HAMPTON, Va. — Keeping our youth safe! That’s the initiative for the city of Hampton’s Youth Violence Prevention Week starting Sunday, April 21.
One Hampton mother, Nakia Peek, says initiatives like this are needed to keep kids out of trouble. She'll be taking her sons to the week's activities.
"I want them to gain a vision of how the community works," Peek said. "I want them to learn and gain non-violent conflict resolution."
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Hampton’s Office of Youth Opportunities is hosting Youth Gun Violence Prevention Week.
Peek says the office has been instrumental in helping her with her kids.
"Every parent goes through a time where a teenager wants to test their parents and my teen was testing me," Peek said. "So I reached out to the youth opportunities department. They gave me everything I needed. The director Lateisha Handie, there were times where she threw on some clothes on and said 'sister, I’m gonna meet you there.'"
So far into 2024, Hampton has had at least 3 homicides, including 17-year-old Hampton High football player Vic’quan Newton.
Peek says she had a tough conversation with son after that murder.
"My son came home and told me and we talked about it," Peek said. "I'm like tell me 'how you feel.'"
Hampton’s Office of Youth Opportunities has grieved with families including Newton’s family after the teen was killed.
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Now they are spreading awareness with Youth Gun Violence Prevention Week.
"There will be pieces of education along with entertainment," Hugo Morrision, a senior coordinator with Hampton’s Office of Youth Opportunities, said. "It’s about how we can come together to keep the community safe and reduce the loss of life and address community trauma."
The week will offer events to educate, connect and share resources with children, teens and families.
It will include a panel discussion, a football game and many other activities and events.
"Our athletes are going to play against violence and what they’re going to do in our community," Morrison said. "We’re going to move around the city and go to pockets of the community instead of inviting them to come to us."
For the list of events and how you can get involved, click here.
