My kids aren't afraid of covid. They're afraid of getting shot. There have been 432 murders in Philadelphia as of October 12 2021 with over 1700 people shot this year. Gun violence is rampant in the communities in which the kids I teach live as well as in my own. I am fearful of getting another message that someone I know has been shot and killed daily. I check my phone each morning hoping that my students and family members have made it through another night in Philly. Prayers of protection are abundant.
The pandemic and the subsequent shutdown has created an alternate universe where money is both scarce and more easily available, guns are easier to get, drug overdoses are higher than ever, social media beefs result in deaths, jobs are both in abundance yet not for everyone, social interactions are more high stakes and a structured day is less important. There's a sense of heightened agitation prevalent in our communities layered with a feeling of despair.
"I want to leave Philly because it's not safe." This is a direct quote from a high school senior who just wants to make it to see his next birthday. What troubles me is that the communities most impacted by violence in this city are Black and Brown, between the ages of 15 and 30 and live in communities hit hardest by poverty and crime. Resources to improve one's trajectory may be available but the information isn't always reaching target populations. There are career programs, financial workshops, job trainings, college fairs, GED programs, food banks, community resources abundant, but those they are meant for aren't accessing them. There seems to be a disconnect between resources available and the intended recipients.
"If I get shot the person who did it won't get caught." Another quote, another kid who doesn't feel supported, seen or valued. Less than 20% of murders are solved in Philly right now. That's a 4 in 5 chance of getting away with it. Good odds if you want to kill someone. The perception is that no one looks for the murderer of a young Black person or of a person who lives in a certain neighborhood. Add race and class to it and the case is likely to go unsolved permanently. It can feel unfair and demoralizing to feel invalidated by a place you call home.
"Why is the missing girl in Wyoming getting all this press? There's girls missing here and no one cares. My cousin got shot and no one investigated. No one came to the house and asked questions. There was no news cameras, no police or detectives. Why are we different?" Another kid, another quote, another person feeling like they don't matter in the place they live. They see the double standard and feel helpless.
From working with Philly young adults for almost 20 years I know that feeling valuable in their environment goes a long way; feeling respected goes a long way. When Philly officials simply tell what they are doing to curb violence and describes the money being spent on programs to ensure the public's safety from afar it doesn't translate. Where is the state of emergency? Where are the town watches or guardian angels? Where is the community mobilization? Where are the law students to help police officials with unsolved crimes? Where are the tech innovators to invest in our community centers and cameras for our neighborhoods? Where are the state of the art capital ventures to improve the quality of life in the communities directly impacted my gun violence and death?
Don't tell us things are happening when every single day someone is killed and the murder is likely to go unsolved. It's hard to trust those in charge when they don't have the same stake in the game. They don't live in the communities. They don't work in the communities. They aren't personally losing people and dealing with those left behind.
Covid 19 has impacted all of us, but gun violence has impacted me, my family and my students far more closely and immediately. Our kids need more from us as the City of Philadelphia. We can play the blame game all we want:
"Parents need to supervise their kids"
"Kids need to show respect to adults"
"People need to go to work and not hang out."
"Guns aren't the answer. They need to learn how to solve problems better."
"People should call the police to report crime."
"Kids shouldn't hang outside or on the corners during the day or late at night."
"People should tell on those committing the crimes so they can be off the street."
All those are statements I've heard from adults in the communities, during press conferences, from fellow teachers, Philly politicians and public figures. Here's the thing though, placing blame does not solve the problems. This is an emergency. The feeling of safety is a basic human right that many of us are being robbed of. It feels as if no one cares until it impacts them directly. That's not fair to those in our city who need us to step up.
The pandemic and the subsequent shutdown has created an alternate universe where money is both scarce and more easily available, guns are easier to get, drug overdoses are higher than ever, social media beefs result in deaths, jobs are both in abundance yet not for everyone, social interactions are more high stakes and a structured day is less important. There's a sense of heightened agitation prevalent in our communities layered with a feeling of despair.
"I want to leave Philly because it's not safe." This is a direct quote from a high school senior who just wants to make it to see his next birthday. What troubles me is that the communities most impacted by violence in this city are Black and Brown, between the ages of 15 and 30 and live in communities hit hardest by poverty and crime. Resources to improve one's trajectory may be available but the information isn't always reaching target populations. There are career programs, financial workshops, job trainings, college fairs, GED programs, food banks, community resources abundant, but those they are meant for aren't accessing them. There seems to be a disconnect between resources available and the intended recipients.
"If I get shot the person who did it won't get caught." Another quote, another kid who doesn't feel supported, seen or valued. Less than 20% of murders are solved in Philly right now. That's a 4 in 5 chance of getting away with it. Good odds if you want to kill someone. The perception is that no one looks for the murderer of a young Black person or of a person who lives in a certain neighborhood. Add race and class to it and the case is likely to go unsolved permanently. It can feel unfair and demoralizing to feel invalidated by a place you call home.
"Why is the missing girl in Wyoming getting all this press? There's girls missing here and no one cares. My cousin got shot and no one investigated. No one came to the house and asked questions. There was no news cameras, no police or detectives. Why are we different?" Another kid, another quote, another person feeling like they don't matter in the place they live. They see the double standard and feel helpless.
From working with Philly young adults for almost 20 years I know that feeling valuable in their environment goes a long way; feeling respected goes a long way. When Philly officials simply tell what they are doing to curb violence and describes the money being spent on programs to ensure the public's safety from afar it doesn't translate. Where is the state of emergency? Where are the town watches or guardian angels? Where is the community mobilization? Where are the law students to help police officials with unsolved crimes? Where are the tech innovators to invest in our community centers and cameras for our neighborhoods? Where are the state of the art capital ventures to improve the quality of life in the communities directly impacted my gun violence and death?
Don't tell us things are happening when every single day someone is killed and the murder is likely to go unsolved. It's hard to trust those in charge when they don't have the same stake in the game. They don't live in the communities. They don't work in the communities. They aren't personally losing people and dealing with those left behind.
Covid 19 has impacted all of us, but gun violence has impacted me, my family and my students far more closely and immediately. Our kids need more from us as the City of Philadelphia. We can play the blame game all we want:
"Parents need to supervise their kids"
"Kids need to show respect to adults"
"People need to go to work and not hang out."
"Guns aren't the answer. They need to learn how to solve problems better."
"People should call the police to report crime."
"Kids shouldn't hang outside or on the corners during the day or late at night."
"People should tell on those committing the crimes so they can be off the street."
All those are statements I've heard from adults in the communities, during press conferences, from fellow teachers, Philly politicians and public figures. Here's the thing though, placing blame does not solve the problems. This is an emergency. The feeling of safety is a basic human right that many of us are being robbed of. It feels as if no one cares until it impacts them directly. That's not fair to those in our city who need us to step up.
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