ABOVE: Malania Roberson performs “Rise Up” at start of Youth Action Expo at Laura Lee Fellowship House
The special Youth Council working with Project Success of Vermilion County hosted their Youth Action Forum on preventing gun violence Thursday (Jan 29th) evening. Just before things got started at the Laura Lee Fellowship House, CIMG was told that three of the ideas being talked about would include a midnight basketball program, giving youngsters guidance and something safe to do; an Anti-Gun Violence Task Force; and a City Response Plan. U of I student and DHS graduate Curtis Beasley IV spoke with us.
AUDIO: We’ve come here together tonight to showcase our projects. And these projects are what we believe will get the community involved, and what we think will get the City Council and city leadership to take us seriously about our initiative.
U of I student and DHS grad Chase Clark talked about both the task force plan, and the hope that local churches would get involved in the midnight basketball idea. The task force would have both a community led and city led part.
AUDIO: Both implement a street intervention program. But one obviously has the police involved, the city led one.
AUDIO: We have a lot of churches in the area, who have basketball courts; and we thought that’s a way we could partner with them, to help us with this initiative.
(1st Picture) Youth Council members Austina Cotten and Chase Clark welcome everyone to the program. (3rd Picture) Phil Davis, father of gun violence victim Aniyah Davis, delivers a message.
We also spoke with DHS junior Austina Cotten. She says part of the city response proposal is having trained professionals prepared so that when a gun violence tragedy does happen, the family is informed in the right way.
AUDIO: Instead of them finding out on the internet or in some other way that’s not appropriate.
As for the area leaders who came, Danville City Council Alderwoman Tricia Teague very much likes the Youth Council’s dedication.
AUDIO: They’ve done the research. It’s data informed. And so, I would hope that we as a community respond appropriately.
(1st Picture) 104th District State Rep candidate Mary Catherine Roberson and Malania Roberson at start of program. (3rd Picture) Project Success’ Jamie Nightlinger explains the Youth Council’s goals, and a grant recently received.
Also there to listen, and very interested in the Youth Council’s ideas; were Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr; State Rep Brandun Schweizer, Alderman Ed Butler, and Police Chief Christopher Yates.
AUDIO: (Williams) I’m just excited that they care, and that they are working on the problem. You know, a lot of times we think the solutions come from the top. They don’t always have to. Our best ideas sometimes come from people who think outside the box.
AUDIO: (Schweizer) Like me, I can take it back to Springfield, and share these ideas with the legislature down there. The mayor can take it back to the board and share the ideas. That’s what it’s all about; to get these ideas out there.
AUDIO: (Butler) They want to have a seat to the table, and they want to start coming to our meetings at the Council; to express their feelings on how we can combat all the violence that’s going on in Danville.
AUDIO: (Yates) Whenever you get young people thinking about what they can do, and what they can do as members of the community; and maybe that can resonate to their peers, as well as their families.
