Not Another One! Police and Teens Combat Gun Violence videotaped discussion is now online and can be downloaded here: https://vimeo.com/151743992
The audio track is now in stereo. A printed transcript of the discussion is being produced and will be available soon. 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.
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:
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, from the Jonathan Ferrara Gallery on view through November 20th, 2015.
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.
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; and 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 via email at storystitchers@gmail.com.
Half way point is marked on this video at 23 minutes.
The program may not be reproduced for commercial use or edited in part or in whole without permission from the Saint Louis Story Stitchers.
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St. Louis teens can apply to join Teen Council by emailing us at storystitchers.org or by coming to a public event.