Kansas City gun violence is too real for my family. My son had an idea to fight back
Giulian Williams, my 14-year-old son, wasn’t even 2 when gun violence interrupted his young life. He was only 16 months old when Toriano Porter II, my firstborn child, was fatally shot in north St. Louis on Sept. 28, 2009.
On Friday, Giulian described to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and others how the shooting death of his oldest brother devastated our family.
“I care about gun violence because I’ve lost a close family member to guns,” said Giulian, an eighth-grader at Crossroads Preparatory Academy downtown. “When I was about 2 years old, my oldest brother was shot and killed. He was only 16.”
I can’t speak for the mayor or others on the video conference call, but a lump formed in my throat when I heard that. I’d never considered if Giulian understood the gravity of losing a sibling. We don’t talk about gun violence much. Too painful. But I am damn proud of my boy’s resolve.
Giulian was among a group of young Kansas Citians participating in a summer youth leadership program hosted by the social justice nonprofit Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equality, or MORE2. On Thursday, one cohort of seven area youths held a press conference on the importance of reasonable gun laws.
The next day, Giulian was among eleven inspiring and courageous souls that asked Lucas and City Council members Ryana Parks-Shaw and Melissa Robinson to support the idea of a city-funded hotline aimed at interrupting gun violence.
Giulian came up with the idea of the hotline and his team got behind him, according to Lora McDonald, executive director of MORE2. I took a hands-off approach. I had no clue Giulian had such thoughts. While the idea wouldn’t eradicate gun violence, at least we know there’s almost a dozen area youths willing to help make Kansas City a safe place.
Giulian’s group was one of two in the leadership program. Young people between 12 to 17 participated in the four-week program.
“I believe that if people knew there was someone they could reach out to, maybe they would use this hotline,” Giulian said in a prepared speech he crafted without any assistance from me. “Maybe they could ask for help de-escalating a situation without calling the police. So, we thought a hotline would be one way for our city to send a message to the whole community that they want to reduce violent crime and be a part of the solution. We learned that our tax dollars can pay for things like this.”
Others spoke out against gun violence, too.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis,” said participant Caden Howard.
Added Aspen Piggie: “I care about gun violence because I fear that one day it could happen to me or someone I love.”
Lucas, Parks-Shaw and Robinson are all on board, McDonald said after the video conference. I will make sure my burgeoning little change agent son and his comrades hold them accountable for their promise.
“These youth learned that they can be powerful, right now, and they stood up and claimed it, each and every one of them,” McDonald wrote in a statement. “They accomplished a great deal for our community in a short amount of time.”
Gun violence must end. And it’s promising to know a group of young folks is willing to step up to reduce the impact deadly shootings have on the entire community. I’m proud my son and other area youths chose to be involved.
