CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the last few days, two shootings involving Charlotte youth have amplified calls to take action to end gun violence. One of those shootings killed a 14-year old Randolph Middle School student.
This week, youth advocacy group Heal Charlotte collaborated with other youth advocacy organizations by kicking off its 12-week series aimed at stopping violence involving teens. The series will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. each week at Keith Family YMCA on Mallard Creek Road.
“I'm focused on how do we do better in schools?" Greg Jackson, the founder of Heal Charlotte, said. "How do we get closer to those kids that are in school? What are we not doing? That's not translating to them? And maybe there's some things that we can do better."
The workshops include tournament-style basketball for young women and men ages 14-18. The workshops are in collaboration with Stop The Violence Charlotte, Anthony Morrow Charities, and Chris Meadows, founder and CEO of Momentum Skills Academy.
“How we got to this point of street-level violence, the different systems that govern our communities, and then really how to approach it, how to approach gun violence, how to prevent it from happening, and how to get ahead of everything that's happening now have a decrease in homicides like we had last year," Jackson said.
Charlotte native and former NBA player Anthony Murrow also organized the event.
“We're trying to make sure that they understand the opportunities that you're going to have that's in front of you, you can take advantage of them," Murrow said. "You don't have to be unapologetic about [it], you can be positive and inspiring.”
Jackson said there is power in communication, and sometimes it starts on the basketball court.
“I'm speaking to young Black men that can relate to me," he said. "I've been through situations, I can prepare them. And it's real, coming from a real place. I'm not guessing about the hurdles that they're going to face. I'm telling them directly about these hurdles that they face and then they really understand that it's coming from somebody that looks like them, dresses like them."
Jeremiah Franklin, 15, had played against the 14-year-old Randolph Middle Schooler who died this week after a shooting.
“I will be praying for him," Franklin said. "But yeah, we just try and keep ourselves away from that type of stuff. Make sure I'm on the right firm, and make sure that we're limiting those barriers and conversations.”
All the events in the series will focus on gun violence education, prevention, awareness, and community. The basketball tournament will end in a championship game at the YMCA.
"They've been open to the conversations open to playing ball, Jackson said. "It is really about finding that fine line of how do I have this conversation with you."
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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