Each week, a group of Mid-City teens meets with officers and community volunteers at the Mid-City Police Substation. They aren’t there because they got in trouble–they’re there because they want to stay out of it.
They’re part of a program called Youth Voice, which aims to improve community safety by educating and empowering youth to become positive forces in their communities.
At a meeting last month, the group candidly discussed violence in City Heights. Despite a 22 percent drop in crime there, nearly all said they believe City Heights can be dangerous. Many said gang violence is still a major issue on their streets. Some said they knew multiple people who were killed in gang violence.
Three of the teens filed these dispatches with their cell phones.
Angel, 17
Ashley, 18
Jose, 17
You can submit similar dispatches on issues in your community. Just grab a cell phone with video capability, shoot a short clip and send it to video@speakcityheights.org straight from your phone. Eligible submissions will be posted to our Voices section.
| Some quick tips:
1. Keep your video short. If you want viewers to hear your entire message before clicking on the next enticing link, say it in less than a minute. 2. Hold the camera steady. Try propping it up against something. 3. Have a conversation. If talking directly to the camera seems intimidating, ask a friend to interview you on camera or film a conversation with friends. 4. Some cell phones have modest editing software built-in. See what your phone is capable of and get creative. 5. Read through our guidelines for submitting content. |
| Do you lead a group? Contact spkcityheights@gmail.com to inquire about having us teach your members how to submit content. |
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