WARREN — Young people this month will tell their own stories about how violence has affected them.

They will speak out during a NAACP-sponsored young call-to-action at a 3 p.m. July 10 vigil at the Trumbull Community Action Program building, 1230 Palmyra Road.

The focus of the event will allow members of Generations X, Z, and I to give their views about what is happening in their neighborhoods and express concerns about their futures.

People in these generations were born between 1965 through 2012.

“This will be a call to action to make change from young adults,” Trumbull NAACP President Annette McCoy said. “We will hear their voices. Speakers will range from pre-teens through college-age adults.”

She said there have been numerous events led by community leaders, pastors and other adults. It is important for young people to have opportunities to talk about what they’ve experienced and how it has affected them.

McCoy said the young people who will be making presentations will address the rising tide off violence in Warren and in other communities.

“They also will give their views about changes in Ohio gun laws, including allowing teachers to carry guns in schools,” McCoy said. “There are some that are concerned about law changes and the possibility of teachers having guns in their schools.”

Miles Johnson, an NAACP member, said there has been a lot of violence happening in the city and people are afraid.

“We want to find ways to stop the violence,” Johnson said. “We have some powerful young people. We have been working with our churches, with nonprofits and private-sector businesses to get things done.”

Johnson emphasized the importance of listening to young people and embracing their ideas.

“We have new ways of organizing and providing content that is powerful,” he said.

Joseph Walker, president of the Trumbull County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, said elected leaders and other older community leaders have had opportunities to speak on the rise of violence happening in the community.

“Young people should have a chance to be heard about how issues are affecting them,” Walker said. “Most of our young people are good and are positive. We don’t get to hear about their stories.”

Walker said people have lost friends and classmates.

Zipporah Ball, 17, youth president of the Trumbull County NAACP, said there is a need to address violence and how it is affecting young people.

“Especially with new gun laws being passed in Ohio,” Ball said. “We need a call to action. What scares me the most is that once something is put in place it is much harder to take it away.”

YOUNGSTOWN SUPPORT

While not involved with the Trumbull NAACP event, Youngstown / Mahoning NAACP President James Brown expressed support for the organization’s efforts to curb violence in its community.

“We are focused on addressing the connection between violence in schools and in the streets that is a result of under-education, miseducation and de-education in failing schools systems,” Brown said. “We support anyone doing anything positive to uplift our children.

“However, the system must first stop causing the problem by not doing its job and then expecting students to correct the problem — caused by the adults controlling the system failing the students.”

Kenneth Simon, pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church, is one of several Youngstown community leaders that have over the last year-and-a-half been leading anti-violence marches through various city neighborhoods.

The marches take place on Sundays once every two weeks over the summer. The next march is scheduled for 2 p.m. July 10. Its location has not been determined. The marches will take place through September.

“We usually choose a place where there had been a recent act or series of acts of violence,” Simon said. “Our objective is to show those in neighborhoods experiencing violence that we care.”

Simon emphasized they want to create an atmosphere where violence will not be tolerated.

It is these organizations’ belief that the pressure to make change must be constant.

“It is not a one-time effort,” he said.