By Nyame- Kye Kondo
Special to the AFRO
Adults around the country have been very vocal about youth crime and the uptick in car thefts and assaults perpetrated by juveniles. The city of Washington D.C. has not been left out of the trend, as information released by police reported 2023 as the deadliest year in a decade.
Teens in the District say the violence is impacting their day to day life. India Mcdougal, a senior at a high school east of the river, spoke on how a shooting near her school disrupted her morning routine.
“I live in Southeast,” said India, referencing the section of the city where she resides. “I couldn’t even come to school because the streets were blocked off– and to be honest I didn’t want to.”
India is just one of many young people struggling to recover after an act of violence in close proximity to their homes, schools or recreational areas..
The unpredictability of violence–specifically shootings by fellow young people– has left many high school students struggling as opportunities for social engagement decline.
“The violence is stopping kids from being able to be outside,” expressed Anaiyah Robinson, a 16- year-old athlete who also lives in the Southeast area of D.C.“People our age want to fight and kill one another. It’s stopping kids from having fun outside because they are scared for their life and their safety.”
Anaiyah told the AFRO, at this point, the act of walking around her part of town could be a fatal decision.
“Just the other day my mother told me a kid my age had just gotten shot with her friends in the neighborhood,” said the teen. “She wanted me to stay inside because it wasn’t safe.”
Anaiyah’s reluctance to spend time outdoors is a glimpse at how violence impacts opportunties to further develop social skills and engage with peers.
City leaders are attempting to gain control of the situation through the implementation of a juvenile curfew pilot program which was activated by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) in September 2023.
“The vast majority of our young people are doing the right thing – they are back in school, they are involved in extracurriculars, and in the evenings and at night, they are where they need to be – supervised and safe,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, in a statement. “But we need that to be true for all of our young people, and if we have kids and teenagers who are not in safe situations, we need to connect with those families.”
While the enactment of the pilot program is still in its testing phase, young people are grappling with all of the restrictions being placed on them in the midst of a highly emotional time.
“I think the saddest thing is seeing the school memorials for classmates who have died flowers and photos remembering the classmate are especially sad,” said Brittani Renae, a rising sophomore and also a student at H.D. Woodson.
When asked about a solution, Brittani said she is looking toward her legislators.
“I think we need stricter gun laws,” she said. “So that young people do not have easy access to them.”
