Community leaders call on youth participation to discuss recent police related shootings

In Salisbury, a meeting Monday will bring together the public, police,  and community leaders, to talk about the relationship between police and communities of color, and they’re especially focusing on youth participation.

“It’s a lot of anger in the community. Everyone is real sick of it. Everybody is getting to a crucial point where we don’t want to talk to the police bout it. There’s many situation and examples that show that a cop can take someone’s life and walk free,” says Treven Dennis, from Salisbury, MD.

These were 20 year old Dennis’ words in light of the recent police related shootings involving black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. His mother lives with concerns of her own.

“Is my child going to go home today or not? Am I going to be the one next, and they’re going to take my child?”  says Angel Greene.

Which is why the Fenix Youth Project, a Salisbury based organization, dedicated to community involvement is urging local youth to attend Monday’s night’s meeting to have an open discussion about the recent events with police and city leaders.

Amber Green,  the Executive Director of the Youth Project says, “Right now the youth are processing it to the point that they’re basing it off emotions. They don’t know how to feel, all they know is what is coming at them. A lot of that is anger a lot of that is sadness.”

Amber Green is a new mother herself and  says it is a sad reality that parents have to prepare their kids for encounters with police.

“Oh well make sure you have your hands on the dashboard  when you’re talking to police and get pulled over, make sure you don’t talk with an attitude if you get stopped while you’re walking while their walking down the street,” says Green.

However, Greene says its is a two-way street, in order to spark change it needs to start with a conversation between both parties.

“They need to understand the police and the police really needs to understand them because that’s where the lack of communication is happening,” says Green.

Monday’s meeting will begin  at 7 PM in the St. Paul AME Zion Church in Salisbury. However, this will not be the last time community leaders and youth will be meeting.