One Vision One Life, the Allegheny County violence prevention initiative, held a community response July 10, at the corner of Perrysville Avenue and Charles Street on the city’s North Side. The organized gathering was held in response to a recent shooting in the Perry South neighborhood.

Families in their vehicles drove past the gathering, blowing their car horns and waving in support and awareness of the cry against violence. Using a megaphone, Olivia Reeves, a 16-year-old resident of the Perry South area, cried out, “Grow up! Stop the shooting!”

“I knew the victim,” said Raghib Dolphin, a high school- aged youth present at the vigil. “I live up the street and my lil’ bro hangs down around this corner. We buy candy at this corner store. (We) gotta make sure we’re safe.”

Tony, a jitney driver from Charles Street, expressed his disappointment with the string of violence among the city’s youths. “It’s ridiculous. These kids don’t think; they just don’t care anymore.”

The corner of Charles Street and Perrysville Avenue has been a problem over the years with drug trafficking and youths hanging out, especially during the summer.

A number of violent crimes committed in the city have involved young people as either the victim or the offender.

The incident that led to the day’s vigil involved a young man who was shot three times. The victim did survive and the perpetrators were arrested, but according to Elbert Gray, program director of One Vision One Life and life-long resident of the North Side, “(Arresting the offenders) doesn’t stop the trauma permeating in these families’ lives.”

Only 10 to 15 people participated in the rally, which was from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Gray further discussed the lack of involvement from the community and its members.

“In the hood, there’s a code of silence with two parallels. The first takes place in the home and its enforced that what happens amongst family, stays within the family — you know, the ‘no one needs to know our business’ belief,” he said.

“The second parallel is the community commandment, ‘snitches get stitches’; the moment you involve the law or media, you put yourself as well as your loved ones at risk.”  Gray blamed the lack of involvement on the community’s fear of being held accountable.

“By taking responsibility for what’s going on here, we are admitting that our village raised a monster or failed a child, and allowed these acts of violence to occur.”

On his forecast of what the duration of the summer will bring in terms of violence, Gray said, “It’ll get worse before it get any better, but we have to be as repetitious as commercials. These children are in a state of hopelessness, but I’m praying and hoping that resolutions and truces fall from the sky like blessings.”

(More information about One Vision One Life can be found at www.alleghenycounty.us/dhs/1v1l/index.htm.)