Charlotte-Mecklenburg's own Haven Williams, an 8th grader from Northeast Middle School, recently served as national ambassador at the Do the Write Thing Recognition Summit in Washington, D.C. The event, which took place from July 12 to 16, featured Williams and 27 other middle schoolers from throughout the United States, as reported by Mecklenburg County News.
As part of a program that encourages students to express their experiences with violence through writing, Williams' entry was chosen out of 587 submissions from 14 local middle schools. During the summit, along with her teacher Mai-Lan Lewis, met with U.S. Senator Thom Tillis's judiciary staff, and had the special honor of seeing her writing entered into the Library of Congress. Representing far more than herself, Haven carried the stories of her peers and the weight of their shared experiences to the nation's capital.
The annual program, sponsored by the Kuwait-America Foundation, challenges participants to delve into the causes of youth violence, its effects, and possible solutions. The theme of this year's event, "Tapestry of Voices, Threads of Change," underscores the gathering and interweaving of varied perspectives to create a picture of change. According to the original piece from Mecklenburg County News, Haven addressed the deeply personal topics of domestic and youth violence, reflecting on how these issues have changed her outlook on humanity.
In her writing, Haven spoke pointedly about the ripple effects of bullying, including the potential for it to lead to gun violence or suicide. "Bullying is a big reason why some students resort to gun violence or even suicide," Haven stated, as reported by Mecklenburg County News. The opportunity to share these viewpoints, and potentially affect policy and public perception, is central to the Do the Write Thing message, targeting this age group for its untapped insight and the potent potential for change.
Haven's journey to Washington is just one thread among many, but it speaks volumes to the commitment of organizations like the Kuwait-America Foundation and programs like Do the Write Thing to amplify the voice of the youth. It's in rooms where guards are dropped and honest narratives spill forth that the roadmap to reducing violence can begin to take shape, mapped out in the sincere words of our children, the bearers of tomorrow’s promises.
