LOUISVILLE, Ky. — National Youth Violence Prevention Week begins Monday, and a local group is urging the community to get involved in hopes of ending the cycle of young lives lost in Louisville.
The Metro Youth Cabinet, a component of the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, was established in January and is responsible for advising Mayor Craig Greenberg’s office and Metro Council on youth-related issues impacting the city.
Greenberg will host a press conference on Monday with members of the cabinet where they will further discuss the initiatives they plan to bring to focus.
"The week is one of our answers to the violence that affects the youth in our communities," said 23-year-old Teadora Monteith, a UofL student and the metro district nine representative. "We believe this week will help bring about an end to violence by encouraging open dialogue and radical love."
WHAS11 also spoke to Javoughn Brown-Lewis who is the youth engagement specialist of the Offices for Healthy and Safer Neighborhoods program.
He feels their organization is an example that is doing a great job at building a connection with youth involved in youth violence.
Lewis said the city has already taken some good leaps with organizations like Safer Neighborhoods but he feels more people need to normalize the conversation of preventing youth violence.
That means needing a facilitated dialogue to reduce violence, his biggest concern is how the city is approaching the youth.
Brown-Lewis said, "really build a relationship with these young people who are involved in youth violence or involved in some less favorable activities right. Really going directly to those people and sitting down with them, developing a relationship with them to say what do you need or what do you want. What is it that your seeking, what are you missing and how can we bridge some of those gaps?”
Youth and their supporters will also have direct access to a variety of resources including health and mental health services.
Here is a list of events that are free and open to the public:
- March 27: 5-8 pm, 334 E. Broadway: "Youth Vendor Fair" sponsored by the Louisville Metro United Way
- March 28: 6-7:30 pm, 1600 St. Catherine St.: "Youth Panel Discussion" sponsored by the California Community Center
- March 29: 5:30-8 pm, 930 W. Chestnut St.: "Open Mic & Poetry Night" sponsored by the Chestnut St. YMCA
- March 30: 6-7:30 pm, 144 N. 6th St.: "KY Student Activist Event" sponsored by The Muhammad Ali Center
- March 31: 5-6:30 pm, "Documentary Night" sponsored by the Eagan Leadership Center at Spalding University
- April 1: 5-7 pm, 144 N. 6th St.: "The Youthful Gala" sponsored by the Muhammad Ali Center. NOTE: This event is at capacity and registration is closed.
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