The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Neighbors seek good solutions for youth
Communication, empowering youths and adding police for public safety will create an environment where young people can flourish, Lorain residents said.
About 50 people came out Sept. 2 to begin the search for new ways to help young people at the meeting at St. Francis Cabrini Parish gymnasium in South Lorain.
Lorain Ward 6 Councilman Rey Carrion recounted a news conference held a week before at Oakwood Park, where he, with Ward 3 Councilwoman Pamela Carter and Mayor Jack Bradley, joined those mourning for Denzyl “Zell” Williams. On Aug. 22, the 14-yearold was shot twice at Oakwood Park and later died at Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center.
Carrion and Bradley offered introductory remarks, then opened the floor. More than 30 people took a turn at the microphone for a few minutes to share their perspectives.
Just one prompted a standing ovation: William Morse, 12, a seventh-grader at Lorain’s Longfellow Middle School. The Cincinnati native now is in the care of Kyriece Brooks, a community activist and founder of the Lorain Stop the Violence group, who also attended and spoke.
Morse described living in foster care and, that day, witnessing another young man spraying canned “silly string” on cars.
Morris simply asked for the city to offer things to do for young people.
The group applauded. Carter and Orquidia Carrion, the wife of the councilman, described their own tough experiences growing up, then praised Morse for his willingness to share his ideas.
“This young man that just spoke, you are going to be a leader,” Orquidia Carrion said. “Never give up. You keep fighting. You’re going to make it big one day. And as long as our kids continue to think that way, help them through that process, they can achieve anything.”
Among the other speakers, several trends emerged.
People talked about the need for more communication among city leaders, community advocates and the people who run programs or activities that help young people.
The program directors said they would like to have more support from the city leaders. They also could use more networking among each other.
Youth need local safe spaces to be among themselves and mentors. People young and old need options for transportation if they don’t have a car to get to programs or activities across town.
After the public comments, the meeting became less formal, with mingling and a pizza buffet dinner.
As participants spoke, volunteers wrote down their suggestions to post on the gym walls. The participants used adhesive dots to cast their votes for ideas or topics that resonated that night.
It was a low tech balloting method, but another idea that found support was to reach out to young people through technology because that is how they communicate now.
Another meeting will be scheduled in two weeks to follow up on new solutions for youth.
Bradley suggested inviting more young people. After the meeting, Morse said it could be possible to increase attendance by asking students to invite their friends, and have them invite more friends, to spread the word about getting involved.
The mayor also announced the Lorain Police Department has reconstituted its street crimes unit, with four officers dedicated to reducing crimes in parks.
The city administration is working on a plan to add cameras at basketball courts of Oakwood and Central parks, with coordinated wireless Internet for people to work online.
Carrion noted the city leaders in the past have focused on brick-and-mortar projects in Lorain. But the comments showed the adults must address the emotional and spiritual needs that make a youth complete, he said.