Police and Teens: Combating Gun Violence
The purpose of the videotaped discussion was to open communication and to identify commonality, greater understanding and ways to cooperate and collaborate between city police and teen age youth as both work to lower St. Louis’s high rates of gun violence.
Story Stitchers encourages you to watch the video and to share it with teenage youth, teachers, family and friends. It is our hope that the video can be used as a tool for generating further discussion in schools and in other community settings.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers would like to extend a sincere THANK YOU! to all of the participants, sponsors, volunteers, parents, teachers and friends who made this project possible.
Not Another One! Song and Music Video created by Stitchers Teen Council members Taron, Toryon, Trevor, Juwuan, Emeara and Jaquan. Audio recording created at Sawhorse Studios in St. Louis, September, 2015.
Followed by a discussion:
Not Another One! Police And Teens: Finding Ways To Work Together To Combat Gun Violence
Stitchers Teen Council Co-Chairs Emeara and Taron, both seniors in high school, had done their homework and skillfully led a group of local teens and adults in a discussion on gun violence prevention Saturday, November 14th, 2015 at Washington University’s Des Lee Gallery, 1627 Washington Avenue. The gallery was filled with art made from decommissioned guns from New Orleans in the exhibition, Guns in the Hands of Artists, on view through November 20th, 2015.
This program was sponsored by the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts and the Des Lee Gallery and the Institute for Public Health and the Gun Violence Initiative at Washington University. Story Stitchers educational programs are sponsored in part by the Regional Arts Commission. Washington University students Charlotte Gordon and June Bae from KUUMBATV supported the project as skillful videographers.
Invited adults who participated included:
Carl Filler from the Mayor’s Office, Director of Strategic Policy Initiatives and Community Partnerships
Lieutenant Colonel Ronnie Robinson, Deputy Chief of Police, Commander of the Bureau of Community Affairs
Rachel Smith, Chief Prosecutor from the Circuit Attorney’s Office and the Community Affairs Bureau
Dr. Jason Purnell, Assistant Professor at the Brown School of Social Work and a Faculty Scholar in the Institute of Public Health at Washington University
Dr. Renee Manley-Markowski from Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor
in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
The teens had prepared a list of questions. Emeara and Taron asked the adults to help create a 2-way street by asking the teens questions as well. Both sides showed restraint, respect, curiosity and a sincere hope of working towards positive outcomes. Both sides left the room feeling there is more to do…
This program may be quoted and/or shown in educational settings with permission by written request via email at storystitchers@gmail.com. Half way point is marked on this video at 23 minutes. A printed transcript of the full discussion is being produced and will be available at http://www.storystitchers.org.
The songs Not Another One! by Stitchers Teen Council and Gunshots!! by K.P. Dennis are available in iTunes under the Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective label. To purchase Not Another One! go to the iTunes LINK or stream at Apple Music. For Gunshots!! go to iTunes LINK.
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective 2015
The program may not be reproduced for commercial use or edited in part or in whole without permission from the Saint Louis Story Stitchers.
To learn more visit storystitchers.org and follow the blog via your email.
St. Louis teens can apply to join Teen Council by emailing us at storystitchers.org or by coming to a public event.
For more information read Washington University’s article from The Record:
Art, guns and rebooting the conversation by Liam Otten
