Being a teenager has always been tough, but it seems that in our times, youth have it tougher than ever. Violence at schools and in the streets, gangs, self-esteem issues, all of this takes a toll in teens who are trying to find their place in a, sometimes, chaotic world.

The Joe & Vi Jacobs Center had its first youth town hall on Friday, March 2, to help youth in southeast San Diego, a low-income, immigrant neighborhood.

“Silence is Worse than Violence: A Youth Town Hall Meeting” opened an important conversation in southeastern San Diego between young people, adults, community leaders, and service providers.

The town hall meeting included a panel of youth ages 14 to 19 who addressed some of the most pressing issues and challenges that youth face in our community, such as gangs, violence, disrespect from adults, and education access.

The need for this community conversation was sparked by several recent incidents in southeastern San Diego involving young people from various cultural, ethnic, and neighborhood groups.

The teenagers of this community want to feel safe. They want to know their role in building the future, and to understand and create opportunities for positive change,” said Sherehe Hollins, program manager for Civic & Cultural Engagement at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation. “So, a group of young leaders decided to come together across cultural groups to voice their concerns about the growing atmosphere of hostility, and to address these issues in a way that is not problem-based, but solutions-based.”

The main purpose of the event is to give youth a hand, to tell them where they can find help and resources when they have a problem or concern.

“This event is important for youth because it provides a safe space where youth can address their concerns, while identifying solutions,” Hollins said. “It also is designed to connect youth to the resources, services and networks that can help them advocate for themselves, their peers, and the needs of their community.”

The guest speaker was Kevin Powell, Kevin Powell, a nationally recognized activist, writer, speaker, and entrepreneur who understands the issues of growing up in an under-invested community from his own childhood.

“As a kid, I grew up surrounded by violence, so I know how many of you are feeling right now,” Powell said. “But I was able to overcome that, and I know you can look past the violence, too. I’m proud of where I came from. For me, hip-hop was like a safe space, music. You also need to find a place where you feel safe, be it home, school, library, church. We also need to challenge ourselves to be leaders.”

Powell has focused his work on the importance of fostering youth voice, leadership and organizing, as well as providing solutions for strengthening communities by meaningfully engaging the next generation.

The young panelists included Keirington Pankey, Carrington Novo, Travis Tibiatowski, Hodan Hersi, Bridgette Castillo, and Nicole Diwag, all of them leaders in their community.

Hollins said, “Students in our community have five key areas of concern: education, employment, safety, health, and recreation. Our hope is that this town hall launches a network that connects teens to resources and creates understanding between groups to prevent future violence.”

The town hall meeting was co-sponsored by the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, San Diego City Council President Anthony Young, the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego, the Elementary Institute of Science, and CHOICES Inc.

To learn more about the Jacobs Center Youth Program, contact Sherehe Hollins, 619-527-6161, ext. 262.