Youth, Violence, & Vigils

This summer a number an unusually high number of incidences have rocked the Southwest community, from large social disturbances to assaults and murders.   The past Saturday, a candlelight vigil was held for the recent Half and P Street murder; another vigil is being planned to commemorate the anniversary of a 2008 Southwest killing.  Beyond commemorations, responses to the disturbances in Southwest have varied.  Fortunately, in part because of Southwest’s strong legacy of integration and remarkable depth of socially-conscious entities, most incidents continue to be isolated and don’t create social or physical division. 

Nonetheless differences are notable.  In the past, individual residential complexes have reluctantly resorted to more extreme solutions, such as perimeter gating to improve security by limiting access and permeability.  This summer however, residences have focused on increased or more strategic monitoring.  One case is Tiber Island.  While the most effective solution might be to gate off the property, Tiber Island believes there is a tremendous amount of value in having an open and accessible environment--particularly for greater Southwest, but also Tiber Island.  So Tiber Island has changed the routes for it security patrols and is considering a large investment in high-resolution cameras.  In addition, there is an effort to coordinate private security among the residential communities along 4th Street, south of M Street.

At a higher level, Southwest's community organizations have also been grappling with these issues. 

Monday night Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells headlined a meeting led by a number of community entities including two ANC Commissioners, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, and leaders from several of the affordable housing complexes.   The meeting was ostensibly organized around a $250,000 Sasha Bruce grant for "job-readiness training, mentoring, college-readiness prep, enrichment and health/wellness" targeted for youths 14-20 years old.  Meeting highlights included:

• Tommy Wells announcing he was having success in getting the council to  permit community social workers to have access to police information on juveniles and how he was trying to get the curfew hours moved earlier. He also told of the $250,000 grant that enabled service providers to provide older SW youth crime prevention services.
• MPD Lt. Nicholas Galluci explaining how the police knew every juvenile in SW and were having success preventing violence, with emphasis on K and L St. SW
• The head of the public housing police department who recommended residents call 411 (not the housing police) to tell the city of troubling activity.
• The head of the DC Housing Authority reporting on the installation of new lights – courtyard, front porch, back porch, etc. – on Housing Authority property at Syphax Village, James Creek, and soon at Syphax Gardens and Greenleaf Gardens.
• DPR representative Tim Murphy recommending the Wilson High class in Alternatives to Violence as an applicable model.  The class explores the successes of successful peacemakers such as Mandela, King, Day, Gandi, and Schweitzer.

It's not clear what, if any conclusions or next steps were identified; I was unable to attend the meeting.  Feel free to report any additional details of the meeting by adding comments.

Ironically, at the same time a lively and informative discussion on youth development was taking place at the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly's community meeting.  A spectrum of Southwest's educational leaders were invited to discuss their initiatives, proposals, and suggestions. 

Veronica Hegens of the Water Front Child Development Center spoke of an entrepreneurial day care center that is leveraging a number of community assets including Fort McNair and churches near the 1547 1^st Street SW child center.  She expressed how she is working to develop a 360 degree safe haven that involves parents, sociologists, and psychologists. 

Amidon-Bowen Elementary School principle LaShante' Knight discussed her many efforts to encourage parental and community involvement, such as a ‘fall fitness day’ with parents.  She noted there are a number of ways community members (and parents) can volunteer, from mentoring to office work.  Knight heartedly conveyed that the students have the understanding that the community doesn’t like them (due to the youth-crime perception), but they are “determined to prove everyone wrong.”  She also is looking to develop an enlivened PTA.  Gratefully, one of her ultimate goals is to make Amidon the first choice for Southwest families.

Speaking of, another featured guest was Ward 6 School Board candidate Melissa Rohan.  The upwardly-mobile Southwester spoke of her strong belief in public schools and on reinvigorating Southwest schools in particular.   Audience members warmly embraced Rohan who argued that investing in public schools was much preferable to having to fall back on corrective or disciplinary programs.  Discussion on recommended approached followed.

One hopes that this tumultuous period will mark a turning point for Southwest youth and community development rather than the anniversary of a dark one.