
Ebony Magazine: Anti-Gang Programs Approach Violence As a Disease. YA's Executive Director Featured.
Posted November 28, 2015
EBONY MAGAZINE
During one of the presentations at this year’s American Public Health Association conference, researchers and activists gathered to discuss violence as a contagion. They argued that violence requires the same public health approaches that are used to fight diseases. Youth ALIVE! agrees. Their approach to combating violence was featured in the November 2015 issue of Ebony magazine.
Essence Magazine: Youth ALIVE! Intervention Specialists Featured
Posted March 21, 2014
ESSENCE MAGAZINE
After a young Oakland mother was shot in front of her kids, one of her first visitors was Youth ALIVE! intervention specialist Rafael Vasquez. Soon after, Youth Alive!’s Clinical Director and Counselor, Nicky MacCallum, diagnosed her with PTSD. This young mother’s story and an investigation into the epidemic of traumatic stress in America’s violent inner cities are featured in “Black America’s Invisible Crisis” in the October 2014 issue of Essence magazine.
Black America’s Invisible Crisis
In 2008, Caheri Gutierrez, a young model from one of Oakland’s most dangerous neighborhoods, was shot in her beautiful face and nearly killed in a drive-by. With the help of Youth ALIVE! Intervention Specialist Tammy Cloud, Caheri was able to make the journey from troubled youth to traumatized victim to community leader and is now inspiring young people in Oakland every day to make better choices.
Teens on Target, Youth Alive!’s peer education program, is training teens to be community leaders and educators and is successfully helping young people find positive alternatives to violence.
TNT Results
Almost 100% of TNT Peer Educators graduate from high schools that have graduation rates of only 40%.
80-90% tell us they resolved a conflict that once would have ended in a fight.
Twice as many TNT Peer Educators said they were “very likely to look for alternatives to violent situations” after participating in the program.
Two-thirds fewer students believe it is ever okay to hit a girlfriend or boyfriend.
90% fewer students believed having a gun made them safer.
Read more about the life-changing work we’re doing with Teens on Target.
Youth ALIVE!’s Caught in the Crossfire client Jean Eason, Intervention Specialist Ray Estrada and Executive Director, Anne Marks were featured on NBC News. The story aired March 4, 2014.
