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The forum will include local business leaders, such as executives from SEPTA and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. However, rather than talking, they will be listening.
“God gave me this opportunity. I’m like: I have to do this,” 17-year-old Abigail Chang said. “Like, literally, my best friend’s brother was murdered earlier this week.”
Chang, a rising high school senior, lives in Southwest Philadelphia, where gun violence happens often.
“When you’re young, you think it’s normal,” she says, “but it’s not normal.”
Recently, Chang says, gunfire broke out near her house while her father was on the porch.
“He almost got shot,” she said. "And people don’t understand — this is every day. It’s easier to get a gun than it is to educate yourself about something.”
Chang attributes her ability to process her thoughts and emotions to the critical-thinking and writing skills she learned at Mighty Writers. She spoke at the organization's inaugural anti-violence forum last year.
She’ll use those skills during the first virtual forum as she argues the case for more programs and fewer police in her community.
“Last year I was walking home with my friend, and there was a guy who had just been shot — bleeding on the street. It was traumatizing,” 15-year-old Kiamuya Mazama said.
He, like Chang, has been part of Mighty Writers for two years.
The nonprofit helped him funnel his frustration into writing. They offer after-school programs and other events, now virtually. Mighty Writers engages and mentors kids. In addition, since the pandemic began, the group has provided groceries and other essentials to families to help them get through.
The Mighty Writers forum is a form of therapy for the teens.
“I write a lot of poetry,” Mazama said. "Sometimes it's about the violence, because it’s stressful to know that you can walk outside and be shot by police or by things going on.”
She says the forum will be both cathartic and informative. Her brother is a victim of gun violence.
“I feel like a lot of people feel forgotten, especially young people,” Cann said.
“I want to share my views, but also listen to the views of the children to let them know I’ve been there, they’ve been there."
Cann said she believes young people have great solutions.
“Being a part of this conversation is personal for me. We need to ask what can we do to work together to try to make a difference," she said.
The Might Writers 2nd Annual Anti-Violence (Virtual) Forum will stream live on Facebook at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
https://www.facebook.com/MightyWriters
Both pics are courtesy of Mighty Writers. Second one shows Chang at last years inaugural forum