After a string of violent crimes that rocked Covington, the Northern Kentucky NAACP hosted a meeting with Covington community leaders to discuss how to develop innovative strategies and techniques to reduce violence.
Some prominent community members who attended the meeting were NKY NAACP President Jerome Bowles, Covington Vice Mayor Ron Washington, Rev. Richard Fowler of 9th Street Baptist Church, Covington Police Chief Robert Nader and Covington Independent Schools Superintendent Alvin Garrison. Representatives from Covington’s NAACP, law enforcement, city government, nonprofits, and religious organizations were all in attendance.
“We called this meeting as a result of recent acts of violence here in our community. We’re going to concentrate particularly on the incident that happened a few weeks ago on Russell Street,” Bowles said. “Particularly because it involved our youth. Even though all of the recent uptick in violence in our community is very important, we want to hone in on that incident because the age groups were very disturbing. Very heartbreaking and very disturbing.”
Bowles emphasized that it’s not about “shame or blame for any particular group or any particular institution. It affects all of us.”
Washington said the meeting was “a right first step” in identifying and solving issues within the community.
“I deem Covington to still be a safe place to work, play and to live. But there are areas that need attention, and that’s why we have a professional police department,” Washington said. “The Board of Commissioners support the Police Department and giving them adequate resources to address issues. I’m here to learn. I’m here to listen.”
Bowles recognized some generational differences between the youth of today and years past, particularly the heightened access to smartphones and social media.
After last Monday’s shooting, WCPO interviewed a teenage girl who witnessed the fight and was friends with one of the juveniles who was shot. The girl spoke on the culture of fighting among Covington teenagers.
“You gotta know how to fight living in Covington, and if you don’t know how to fight, you better go get a gun. And that’s what everybody’s been doing,” she said. “We too young to be doing it, but that’s what everybody thinks is okay now.”
Denise Bush from NKY NAACP lamented the fact the girl felt as if Covington was a city of violence.
“I hate to hear that because Covington is my hometown. I was raised here. I love Covington. I hate that,” Bush said. “Where did they get the guns at? How did these young children get these guns?”
Several people who attended the meeting emphasized the need for a community center and organized youth activities such as sports leagues. Others said adults, as well as children, need to be taught lessons in self-esteem in order to resolve issues amicably without resorting to violence.
“When I listen to everyone talk about the youth and everything we can do to assist them, I think about communication skills,” Tracy Stokes, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Consultant for St. Elizabeth Healthcare, said. “I think that kids don’t know how to talk to one another. They don’t know how to resolve conflict. I also think they don’t know who they are.”
Stokes said some children have a tough time communicating their goals and aspirations with others. Stokes also talked about setting expectations for the youth.
“From what I hear from these kids is they say ‘these adults don’t think I’m going to be anything, so why should I be anything,’” Stokes said. “I think that we have to pour our love into them.”
Kareem Simpson, director of fatherhood at the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, said expectations from his mother allowed him to expect more from himself.
“In Covington, people think, ‘oh, you grew up in Covington. You aren’t going to do anything.’ That expectation isn’t that high from a lot of people,” Simpson. “But there are graduates from Holmes High School that have multiple doctorates, are helicopter pilots, Army officers, that go on to great things. I’m a product of Covington Independent Schools. I grew up about 10 blocks south of here. I grew up a block away from where this shooting happened. I know that block. I’ve lived on that block. Many people here have lived on that block, and it is not dangerous.”
Many attendees recognized the importance of having the youth in attendance for community meetings so there can be an open, solutions-based dialogue between generations.
“We need the children here. I keep hearing about the lack of creativity, how the kids don’t have space to do things. The deal is, they are so far advanced from where we were. But we’re not meeting them where they are,” Chris Brown, member of the NKY NAACP and Democratic candidate for the 69th District for the Kentucky House of Representatives, said. “They have to be allowed to be who they are.”
Brown advocated for an open dialogue between adults and youth in the community. Brown also said adults need to take more responsibility for their actions, instead of putting all the blame on the youth.
Pastor Anthony Gaines, who has a career in education, said the vast majority of youth are doing what they are supposed to do, while the majority of the focus lands on the smaller percentage of youth who are not.
“How do we focus on those who get up everyday and do it right?” Gaines said.
Simpson said there are programs out there to lead young members of the community on the right path, but there needs to be a more concerted effort in communicating the benefits of these programs to the young.
Bowles brought up the need for the education system to empower students by not only preparing them for standardized testing, but teaching them a diverse range of skills.
Washington said Superintendent Garrison and himself communicate often between themselves on how to secure funding and grants to benefit the broader community.
The meeting was productive. Solutions were discussed, and community leaders were brought together. Bowles and the NKY NAACP plan to hold another meeting in three weeks to continue the discussion.
