'Be involved with your children': Solutions come out of Durham's community meeting on gun violence
Calls for ending gun violence in the Bull City boiled over as the community meeting Thursday night got underway. The negative narrative happened over time and activist Walter Jackson remembers when it started. He believes solutions start at home.
"A key part of the problem is the way we raise our children. We can't tell people how to raise their children, but parents need to be more involved in the lives of their children," said Jackson.
Other issues came up at the meeting. Community members discussed how kids are emulating what's on TV, social media and music videos.
"They don't realize at the end of the day they go home to families. They're not living this lifestyle they're portraying and in real life," said Tangela Kenan, who runs nonprofit 5k Foundation Inc.
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Kenan targets underserved communities wanting to be part of the solution for the children.
"They need resources and the same opportunities our more privileged communities have," she said.
Resources include more community centers like the Shbella Dreamz Recreational Center in Durham. The center includes several recording studios, event space, computer lab and a shoe store. It's a space all children can develop their creativity.
"We want to help these young people, right," questioned owner Shea Ramirez. "A lot of times when you find young people doing music, they're writing out their pain, they're story. Maybe it's one that they might not tell a friend or family member. They sing or rap it out."
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