% >>> WELCOME TO "NOON
% WEDNESDAY," I'M MARISA WOJCIK,
% MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST WITH "HERE%
& NOW" ON PBS WISCONSIN.
% TODAY IS OCTOBER 13.
% ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LARGE CITIES
% ARE SEEING HIGHER RATES OF
% VIOLENT CRIME AND HOMICIDE, AND
% MILWAUKEE MIGHT BE SEEING SOME
% OF THE WORST AS MURDERS AND GUN
% VIOLENCE APPROACH HISTORIC
% LEVELS IN 2021.
% JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
% WORK IN THE MILWAUKEE HEALTH
% DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE OF VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION IS KWEKU TeAnge
% TeAngelo, AND JAMAAL SMITH,
% THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING
% HERE.%>> THANK YOU FOR HAVIN
G US.
% >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
% >> I WANT TO START, WITH AS WE
% MENTIONED, NATIONWIDE CITIES
% REPORT HIGHER RATES OF VIOLENCE
% AND PARTICULARY HOMICIDE.
% FOR THE TWO OF YOU AS PEOPLE WHO
% WORK VERY CLOSELY IN THIS, WHAT
% DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN
% MILWAUKEE, AND JAMAAL, WE START
% WITH YOU.
% >> YEAH.
% THANK YOU.
% SO, ESSENTIALLY, WHAT WE ARE
% SEEING IS REALLY THE
% EXACERBATION OF PAIN THROUGH THE
% PANDEMIC.
% WE REALLY REALIZED THE IMPACT OF
% NOT ONLY PHYSICAL TRAUMA THAT
% COVID-19 HAS CAUSED, BUT THE
% PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MENTAL TRAUMA
% AS WELL, RIGHT?
% AND SO WHEN YOU COUPLE THAT WITH
% THE FACT THAT THERE WERE ALREADY
% INCREASING DISPARITIES WITHIN
% THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE, WHETHER
% THAT'S IN HOUSING, LACK OF
% QUALITY HOUSING FOR PEOPLE OF
% COLOR, LACK OF QUALITY%HEALTH
CARE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR,
% EDUCATION INEQUITIES,
% UNEMPLOYMENT AND%UNDEREMPLOYM
ENT, MAJOR ISSUES
% WITHIN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE,
% AND THEN A PANDEMIC COMES ALONG
% TO EXACERBATE DISPARITIES, THEN
% WHAT YOU PRODUCE IS A LOT OF
% DESPAIR, ANGER, ISOLATION,
% INCREASING RISKY BEHAVIORS
% LEADING TO VIOLENCE.%THERE IS
A SOCIETAL ISSUE, A
% SOCIETAL DILEMMA WE HAVE LEADING
% TO A LOT OF THE ENGAGEMENT IN
% THE VIOLENCE THAT WE SEE, SO WE
% HAVE TO LOOK AT ROOT CAUSE
% INSTEAD OF SAYING FROM A SYMPTOM
% FOCUS AND LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE
% WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE
% COMMITTING THESE HEINOUS CRIMES
% OR UNFORTUNATE CRIME, BUT ALSO
% THE OTHER PART OF THIS, WHY ARE
% THEY DOING THAT?
% WHAT'S HAPPENING?
% WHAT ARE THE EXPERIENCES THAT
% HAVE BEEN EXPOSED THAT IS
% LEADING THEM TO MAKE THESE
% DECISIONS, AND WHAT ARE THE ILLS
% THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY BROUGHT TO
% THE FOREFRONT ON A MACRO LEVEL
% BY COVID-19?
% HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE AS WELL?
% >> AND, KWEKU TeAngelo, YOU
% WORK WITH YOUTH.
% WHAT'S THIS LOOK LIKE WITH YOU
% SPECIFICALLY ON THE GROUND.
% >> THANK YOU FOR ASKING, AND
% JAMAAL REALLY LAID A STRONG
% FOUNDATION TO A LOT OF WHAT WE
% ARE SEEING.
% WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FROM THE
% YOUTH PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE TO BE
% VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE VARIETY
% OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
% THAT'S BEEN DIRECTLY SEVERED DUE
% TO THE PANDEMIC.
% WHEN WE THINK ABOUT YOUTH
% DEVELOPMENT AND ALL OF THE
% VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE
% AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND%
THAT ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR
% THE YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE
% AGENCIES HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY
% IMPACTED.
% YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
% YOU THINK ABOUT OURSELVES WHEN
% WE WERE IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, WE
% GOT A LOT OF ACCESS TO
% OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR
% SCHOOLS.
% YOU WOULD HAVE ORGANIZATIONS
% COME INTO OUR SCHOOLS, TABLE,
% AND SHARE A VARIETY OF RESOURCES
% ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD FOR US TO
% GET INTO THE VARIETY OF CAREERS
% THAT REALLY CAN IMPACT OUR
% PASSION AND WHAT OUR FUTURE'S
% GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
% THE REALITY IS, DUE TO THE
% PANDEMIC, DUE TO SCHOOLS,
% TRANSITIONING TO VIRTUAL, AND
% DUE TO OUT OF SCHOOL
% PROGRAMMING, DIRECTLY BE
% IMPACTED AND SWITCHING TO
% VIRTUAL AS WELL.
% YOU HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE
% DOING VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING IN
% SCHOOL AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING
% FOR THE AFTER SCHOOL
% PROGRAMMING.
% IT DID NOT MESH WELL.
% WE RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT THE
% PANDEMIC THAT YOUTH DEVELOP
% PIECE WAS OFTENTIMES VOID FROM
% THE CONVERSATION.
% THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
% TO DISCUSS HOW YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
% DIRECTLY IMPACTS A LOT OF OUR
% YOUNG PEOPLE AND LACK OF
% ACCESSIBILITY DUE TO THE
% PANDEMIC FOR SAFETY REASONS
% WHILE A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR
% THEM WERE TAKEN AWAY.
% >> JAMAAL, WHY EXACTLY IS THIS
% SO MUCH WORSE DURING THE
% PANDEMIC WITH 2021 SET TO REACH
% HISTORIC LEVELS OF HOMICIDE?
% HOW EXACTLY DO WE GET FROM A
% PANDEMIC TO HOMICIDE?
% WHAT ARE ALL OF THE LINKAGES IN
% BETWEEN?
% >> WELL, GREAT QUESTION.
% AND LET'S JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE
% CONTEXT.%THERE WAS AN EPIDEMI
C OF GUN
% VIOLENCE EVEN BEFORE THE
% PANDEMIC HIT, RIGHT?
% GUN VIOLENCE IS A DISCUSSION.
% VIOLENCE AS A WHOLE HAS ALWAYS
% BEEN A DISCUSSION.
% STRATEGIES ABOUT PREVENTION HAS
% ALWAYS BEEN A DISCUSSION AS
% WELL.
% NOT TO THE LEVEL THAT WE WOULD
% LIKE TO SEE AS WORKING IN
% PREVENTION, BUT IT HAS BEEN%
THERE SO THEN WHEN YOU BRING
% ABOUT A PANDEMIC THAT ACTUALLY,
% YOU KNOW, TO TeAngelo'S
% POINT CHANGES THE WAY OF LIFE,
% THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS
% SWITCHED, A LOT OF THINGS ENDED,
% YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS THAT%
PEOPLE HAD DIRECT ACCESS TO
% PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC WERE TAKEN
% AWAY IN ADDITION TO THE FACT
% THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, LOST
% JOBS, LOST INCOME, YOU KNOW,
% DESPERATION INCREASED, RIGHT?
% AND EVEN LOOKING AT MILWAUKEE,
% ALREADY, THE BLACK MEDIAN INCOME
% IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE WAS
% $36,000 PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
% SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THAT
% COULD BE NOW, BASED ON THE
% PANDEMIC, RIGHT, AND HOW MANY
% PEOPLE LOST INCOME BECAUSE OF
% IT, THAT IS WHAT THEN INCREASES
% THE LIKELIHOOD FOR THE ANGER AND
% FRUSTRATION THAT COMES ALONG
% WITH THE ENGAGEMENT AND
% VIOLENCE.
% YOU ALSO HAVE TO TAKE INTO
% ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW,
% TRAUMA IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE
% THAT IS NOT DISCUSSED ON A GRAND
% LEVEL.%RIGHT?
% THE LEVELS OF TRAUMA THAT EXIST.
% A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE IN
% GUN VIOLENCE HAVE BEEN VICTIMS
% DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY OF GUN
% VIOLENCE, RIGHT?
% WHETHER THAT'S YOU'VE SEEN IT
% HAPPEN OR IT HAPPENED TO YOU,
% RIGHT?
% SO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THE
% GENERATIONAL ASPECT OF TRAUMA
% THAT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS
% EXPERIENCE, PLUS THE IMPACT OF
% COMMUNITY TRAUMA, AND TALKING
% ABOUT THE LACK THAT IS EXISTING
% WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES THAT
% ARE HIGHLY IMPACTED BY THAT GUN
% VIOLENCE, RIGHT, AND SO, YOU
% KNOW, IT IS JUST SEEING THIS IS
% A COMPLEX WAY WOVEN, HOWEVER, WE
% HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
% COMPLEXITY IS THERE.
% RIGHT?
% AND IT IS GOING TO TAKE A HIGH
% LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT FROM, LIKE,
% MULTIDISCIPLINARY ENGAGEMENT IN
% ORDER FOR THIS TO REALLY BE
% ADDRESSED.
% RIGHT?
% THIS JUST CAN'T COME FROM ONE
% ENTITY.
% THIS HAS TO BE MULTIDISCIPLINARY
% APPROACH.
% >> AND KWEKU TeAngelo, WHY
% ARE MORE AND MORE TRAGEDIES
% HAPPENING TO YOUNG PEOPLE?
% PARTICULARLY THOSE UNDER THE AGE
% OF 18?
% >> SUCH A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO
% ANSWER.
% AS WE RECOGNIZE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
% NOT A MONOLITHIC PEOPLE.
% THERE'S NOT JUST ONE REASON WHY
% ANY ONE PERSON MAKES A DECISION
% THEY MAKE.
% THERE ARE A VARIETY OF REASONS
% THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR
% YOUNG PEOPLE AND WHAT'S
% HAPPENING TO THEM, WHAT'S NOT
% HAPPENING FOR THEM, AND JAMAAL
% GAVE SO MUCH CONTEXT TO A LOT OF
% ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT
% NOW.
% WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR YOUNG
% PEOPLE, SPECIFICALLY, IT IS JUST
% TRULY, LIKE, IN MY VISION OF
% THIS, THERE'S A LACK OF
% OPPORTUNITY.
% A LACK OF ACCESS DUE TO THE
% PANDEMIC.
% WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE SAFETY
% OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, WE
% RECOGNIZE THAT THEM ENGAGING IN
% LARGE GROUPS GIVES THEM THE
% OPPORTUNITY TO BE EXPOSED TO
% COVID, AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT
% SMALL GROUPS ARE IDEAL, BUT THEN
% WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A STEP
% FURTHER BACK, WHEN YOU THINK
% ABOUT OUR AGENCIES THAT ARE
% OFTENTIMES REQUIRED TO TRACK
% NUMBERS AND THEY ARE ONLY
% ALLOWED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A
% CERTAIN POINT IN THE PANDEMIC,
% LESS THAN 10 PEOPLE IN A ROOM,
% AS JAMAAL TALKED ABOUT EARLIER,
% YOU KNOW, JOBS, SO WE CAN NO
% LONGER SUSTAIN MULTIPLE STAFF
% FOR AN ORGANIZATION DUE TO THOSE
% STIPULATIONS FOR OUR SAFETY, AND
% NOT DIRECTLY -- THAT DIRECTLY
% IMPACTED OUR YOUNG PEOPLE'S
% ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND SAFETY
% BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO
% THINK ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND
% THOSE WHO SERVE THEM, BUT THINK
% ABOUT THOSE THEY HAVE TO GO HOME
% TO, CHILDREN THEY HAVE TO KEEP
% SAFE, ELDERLY THEY HAVE TO KEEP
% SAFE, AND SO EVERYONE IS
% THINKING ABOUT NOT ONLY THEIR
% SAFETY, BUT INDIVIDUALS THEY
% HAVE TO GO HOME TO.
% SO WHEN YOU FACTOR IN ALL OF
% THESE VARIOUS THINGS, AND YOU
% TAKE STEPS BACK, IT IS VERY
% CLEAR THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
% AN ACCESS ISSUE.
% WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A RESOURCE
% ISSUE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
% AND RERECOGNIZE -- WE RECOGNIZE
% THAT IDLE TIME IS THERE'S MORE
% OPPORTUNITY FOR RECKLESS
% DECISIONS TO BE MADE, AND DUE TO
% THE PANDEMIC, THERE'S BEEN A LOT
% OF IDLE TIME FOR OUR YOUNG
% PEOPLE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN
% MAKING MORE RISKY DECISIONS
% DURING THAT TIME, AND IF WE
% THINK ABOUT IT, A LOT OF THESE
% YOUNG PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE
% BEEN IN YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES,
% PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN
% AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING THAT
% WOULD HAVE BETTER DIRECTED THEM,
% BETTER SUPPORTED THEM, BETTER
% RESOURCED THEM IN THE REALITY
% DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE
% PANDEMIC WE'RE STILL IN NOW, A
% LOT OF THESE ISSUES IS GOING TO
% BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO
% TRANSITION OUT OF UNLESS WE
% REALLY START TO THINK OUTSIDE OF
% THE BOX.%WE REALLY HAVE TO TH
INK ABOUT
% THE LARGE SPACES THAT WE HAVE
% THAT WE CAN SAFELY BRING IN
% GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS,
% PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE, TO
% ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER IN A SAFE
% WAY.
% IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THAT
% LEVEL OF INVESTMENT HAS NOT
% OCCURRED FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
% WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, OH, OUR
% YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS, OUR
% YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT, WE
% ALSO HAVE TO FACTOR IN WHAT ARE
% WE NOT DOING FOR OUR YOUNG
% PEOPLE?
% THE REALITY IS THAT THERE'S A
% LOT WE'RE NOT DOING.
% >> AND KWEKU TeAngelo,
% WHAT'S THE CONVERSATIONS YOU
% HAVE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE?
% WHAT ARE THEY TELLING YOU?
% WHAT ARE YOU HEARING INSTEAD OF,
% YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE ARE JUST
% KIND OF ASSUMING, LIKE, YOU
% SAID, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT
% DOING THIS OR ARE DOING THAT.
% >> YEAH.
% ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION.
% I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO A YOUNG
% PERSON, MAN, I WAS PROBABLY
% ABOUT 6 OR 7 MONTHS BACK, A
% YOUTH SERVING AGENCY REACH OUT
% TO ME THAT WAS DIRECTLY TRYING
% TO SERVE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
% WERE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
% SHE BROUGHT ONE OF THOSE YOUNG
% PEOPLE ON THE SCREEN, AND WE
% WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION, AND
% I ASKED HER, LIKE, ASKED HER, AS
% YOU ASKED ME, WHAT DO YOU NEED?
% LIKE, WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR YOU
% AND YOUR PEERS TO MAKE LESS
% RISKIER DECISIONS?
% SHE SAID, WE NEED ALL THE STUFF
% THAT WE HAD BEFORE BACK.
% THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.
% I WANT TO GO TO THE MOVIES.
% I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO BOWLING.
% LIKE, THESE THINGS THAT WE TOOK
% FOR GRANTED, AND THE PANDEMIC
% REALLY SEVERED FOR, AGAIN, FOR
% SAFETY REASONS, WHILE WE
% COULDN'T DO THESE THINGS IN%
LARGER CAPACITIES, AND WE KNOW
% YOUNG PEOPLE LOVE TO SOCIALIZE
% AND LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
% THEIR PEERS AND ENGAGE WITH
% THEIR PEERS, AND DUE TO THE
% PANDEMIC, A LOT OF THOSE THINGS
% THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO FOR
% FREE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK
% ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT
% UNNECESSARY OVERSIGHT.
% THEY WERE ALREADY STRATEGICALLY
% THINGS IN PLACE TO OVERSEE THEM.
% AT THE MOVIES, THERE'S STAFF AND
% SECURITY THERE ALREADY, THERE'S
% THINGS THAT WE DON'T EVEN THINK
% ABOUT BECAUSE WE TAKE IT FOR
% GRANTED THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN
% CLEARLY GO TO AND FEEL SAFE.
% AS JAMAAL STATED EARLIER, A LOT
% OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN
% OUR CITY RIGHT NOW HAVE IMPACTED
% A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY, IN WAYS
% IN WHICH THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.
% WHEN WE THINK ABOUT YOUNG
% PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
% WAYS THEY CAN GO IN TO SPACES
% SAFELY, FEEL SECURE, FEEL SAFE,%
SCENE WHEN WE CAN CREATE AND
% IDENTIFY THOSE SPACES, WE'LL BE
% ABLE TO FOR THEM TO IN LARGER
% SPACES COME BACK, AND THERE ARE
% SOME ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING
% THAT WELL.
% THERE'S SOME ORGANIZATIONS WHO
% ARE SLOWLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
% WHAT THOSE HYBRID APPROACHES
% LOOK LIKE.
% IN A LOT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS,
% THEY WERE HAPPENING THROUGH
% COLLECTIVE IMPACT COALITION
% CALLED BEYOND THE DOUBT, AND IT
% IS OUR GOAL TO REALLY UPLIFT THE
% WORK OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
% WHEN WE UPLIFT THE WORK OF YOUTH
% DEVELOPMENT, WE DIRECTLY ARE
% SERVING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND
% WHEN WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN
% YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, LOOKING AT
% WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR
% ORGANIZATIONS, STAFF, YOUNG
% PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE AND SECURE
% IN SPACE, WHEN WE REALLY START
% TO HAVE THE DEEPER DISCUSSIONS,
% WE'LL SLOWLY START TO SEE
% OURSELVES COMING OUT OF SOME OF
% THESE ISSUES, AND MY YOUNG
% PEOPLE FEEL BAD, THEN THEY ARE
% SUPPORTED.
% THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED AND
% TALK ABOUT.
% HOW CAN WE BETTER SUPPORT OUR
% YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE WAY THEY CAN
% TRANSITION SLOWLY, BUT SURELY,
% AS WE VERY MUCH RECOGNIZE WE'RE
% STILL IN THE PANDEMIC, BUT AS WE
% CREATE SPACES, THAT ARE SAFER
% FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL, A LOT
% OF THESE ISSUES WILL SLOWLY, BUT
% SURELY START TO FADE AWAY.
% >> AND, JAMAAL, SPEAKING OF THE
% BROADER IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY,
% NOT ONLY ARE WE SEEING JUST THE
% DIRECT IMPACTS OF THIS VIOLATION
% ON THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO
% HAVE THE IMPACTS OF COVID DEATHS
% THAT ARE PARTICULARLY IMPACTING
% BLACK AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES
% IN MILWAUKEE, AND THEN ON TOP OF
% THAT, WE WENT THROUGH A POLICE
% REFORM MOVEMENT LAST YEAR, AND
% WHEN SOME PEOPLE THINK OF PUBLIC
% SAFETY AND WAYS TO COMBAT
% VIOLENCE, THINK OF POLICE, BUT
% OTHERS THINK OF POLICE AS NOT
% NECESSARILY HELPING THE PROBLEM.
% HOW DO ALL OF THESE THINGS
% IMPACT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN SEE
% WAYS FORWARD OUT OF THIS
% PANDEMIC AND VIOLENT EPIDEMIC?
% >> I THINK IT -- GREAT
% QUESTION -- I THINK IT PROVIDES
% AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY HAVE A
% DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT PUBLIC
% SAFETY ACTUALLY MEANS AND
% REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY.
% YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN
% CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
% DIVEST, REINVEST, YOU KNOW,
% DEFUND, AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
% THAT HAS BEEN CENTERED THROUGH A
% LOT OF THE, YOU KNOW, PROTESTS
% THAT HAVE BEEN GLOBAL.
% NOT EVEN JUST NATIONWIDE, BUT
% GLOBAL, AND THE CONVERSATION HAS
% TO BE HOW DO WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT
% IN A MORE INNOVATIVE WAY TO
% INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY?
% RIGHT?
% IT IS NOT JUST A CONVERSATION
% ABOUT WE HAVE TO DEPEND ON ONE
% ENTITY TO SOLVE THE ISSUES IN
% ALL OF OUR MAJOR -- IN ALL OF
% OUR CITIES, ESPECIALLY OUR MAJOR
% URBAN CITIES.
% FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A LITTLE
% OVER 1700 RANKEN FILE OFFICERS
% IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE, AND
% THE POPULATION IS NEARLY
% 600,000.
% YOU ARE ASKING A LOT FOR THE
% POLICE TO BE THE ONLY ENTITY
% LOOKED TO FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
% THAT'S A LOT FOR THEM.
% THAT'S A HUGE BURDEN ON CITY
% ITSELF.
% VERSUS BEING THERE ARE
% CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE
% ALSO INCLUDE EFFORTS THAT ARE
% HAPPENING ON GROUND, GRASSROOT
% ORGANIZATIONS, GRASS TOPS
% ORGANIZES, COMMUNITY BASED
% ORGANIZATIONS, AREAS LIKE THE
% OFFICE OF VIOLENCE AND
% PREVENTION AND OTHERS THAT ARE
% DOING WORK AND LOOKING AT
% VIOLENCE FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH
% LENS TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAYS
% TO ELEVATE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND
% SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
% AND OTHER PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
% WE SEE VIOLENCE AS A DISEASE,
% AND IF IT IS A DISEASE, IT IS
% PREVENTABLE.
% IF IT IS PREVENTABLE, WE NEED
% PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES PUT IN
% PLACE IN ORDER FOR IT TO END, SO
% WHEN WE HAVE THESE TYPES OF
% DIALOGUES, RIGHT, IT IS -- IT'S
% IMPERATIVE THAT PEOPLE REALLY
% UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT
% PREVENTION IS, WHAT'S VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION, COMPLEXITIES OF
% VIOLENCE BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS
% CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
% INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCES,%COMM
UNITY VIOLENCE, BUT RARELY
% SYSTEMIC VIOLENCE AND DISCUSS
% WAYS POLICIES AND PRACTICES HAVE
% BEEN INTENTIONALLY HARMING
% MARGINALIZED, DISENFRANCHISED
% COMMUNITIES, RIGHT?%WE TALK
ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH
% THEY HAVE BEEN DIVESTED FROM,
% AND THAT ALSO LEADS INTO THE
% IMPACT OF THE EROSION OF THOSE
% NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LEADS TO,
% AGAIN, ENGAGEMENT OF VIOLENCE
% THROUGH RISKY BEHAVIORS BECAUSE
% OF THE DESOLATION, TRAUMA, AND
% DISTRESS.%IT IS LOOKING AT A
LL OF THE
% VARIOUS LEVELS AND BEING ABLE TG
% CONVERSATIONS, AND WE GOT TO BE
% TRUTHFUL ABOUT THIS.
% YOU KNOW, AND IS IT
% UNCOMFORTABLE?%ABSOLUTELY.
% THIS IS NOT AN EASY DISCUSSION.
% THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS
% TO BE WHERE PEOPLE'S --
% EVERYONE'S FEELINGS ARE
% CONSIDERED BECAUSE THERE ARE
% GOING TO BE SOME TIMES WHERE
% THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S%
GOING TO BE A PART OF THAT,
% RIGHT?
% SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH THE
% CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
% POLICE REFORM, CONVERSATION
% ABOUT DISCUSSES THE LEVELS OF
% EMPLOYMENT OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT
% OPPORTUNITIES HAS ACCESS TO
% OPPORTUNITIES AS KWEKU
% TeAngelo REFERENCED.
% WE HAVE TO BE HONEST IN
% RECOGNIZING THERE HAVE BEEN
% INTENTIONAL STRATEGIES TO KEEP
% THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FROM
% PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES.
% RIGHT?
% FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
% HOW THERE HAVE BEEN OCCUPATIONS
% OR VOCATIONS IN WHICH WE'VE SEEN
% APPLICATIONS OR RESUM ÉS FOR
% BLACK POTENTIAL PERSPECTIVE
% APPLICANTS BEING DISCARDED AT A
% HIGHER RATE BECAUSE OF THEIR
% NAME.
% RIGHT?
% THAT'S A SYSTEMIC ISSUE.
% RIGHT?
% THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
% COMMUNITY.%THAT'S ALSO VIOLEN
CE.
% THAT'S AN INTENDED HARM.
% THAT IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF
% VIOLENCE.
% WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VIOLENCE,
% HAVING A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO
% ISSUES THAT SYSTEMS PERPETUATE
% IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
% THERE'S GOT TO BE OTHER
% INNOVATIVE WAYS IN ADDITION TO
% WHAT WE DISCUSS WITH SYSTEMIC
% REFORM IN ORDER TO REALLY CHANGE
% THE LANDSCAPE OF WHAT VIOLENCE
% LOOKS LIKE.
% >> AND, JAMAAL, AS YOU ARE
% SPEAKING ABOUT THIS, IS THE VERY
% FACT THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC
% HEALTH APPROACH, IS THAT NOVEL
% AND INNOVATIVE IN AND OF ITSELF?
% YOU SPEAK OF IT AS A DISEASE,
% AND WHEN WE THINK OF HEALTH, YOU
% KNOW, VIOLENCE IS SOMETIMES%
PHYSICAL HARM, BUT IS IT ALSO
% MENTAL HARM?
% IS IT THESE STRUCTURAL
% DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, SOCIAL
% DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, ARE ALL
% OF THESE NEW WAYS OF LOOKING AT
% WHAT YOU SAID IS THIS VERY LONG
% STANDING PROBLEM AS A WAY TO
% REFRAME AND POTENTIALLY SEE NEW
% SOLUTIONS?
% >> I WON'T SAY THEY ARE NEW, BUT
% I WILL SAY THAT IT IS AN
% OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT
% SOLUTIONS, TO YOUR POINT.
% THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS, I
% BELIEVE, EVEN FROM THE CENTER
% FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
% PREVENTION.
% YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
% PREVENTION INSTITUTE IN OAKLAND,
% CALIFORNIA.
% THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE
% TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS AND THEN
% LEADING AT THE FOREFRONT OF
% PREVENTION EFFORTS FOR SOME
% YEARS NOW.
% THE ISSUE IS, TO YOUR POINT
% EARLIER, EVERY TIME SOMEBODY
% TALKS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, IT
% AUTOMATICALLY GOES TO LAW
% ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT?%SO THE C
ONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN
% MINIMAL AND HAVE NOT BEEN AS
% PUBLIC IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING
% VIOLENCE FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH
% LENS.%NOW WE ARE STARTING TO
SEE THE
% INCREASE IN THAT, AND WE CAN SAY
% HERE IN MILWAUKEE THERE'S BEEN A
% STRONG EFFORT AROUND GETTING
% PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND VIOLENCE
% FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS, AND
% WITH OUR BLUEPRINT FOR PEACE,
% WHICH IS A COMMUNITY DRIVEN
% STRATEGIC PLAN AROUND VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION THAT WAS RELEASED
% HERE IN MILWAUKEE IN 2017, IT
% WAS THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY
% THAT SAID, WE WANT TO LOOK AT
% VIOLENCE FROM A DIFFERENT LENS,
% AND PUBLIC HEALTH IS THE LENS TO
% LOOK AT IT FROM.
% SO NOW PEOPLE ARE NOT BEGIN --
% ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND MORE
% SO OF WHAT THAT MEANS FROM A
% PUBLIC HEALTH LENS, AND THEN
% THAT'S WHAT BRINGS ABOUT THOSE
% INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES THAT CAN
% BEGIN TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE IN
% VARIOUS FORMS.
% >> AND, KWEKU TeAngelo, WHEN
% WE THINK OF INTERRUPTION OR
% INTERVENTION, ARE WE THINKING
% ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE
% INTERPRETATION AND INTERVENTION,%
AS YOU MENTIONED, SOME YOUNG
% PEOPLE JUST WANT TO GO TO THE
% MOVIES, BOWLING, OR ARE WE ALSO
% THINKING ABOUT THESE LONGER TERM
% GENERATIONAL TRAUMA OR
% GENERATIONAL VIOLENCE THAT
% PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED OVER AND
% OVER.
% DOES ONE TAKE PRIORITY OVER THE
% OTHER?
% ARE THEY BOTH A PART OF WHAT
% YOUR OFFICE WORKS ON WITH YOUNG
% PEOPLE?%>> IT IS DEFINITELY
A YES/AND.
% SOME FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING ONE
% FORM OF VIOLENCE MORE THAN
% ANOTHER.
% SOMETIMES THAT CAN TAKE
% PRECEDENT IN YOUR SITUATION.
% SO IT IS SUCH A DIFFICULT
% QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE ISSUE
% AGAIN, IT IS INDIVIDUAL BASED.
% WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE PUBLIC
% HEALTH APPROACH, WE THINK ABOUT
% THE COMMUNITY AND WAYS THAT WE
% CAN HEAL THE COMMUNITY,
% RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, HEALING
% PRACTICES, INTERVENTIONS THAT DO
% NOT REQUIRE PUBLIC SAFETY TO
% COME IN TO A SPACE, BUT THAT'S
% MEDIATED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
% FAMILY MEMBERS, AND CREATING
% SPACES WHERE WE CAN TEACH EACH
% OTHER ABOUT THE VARIOUS FORMS
% THAT WE CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER
% IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND IT IS
% VITAL, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME
% THAT Wii TALK -- THAT WE'RE
% TALKING ABOUT, AND JAMAAL
% REFERENCED THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC
% SAFETY WE HAVE VERSUS THE
% COMMUNITY WE HAVE AT LARGE.
% WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE NEEDS TO
% BE AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF
% SUPPORT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR
% OURSELVES AND PROVIDE FOR OUR
% COMMUNITY.
% OUR COMMUNITY COULD BE OUR HOME.
% OUR COMMUNITY WOULD BE OUR
% FAMILY.
% OUR COMMUNITY COULD BE OR
% SCHOOL.
% OUR COMMUNITY COULD BE WHERE WE
% WORK.
% SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY,
% EVEN THE COMMUNITY, AND THERE'S
% SPACES, LIKE SCHOOLS IN
% PARTICULAR, THERE'S GREAT
% ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAMS LIKE
% VIOLENCE FREE ZONES THAT HAVE
% STAFF WITHIN SPACES WHERE YOU
% DON'T HAVE TO CALL PUBLIC
% SAFETY, WHICH IS REALLY SET UP
% TO DO MORE EMERGENCY BASED
% VIOLENCE.
% WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS, WHAT
% WE NEED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY
% ARE HAVING DISPUTES WITH EACH
% OTHER WITHIN SCHOOLS.
% WE NEED SPACES WITHIN SCHOOLS
% LIKE VIOLENCE FREE ZONE TO COME
% INTO THE SPACES, MEDIATE FOR THE
% YOUNG PEOPLE, AND CREATE SPACES
% OF HEALING.
% THOSE SPACES ARE VITAL.
% WE NEED THAT APPROACH TO BE
% GIVEN TO OUR ENTIRE CITY.
% OUR STATE EVEN IN OUR NATION,
% AND IN A STRONGER, MORE
% IMPACTFUL WAY.
% WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AS JAMAAL
% SAID, OUT OF THE BOX APPROACHES,
% THAT ARE NOT NEW.
% THESE ARE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES
% THAT ARE NOT NEW.
% THESE ARE OLD PRACTICES,
% PRACTICES THAT OUR INDIGENOUS
% PEOPLE TAUGHT US, AND WE
% CONTINUE TO TEACH TO OUR
% FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR
% COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
% WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT WORK SO
% THAT EVERYONE HAS THE ABILITY TO
% SAFELY MEDIATE A CONVERSATION
% BETWEEN FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
% AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT
% SITUATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVING
% GUNS WHERE THERE SHOULD BE AN
% ADDITIONAL LAYER OF TRAINING,
% ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SUPPORT,
% CREDIBLE MESSAGES THAT HAVE GONE
% THROUGH DUE TO COUNTY, AND THERE
% ARE UNIQUE LEVELS OF TRAINING
% THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THOSE HIGHER
% RISK SITUATIONS, BUT WHEN WE ARE
% TALKING ABOUT MEDIATION, WE
% SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK TO EACH
% OTHER, AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE
% TOOLS AND THE SKILLS TO BE ABLE
% TO DO THAT.
% WE SHOULD NOT GO IN A SITUATION
% WHERE I'M GOING TO GO GET MY
% GUN.
% WE NEED TO BE WORKING TOWARDS
% HEALING PRACTICES THAT MAKE IT
% SAFER FOR US TO FIGURE OUT
% THINGS INTERNALLY VERSUS TAKING
% SUCH DRASTIC ACTION.
% >> AND IN THE ABSENCE OF A LOT
% OF THESE PHYSICAL SPACES THAT
% YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, HOW MUCH ARE
% WE SEEING THE VIRTUAL SPACES
% KIND OF TAKE OVER AS SOCIAL
% MEDIA IS ALSO SEEN AS A PART OF
% OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC
% HEALTH?
% KWEKU TeAngelo, HOW MUCH ARE
% WE SEEING SOME OF THESE THINGS
% BEGIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND,
% THEREFORE, IT IS DIFFICULT,
% ALSO, FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE
% TRYING TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE TO
% INTERVENE ON THE FRONT END.
% >> WE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE THAT
% CYBER BULLYING IS PROBABLY AT
% THE ALL-TIME HIGH.
% IN OUR OFFICE, WE HAVE RECENTLY
% RECEIVED A GRANT TO BETTER
% EDUCATE OUR FAMILIES, OUR
% SCHOOLS, ABOUT HOW WE CAN
% MEDIATE SOME OF THESE CYBER
% BULLYING SITUATIONS.
% THAT'S ONE PIECE.
% WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT VIRTUAL
% PIECE, WE HAVE A GREAT SPEAKER
% YESTERDAY THAT REALLY SAID
% SOMETHING THAT I HOPE TO
% INCORPORATE IN EVERYTHING THAT I
% DO.
% IT IS NOT ABOUT ALWAYS -- I'LL
% SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO YOUNG
% PEOPLE, BUT THIS CAN BE USED IN
% A BROADER BRUSH -- IF OUR YOUNG
% PEOPLE ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE
% SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH
% MEETING THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
% WE SHOULDN'T FEEL LIKE IT ALWAYM
% OUT OF A SPACE THAT THEY ARE
% COMFORTABLE IN ALREADY AND HAVE
% TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR THEM
% WHEN THEY WERE ALREADY IN ONE.
% WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, AGAIN, OUR
% YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY ARE IN --
% THEIR GENERATION IS A SOCIAL
% MEDIA ERA IN A WAY THAT EVEN MY
% GENERATION HAS NOT EVEN
% EXPERIENCED.
% WE HAVE TO, AGAIN, MEET YOUNG
% PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AT.
% IF THAT'S A SPACE WHERE YOU ARE
% COMFORTABLE AND YOU'RE SAFE,
% THEN WHAT INDIRECTLY IMPACTS US
% IS WE WORK FROM HOME NOW, AND
% WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN WORKING
% FROM HOME WAS SAFER THAN GOING
% TO THE OFFICE, YOU KNOW,
% DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE
% EXPERIENCE FROM HOME TO THE
% OFFICE THAT WE CAN AVOID
% DIRECTLY BY WORKING REMOTE IS
% ANOTHER LAYER OF DISCUSSION THAT
% I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO BE
% TALKING ABOUT IN THE HIGHER
% LEVEL, AND I KNOW SOME SPACES
% ARE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
% THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST HYBRID
% BASED WORK AREA WE ARE GOING
% INTO RIGHT NOW WITH FOLKS
% WORKING FROM THE OFFICE AND ALSO
% WORKING FROM HOME.
% THAT GIVES THAT INDIVIDUAL A
% LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
% THAT YOUNG PERSON IS GOING
% THROUGH.
% TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT A
% YOUNG PERSON IS GOING THROUGH IS
% NOT FAIR, BUT IF YOU ARE LIVING
% EXPERIENCES THEY ARE LIVING, IT
% MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO
% EMPATHIZE, A LITTLE EASIER TO
% UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE GOING
% THROUGH, AND BECAUSE WE, AS
% ADULTS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
% PUSH THROUGH SOME OF THESE
% PANDEMIC BARRIERS THAT YOUNG
% PEOPLE DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE
% THE ACCESS TO DO.
% WE CAN STILL GO TO BARS AND
% THINGS OF THAT NATURE, YOU KNOW,
% IN THE EVENING TIME, BUT YOUNG
% PEOPLE, THEY REALLY DON'T
% HAVE -- THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL
% OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EVENING
% TIMES FOR THEM TO SOCIALIZE WITH
% THEIR PEERS.
% US, AS ADULTS, HAVE A LOT OF
% OPPORTUNITIES.
% SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, YOU
% KNOW, SOME OF THE DECISION
% MAKING THAT'S HAPPENING AT
% NIGHT, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT
% WE CAN DO TO ELEVATE THAT WORK?
% SO LIKE THE MIDNIGHT LEAGUE IS
% SUCCESSFUL.
% SOME OF THE TRANSITIONAL SPACES
% THAT WE ARE HOUSING SOME OF OUR
% NPS SCHOOLS HAVE SHOWN GREAT
% FRUIT.
% WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO BRING
% THOSE THINGS TO SCALE AS WE ARE
% STILL IN THIS PANDEMIC?
% I THINK THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE
% WHAT CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO
% CONTINUE HAVING AND MAKING
% ACTION BEHIND.
% I THINK IT IS STILL DIFFICULT
% FOR US TO DO SOME OF THOSE
% THINGS BECAUSE IT IS SO OUTSIDE
% OF OUR NORM, BUT WE'RE IN A
% PANDEMIC, EVERYTHING CHANGED.
% WE HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE MAKING
% CHANGES NECESSARY SO THAT THE
% SAFETY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IS A
% PRIORITY.
% >> THIS LAST QUESTION IS FOR
% BOTH OF YOU, AND, JAMAAL,
% STARTING WITH YOU.
% FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE WITH
% THIS KIND OF STRESS AND THIS
% KIND OF TRAUMA, BUT ARE
% LISTENING AND WANT TO
% UNDERSTAND, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS
% YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE AREN'T
% KIND OF PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS
% THAT ARE ADDING TO THIS IDEA OF
% VIOLENCE IN MILWAUKEE?
% WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE WHO
% DON'T LIVE IN MILWAUKEE AND WHO
% DON'T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
% MEANS TO TRY AND FEEL SAFE WHEN
% THEY WALK AROUND OUTSIDE WHEN
% YOU ARE DOING YOUR WORK TRYING
% TO HELP KIND OF BRING THE
% BROADER MESSAGE OF SAFETY TO
% PEOPLE IN MILWAUKEE?%>> GREAT
QUESTION.
% THE FIRST THING IS I WOULD
% CHALLENGE PEOPLE TO STEP OUTSIDE
% OF SOME OF THE OLD REALITIES OF
% WHAT THEY BELIEVE HAPPENS WITHIN
% URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
% CONTRARY POPULAR OPINION, BLACK
% AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE NOT
% INHERENTLY VIOLENT, RIGHT?
% VIOLENCE IS NOT BASED ON RACE.
% VIOLENCE HAPPENS BECAUSE OF
% PAIN.
% VIOLENCE HAPPENS BECAUSE OF
% TRAUMA.
% VIOLENCE HAPPENS BECAUSE OF
% WHATEVER TYPES OF FEELINGS OR
% FRUSTRATIONS OR ANGER THAT LEADS
% TO THE DECISION TO ENGAGE HAS
% NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE.
% THAT'S ONE.
% TWO, LET'S DO AN ACTUAL
% GEOGRAPHIC CALL ANALYSIS OF YOUR
% NEIGHBORHOODS VERSUS THE
% NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE HIGHLY
% IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE, AND THEN
% LET'S HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH
% DISCUSSION.
% RIGHT?
% THERE'S -- I MEAN, WHEN YOU
% START TO REALLY LOOK AT THE
% AREAS THAT HAVE ALL OF THE HIGH
% QUALITY OF -- THE SOCIAL
% DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH THAT
% ELEVATE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND
% THEN YOU START TO LOOK AT
% NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DO NOT HAVE
% THAT, RIGHT, AND START TO
% QUESTION, WELL, WHY IS IT THAT
% THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE IN MY
% NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THIS IS AN
% ISSUE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
% THEN YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO
% REALLY LOOK AT WHAT THOSE ISSUES
% ARE.
% THIS IS A GREAT ANALOGY.
% 30 KIDS ARE AT A PARTY WITH A
% PIN ATA, AND THEY BUST IT OPEN,
% AND THREE PIECES OF CANDY COME
% OUT.
% WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE 30 KIDS?
% THEY ATTACK EACH OTHER FOR THE
% THREE PIECES OF CANDY.
% EVERYONE'S TRYING TO GET TO THE
% CANDY.
% THAT'S THE SAME THING WE HAVE TO
% LOOK AT IN TERMS OF RESOURCES.
% WHEN IT COMES TO A LACK OF
% RESOURCES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
% HAVE ALSO BEEN SYSTEMICALLY
% DIVESTED FROM AND THERE IS
% LIMITED RESOURCES, AND THERE'S
% SOME FORM OF IT IN THOSE
% NEIGHBORHOODS, IMMEDIATELY,%
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FIGURE OUT
% THE MORE DESPERATE WAYS TO GET
% TO THOSE RESOURCES, TO SUSTAIN,
% RIGHT, NOT JUST TO -- THIS IS
% FOR SURVIVAL.
% WHEN WE REALLY LOOK AT WHAT
% VIOLENCE IS, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE
% TO SAY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
% THINGS THAT ARE CAUSING THIS?
% WHAT ARE ACTUALLY THOSE
% UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT ARE NOT
% DISCUSSED ENOUGH THAT NEEDS TO
% BE DISCUSSED, RIGHT?
% SO, YOU KNOW, TeAngelo
% TALKED EARLIER ABOUT YOUNG
% PEOPLE, AND WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
% ENGAGEMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND
% GUN VIOLENCE, AND WHAT MOST
% PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS THE AVERAGE
% AGE OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS IS 30.
% THAT'S NOT YOUNG PEOPLE.
% RIGHT?%THAT MEANS THAT THERE
IS A LEVEL
% OF GUN VIOLENCE THAT EXISTS ON
% ALL AGE LEVELS.
% THIS IS NOT A YOUTH GUN VIOLENCE
% ISSUE WE HAVE.
% THIS IS GUN VIOLENCE ISSUE WE'RE
% HAVING, BUT THEN ALSO WE HAVE TO
% COUPLE THAT AND START LOOKING AT
% SYSTEMIC ACCOUNTABILITY.%WHY?
% BECAUSE OF EASY ACCESS TO GUNS.
% RIGHT?
% THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE
% HAVE.
% IN 2020, 40 MILLION GUNS WERE
% SOLD NATIONWIDE.
% THAT'S OVER 10 MILLION GUNS MORE
% THAN IN 2019.
% HERE WE ARE IN 2021, STILL THAT
% SAME EASY ACCESS, AND WE ARE
% STILL DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC
% THAT IS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY
% IMPACTING PEOPLE ON GREAT
% LEVELS.
% SO IT IS -- IT IS AN ALL
% ENCOMPASSING EFFORT IN ORDER TO
% REALLY ADDRESS PREVENTION.
% IT CANNOT JUST BE US LOOKING AND
% SAYING THESE PEOPLE ARE
% CRIMINAL.%WE NEED TO ADDRESS
THEM FROM A
% PUNISHMENT LENS.%WHAT ARE WE
DOING IN ORDER TO
% TREAT THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE?
% WE HAVE TO LOOK AT VIOLENCE AS
% PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE
% BECAUSE IT IS A DISEASE, RIGHT?
% WE'VE BEEN VIEWING THE WAYS IN
% WHICH WE ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY
% FROM A VERY NARROW LENS, RIGHT?
% WE'VE INCARCERATED PEOPLE FOR
% SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
% INCARCERATED PEOPLE FOR
% HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH.
% THEY NEEDED HELP.
% THEY DIDN'T NEED INCARCERATION,
% RIGHT?
% THERE HAS TO BE INVESTMENT IN
% THOSE AREAS THAT SERVICE PEOPLE
% WHO ARE DEALING WITH THOSE
% SOCIAL ILLS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO
% GET -- THEY PROVIDE ACCESS AND
% OPPORTUNITY TO RESOURCES THAT
% ALLOWS FOR THEM TO LIVE THEIR
% BEST LIVES TO THRIVE, NOT JUST
% SURVIVE, TO THRIVE.%THAT'S W
HAT'S HAPPENING IN
% NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NOT BEING
% IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE, AND
% THEY -- IF THIS IS A COUNTRY
% WHERE PEOPLE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT
% THE LAND OF THE FREE, HOME OF
% THE BRAVE, YOU KNOW, BRING ME
% YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR, YOUR
% HUDDLED MASSES, IT IS ABOUT
% LIFE, LIBERTY, THE PURSUIT OF
% HAPPINESS, LAISSEZ-FAIRE, WE
% SHOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE,
% THEY DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND
% RESOURCES THAT I RECEIVED,
% RIGHT?
% THAT IS A GRAND ADVOCACY PIECE
% TO ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON IN
% THIS COUNTRY HAS THE ACCESS TO
% THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR
% THEMSELVES TO THRIVE AND FOR%
THEIR FAMILIES.
% WHEN WE SEE THAT HAPPEN, THAT'S
% WHAT VIOLENCE PREVENTION LOOKS
% LIKE.
% >> KWEKU TeAngelo, SAME
% QUESTION TO YOU.
% WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO
% UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS
% SOMEONE WHO WORKS VERY DEEPLY IN
% IT?
% >> I WANT EVERYONE TO RECOGNIZE
% THAT WE ARE ALL VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION.
% WE ALL HAVE A ROLE IN PREVENTING
% VIOLENCE.
% IF YOU TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
% LOOK AT OUR MOVEMENT FOR PEACE,
% WE HAVE SIX GOALS, STOP THE
% SHOOTING, STOP THE VIOLENCE,
% PROMOTE HEALING, RESTORATIVE
% JUSTICE, SUPPORT CHILDREN,
% YOUTH, AND FAMILIES, PROMOTE
% ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, FOSTER
% SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND
% STRENGTHEN CAPACITY AND
% COORDINATION OF VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION EFFORTS.
% ALL OF US HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
% FALL INTO ONE OF THESE GOALS AND
% CAN DO MULTIPLE OF THESE
% STRATEGIES.
% EVEN IF YOU JUST DO VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION FOR YOUR FAMILY, FOR
% YOUR DIRECT COMMUNITY, FOR THE
% CHILDREN THAT YOU SEE, YOU ARE
% HAVING AN IMPACT.
% YOU ARE HAVING A REAL IMPACT.
% IF YOU SEE YOURSELF AS VIOLENT
% PREVENTION AND EXUDE THAT%TH
ROUGH YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL SEE
% A GREATER QUALITY OF HAPPINESS,
% GREATER QUALITY OF LIFE, AND
% THESE ARE JUST AT THE SMALL
% LEVELS, SMALLER LEVELS, WE ALL
% HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING
% HAPPINESS AND JOY TO ANOTHER
% PERSON, AND IF WE CONTINUE TO
% LIVE IN THAT SPACE, TO REALIZE
% THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE
% A DIFFERENCE, TO MAKE A CHANGE,
% WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THE
% SHIFTS THAT WE WANT TO SEE.
% THAT'S HOW JAMAAL AND I ARE.
% WE RECOGNIZE AND KNOW THE GREAT
% THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.
% WE SEE HOW VIOLENCE PREVENTION
% IS WORKING, AND IT IS NOT
% PROMOTED IN THE SAME CAPACITY AS
% SOME OF OUR VIOLENT ACTS WE SEE
% THROUGHOUT THE CITY ARE, BUT IT
% KEEPS JAMAAL AND I OPTIMISTIC
% BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT'S WORKING.
% WE SEE IT.
% WE LIVE IT.
% WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE
% BROUGHT TO SCALE, AND WHEN WE
% CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE
% DISCUSSIONS, SO, AGAIN, THANK
% YOU FOR CREATING THIS SPACE FOR
% US, TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE
% CONVERSATIONS, WE WILL CONTINUE
% TO UPLIFT THE VIOLENCE -- EXCUSE
% ME, WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPLIFT THE
% NEED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND
% THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION.
% >> ALL RIGHT.%WE LEAVE IT TH
ERE.
% JAMAAL SMITH AND KWEKU
% TeAngelo OF VIOLENCE
% PREVENTION, THANK YOU ALL VERY%
MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR
% HAVING US.
% >> FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW"
% AND PBS WISCONSIN, VISIT
% PBSWISCONSIN.ORG/NEWS, AND THANK%
YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON
% "NOON WEDNESDAY."