DANVILLE — Young people in Danville are organizing a town hall against gun violence in the community and pushing for community solutions.
The event, called “Voices for Change”, will take place on Thursday, July 31, at 6 p.m. at the Laura Lee Fellowship House. It is organized entirely by local youth and supported by the non-profit Project Success.
Organizers say the goal is to create space for young people to speak about their experiences with gun violence and share ideas for preventing it. The town hall will include presentations, personal stories from survivors and a Q&A session with community leaders. Resources for counseling and support will also be available.
University of Illinois student Chase Clark is one of the organizers. He grew up in Danville and lost his friend Aniyah Davis to gun violence in June.
“It’s so important for me and other youth who knew Aniyah and others affected by gun violence to speak up and start some change,” he said. “We’re often left out of the conversation.”
Davis was 18 years old and a student at Ball State University when she was killed. Her death has sparked conversations among youth and adults in Danville about safety, mental health, and support systems.
Clark said many youth in Danville have been impacted by shootings, and organizers want the town hall to spark ongoing community engagement and policy reform.
“Our whole goal is to create subcommittees and groups who are staying involved with the Danville City Council,” he explained. “We want policy changes that invest in gun violence prevention.”
Project Success, which focuses on youth development and outreach, is helping coordinate the event. Jamie Nightlinger, the organization’s violence prevention and family outreach coordinator, said adult engagement is essential.
“I mean-it’s just important for the adult community members to show up and just to listen to what the kids are telling us they need,” she added. “And then once we have the information of what they feel like they need to do everything in our power to make sure they get it.”
Project Success works in several area schools to provide violence prevention education, support groups and family outreach. Nightlinger said the town hall is the beginning of a larger effort.
“The goal is to have ongoing conversations, not just a single event, with youth actively involved in violence prevention efforts.”
The event is free and open to the public.