Instead of a sermon, All Faiths Chapel at Dix Park hosted a different kind of message Tuesday night, a conversation led by young people about violence, safety and solutions.
Teens from across Raleigh gathered for a community discussion focused on gun violence and the impact it is having on them. The event, hosted by the Raleigh Police Department, gave participants an opportunity to share their concerns, discuss what they believe is driving violence, and offer ideas for how communities can respond.
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One teen said having conversations with peers is important because they can better understand the challenges young people face.
"I feel like people here can relate to us because we're also in the same age bracket. I also feel like we can also find the underlying cause and the root of why there is more violence and why people choose to do what they do," said Kendall, a Raleigh teen.
The discussion was organized by Amanda Rolle, Assistant Director of Community Engagement. She said adults often try to solve problems affecting young people without fully understanding their experiences.
"You know how they know how to reach one another. They know what the problem is. They know the pressures that they experience. We can only assume that we know what's happening in their world," Rolle said.
Many attendees pointed out school shooting and lockdowns as happening more frequently.
Several participants said their safety concerns extend beyond the classroom and affect where they feel comfortable spending time with friends. Some referenced the shooting at Triangle Town Center in April as an example of violence occurring in places where young people gather.
"I believe it's getting more normalized, which is not good. Because growing up I did not see this much violence with people our age now I feel like there's a higher crime rate," Kendall said.
Organizers said the goal of the discussion was to not only give teens a platform to share their experiences, but also to help identify community-driven solutions to reduce violence and improve safety.
For families that missed Tuesday's discussion, Raleigh police has several other events focusing on safety scheduled for June and July.
| Water Safety - Pools, Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers: Session 1 | 6:30pm - Tuesday, June 2 |
| Fire Safety - Grills and Backyard Fires: Session 2 | 6:30pm - Tuesday, June 16 |
| Road Safety - Summer Travel: Session 3 | 6:30pm - Tuesday, June 23 |
| Safe Celebrations - Pre-4th of July: Session 4 | 6:30pm - Tuesday, June 30 |
| Safe Spaces to Beat the Summer Heat: Summer Safety Series: Session 5 | 6:30pm - Tuesday July 7 |
| Nightlife Safety - Social Districts, Night Out & Personal Safety: Session 6 | 6:30pm - Tuesday, July 14 |
| Trail Safety - Heat, Pets, Bikes, and Nature: Session 7 | 6:30pm - Tuesday, July 28 |