By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
One week after a Mobile teenager was shot in front of Murphy High School, advocates are mobilizing the community to confront gun violence and promote healing.
On Monday, Jan. 19, The Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) will partner with rapper and television personality Yung Joc and Mobile-based advocacy group People United to Advance the Dream to host a symbolic funeral designed to “bury gun violence.”
“We’re putting this issue to rest,” said Christopher Abernathy, an ASAP spokesperson. “We’re uniting around an issue that’s affecting our children and families. We want people to know there is support and healing ahead.”
According to the Gun Violence Archive, five Alabama teenagers have been injured or killed by gun violence so far in 2026. Two of those shootings occurred in Mobile and resulted in injuries.
ASAP, an Oxford-based nonprofit founded in 1973, works statewide to reduce violence and substance misuse. In 2023, the organization expanded its anti-violence efforts after a community survey found youth ages 16 to 23 in the Anniston and Talladega areas were disproportionately affected by gun violence.
Those efforts include mentorship programs, violence intervention training and community events. The initiative has since grown to include advocates across Alabama.
The Mobile event will feature discussions led by Yung Joc and the Rev. David Edwards, a local pastor, activist and president of People United to Advance the Dream.
“Sharing experiences and speaking on the value of life helps the community understand how gun violence affects everyone,” Abernathy said.
At a previous ASAP event, Yung Joc spoke publicly about the fatal shooting of his nephew and expressed regret over music he said once promoted gun violence.
Edwards will also host a Martin Luther King Jr. Day march and rally following the anti-violence event, aimed at uniting the community.
“It’s about being a bridge and connecting people to resources,” Edwards said. “We’re hoping for awareness and real change.”
The event will take place at 10 a.m. at the Dearborn YMCA in Mobile. It is free and open to the public.
