INDIANAPOLIS — A local organization is helping young people cope with everything going on during these unprecedented times.
Like other seniors in Indiana and across the nation, Domonique Freeman and Phillip Martin have had their most memorable school year reduced to virtual learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On top of that, both boys have recently lost someone to gun violence.
"My step-brother, I lost him to gun violence in June," Martin said. "The 20th of June."
In May, Freeman lost his best friend.
"I didn't want to talk to anyone," Freeman said.
The trauma of everything, and the rise in gun violence in Indianapolis, is weighing on them.
"It hit me," Martin said. "It's real out there. It could be anyone. It could be me."
Aaron Green and VOICES Corp decided to step in when the realized the burden of trying to survive a pandemic, navigate racial unrest, and adjusting to virtual learning, is a lot to deal with.
"Let's get in our own communities where people know us and reach out to the youth because there is a spike in youth violence," Green said.
When Green was 17-years-old, his dad was killed by a 17-year-old.
"I wanted people to understand what trauma does to you, especially losing someone close to you," Green said. "It happened to me when I was young."
The group says the concept is it takes a village to address the trauma and there's no better time than now.
A post recently shared on Facebook asks people to start where they live and check in on younger people.
"I want to be able to help you before it's too late to where this trauma keeps building and then eventually it's that one that makes you explode," Green said.
For more information on an upcoming lunch series to explore trauma, healing, and prevention, click here.
