LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Dozens attended One Lexington's first symposium on Youth and Young Adult Gun Violence at UK's Spindletop Hall.
As rain poured down on the city, attendees huddled for an opening session and were welcomed by Mayor Linda Gorton.
One of those attendees was JIll Chenault Wilson, Director of the William Wells Brown Community Center.
"For me, it's just awesome to just see a lot of people in Lexington who have the same cause," said Chenault Wilson.
She says her cause, connecting and serving the people in her community, brought her to the event.
"I feel like God gives me assignments, and since I graduated from college at the University of Louisville, I been working with youth all my life," she explained. "My goal was just to come and network and just kinda see what resources are out there for our youth."
That's what Devine Carama, Director of One Lexington, the city's anti-gun violence initiative, says this symposium was all about.
"Bringing community partners together identify what's working, celebrate those doing the actual work but then also what are some new gaps, what are some new gaps that maybe didn't exist a year and a half ago when we first got together," said Carama.
Young people, older adults, community leaders, and the University of Kentucky's Community Innovation Labgot together to develop One Lexington's strategic plan. Dr. Bryan Hains, who leads the lab, says they use the plan to evaluate progress.
"We use a mixed method approach of quantitative and qualitative information in order to address both the numbers but also what are the stories that are being told as we do this," said Hains.
Despite a spike in September, their numbers say throughout 2023, Lexington has seen a 60% decrease in homicides and a 35% decrease in shootings overall.
The goal for One Lexington is to work with community partners to decrease those numbers to a 100% decrease and end the violence for good.
"We can't become complacent; we can't do the work based on numbers or based on trending topics. We gotta work 24/7, always trying to perfect our strategies and our plans," said Carama.
Sessions included:
-Building Solidarity, Capacity and Agency to Andress Gun Violence: Community Partner Leadership Networking Activity
-P.I.E.R. Engagement Activity
-Keynote: Dr. Eddie Woods- Exploring Violence Disruption
-Identifying and Navigating Compassion Fatigue
-Where do I Begin? How To Start Up Your Non-Profit Organization
-Cultural Partnerships: Effective Strategies for Engaging Latino Community Members
-Understanding Bystander Awareness: How to Better Serve Those Impacted by Domestic Violence
There were also presentations for grant awards, public safety, and from "Youth Voices of Lexington."
It ended with a community awards session featuring outstanding community partners. Chenault Wilson received an award.
Carama says they are working to ensure the city stays united on this issue as "One" Lexington and plan to have the symposium annually.
