Milwaukee teenagers are stepping into the spotlight in the fight against youth violence, leading a student-run "Victory Over Violence" week at Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy after a deadly weekend left a 15-year-old dead and several others wounded. The effort pulls together workshops on conflict resolution, mental health awareness and community safety, along with peer-led outreach ahead of summer. Students say the mission is to equip classmates with concrete tools and mentoring before warm weather and large gatherings raise the risk of trouble.
Students and local officials told WISN 12 News that the violence has hit close to home. Student Catori Turner recalled witnessing a homicide at age nine and warned that "words became actions," while Alderperson Laressa Taylor called the recent deaths "heartbreaking." Classmate Nyriah Bailey added that young people should work together so they can grow stronger for the next generation.
How Students Plan To Reach Their Classmates
The week’s programming features workshops on de-escalation, mental health resources and peer mentoring, topics that students selected themselves, as reported by CBS 58. Organizers say sessions will address gun and gang violence, bullying, sexual violence and online safety, with an eye toward giving teens practical ways to pause and back away from conflict.
The events will wrap up with a peace walk to Victory Over Violence Park on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, described by the City of Milwaukee as a neighborhood healing space that the city has maintained for decades.
Weekend of Violence That Galvanized Students
The push comes on the heels of a violent weekend that local outlets reported left more than 20 people shot across roughly 18 incidents and multiple killings, a spike that has rattled neighborhoods, according to TMJ4. In a separate shooting on April 24 near Vel R. Phillips Avenue and Chambers Street, a 15-year-old was fatally wounded. Milwaukee police later arrested two 14-year-old boys in that case, and authorities say the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office will review possible charges, per WISN 12 News.
Community Leaders Call For Staying Power
Community advocates say real change will require more than a single themed week. Tracey Dent of the Peace for Change Alliance told TMJ4 that youth violence is "out of control" and urged ongoing programming rather than one-off events. In the same report, Rodney Lynk Jr., CEO of Milwaukee Excellence Charter School, said that shifting how young people think is itself a significant victory.
Students from both neighborhood and charter schools have described the activities as a way to find mentors and learn the language and strategies needed to de-escalate conflicts before they explode. They hope the hands-on training and Thursday’s peace walk will offer real alternatives to violence as the city moves into the warmer months. Organizers say the goal is to build relationships between peers, mentors and neighborhood institutions that can hold firm long after this week is over.
