Youth Alive empowers Oakland students to fight against street violence
OAKLAND -- As Oakland continues to struggle with crime among young people, some community programs are trying to keep kids out of trouble.
Oakland has recently experienced a surge in violent incidents involving Bay Area youth, with at least nine juveniles were arrested in connection with 35 robberies that occurred in over a dozen Oakland neighborhoods including robberies outside the city in El Cerrito and Piedmont. One of the crimes was the assault of a 63-year-old woman.
The scorecard of recent crimes revealed at a Wednesday news conference by Acting Oakland Police Chief Darren Allison was both stunning and frightening.
"In recent weeks we're seeing a surge in violence that has impacted our community and it's concerning for all of us who live in and visit the city of Oakland," he said. "Two weeks ago, our city experienced 100 robberies in one week -- 50 of which occurred in 72 hours over a weekend. Some of the robberies included carjackings, shootings and other assaults."
So far police have arrested a total of 20 individuals and recovered 3 firearms for the various crimes. Of those 20, Allision said, six were adults and 14 were juveniles.
But there are community groups working to stem the tide of violent crime. Sierra Taylor, a passionate 17-year-old student from Castlemont High School, is determined to create a brighter future for her community.
"There's a lot more to our communities than what we see, the drug dealings, the shootings, getting into gangs. Just because our brothers and cousins are part of it doesn't mean we have to follow the same path," said Taylor
Sierra is part of a larger group of young people who have found a sense of purpose through Youth Alive. The organization focuses on prevention, intervention, healing, and support to combat violence.
"We started discussing the root causes of violence, such as poverty, easy access to guns, drugs, and alcohol, and how all of these factors contribute to violence. I became passionate about addressing these issues," Sierra explained.
Dr. Joseph Griffin, the executive director of Youth Alive, underscores the importance of their work in today's society.
"Our focus is to provide support to young people during times of trauma and guide them through the healing process. Programs like Teens on Target, an education initiative, and the violence interruption program ensure that individuals receive assistance from the moment of trauma to their healing journey," Griffin said.
Dr. Griffin acknowledges that violence in Oakland is a complex issue with intergenerational roots.
Despite these challenges, the efforts of Youth Alive have yielded promising results, he said. Over the past five months, more than 100 students have become violence prevention ambassadors, inspired by individuals like Sierra, who continue to encourage their peers to join the cause.