It is crucial to mention that almost all the stories are relatable since either my family or the families of my friends have faced similar problems and tragedies. Moreover, many people experience the issues revealed by the interviewees at present, and this fact stresses the immediate need for taking action. The story to which I relate the most is Pamela Hester-Jones’s one. It had provoked the tragic memories from my childhood when one of my closest friends was also beaten to death, and the people’s indifference allowed this to happen. However, in Pamela’s case, no action was taken to prevent such incidents in the future while, in my community, the parents have initiated a reaction group that was aimed at securing the neighborhood and protecting the children from street violence. In addition, I found Latoya Winters example inspiring. Despite the complicated family background and the tragic experiences, she was able to inhibit the negative feelings in herself and decided to become a leader in making a positive change. Having lost family members because of violence and having grown up around violent people, she decided to have an active life position to change society for the better by receiving education to work with at-risk minors. Her experience and civil position are worthy of respect.
There is a particular link between racial segregation and youth violence. It is reasonable to assume that segregation detaches people from each other and they prefer to belong to their group while remaining indifferent to the problems experienced by other residents. Such complicated interracial relationships and hostile views reverberate inevitably in the way young people perceive others. Segregation produces stress in the youth and implants the ideas of social inequality and injustice. Gradually, such manifestations form certain cognitive frames about interracial relationships in the minds of young people, which encourages them to resort to violence to express their feelings and discontent. To abate the racial tensions, it is essential that educational institutions implement inclusive curriculums and stress the importance of sustaining positive relationships with people notwithstanding their race, nationality or any other background. In addition, it is essential to engage families in this process so that the social change proceeds in a more encompassing manner. It is essential to begin the process of alteration with the youngest generation so that they can become active participants in reframing the interracial relationships.
It is difficult to determine whether positive gangs exist today due to the fact that this notion, as a rule, is attributed a negative connotation solely. In that matter, it is reasonable to mention that positive gangs are represented by groups of activists who unite to stand against violence in their community or neighborhood. However, some of them exist to take care of innocent people and secure them from violence, and some of them resort to certain forms of abusing as well (such as psychological harassment) to exclude from the neighborhood those groups of people threatening the security of residents. Therefore, it is essential that the gangs, which appeared to protect the innocent people, reject any violent methods due to the fact that they only continue the circle of abusing. The promotion of non-violent activities among residents will produce a better effect on the setting rather than trying to eliminate harassment by means of other forms of violence.