30004: Hermantin (Letter to the Editor) Finding Solutions to youth gang violence (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>


Posted on Sat, Feb. 10, 2007

Finding solutions to youth, gang violence


The epidemic of youth violence plaguing our community should alarm us all, 
whether we live in the inner cities or in gated communities; whether we're 
struggling to make ends meet or are well-connected civic leaders.

At the Haitian Neighborhood Center, we are particularly distressed by the surge 
in Haitian youth-gang violence, characterized by law-enforcement officers and 
experts as brazen, bold and ruthless. The Haitian-American community cannot 
believe that its model youth of yesterday have become today's violent urban 
youth. Yet the roots of this violence are not different from that of other 
communities.

We know the usual culprits: poverty amid plenty, substandard housing and 
families and neighborhoods deprived of jobs, amenities and economic growth. 
These conditions make gang activity an attractive alternative for many young 
people. With that in mind, we should agree on new principles and approaches for 
addressing this problem:

• We must believe that answers to this crisis can come from within affected 
communities.

• Key government agencies should work with individuals and institutions that 
know and are known in these communities.

• Officials must display leadership and political will to implement 
comprehensive reform strategies, where necessary, and bold initiatives.

• There must be effective cross-jurisdictional collaboration among the school 
district, the Department of Children & Families and other agencies in dealing 
with children's issues.

• We should incorporate best practices from other communities and apply focused 
and culturally appropriate strategies.

The Haitian Neighborhood Center and its partners are identifying viable and 
sustainable solutions. We have launched a simple call to action: Let's Reclaim 
Our Children. This is more than a slogan. Today we will hold a community 
dialogue on youth violence. We will disseminate the information gathered to 
local, state and federal policy makers, gang experts, foundations, chambers of 
commerce, sports and entertainment organizations and school districts. This is 
a matter of our collective survival.

GEPSIE M. METELLUS, executive director, Haitian Neighborhood Center, Sant La, 
Miami

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