Frontline Souljaz

There were 24 homicides in New Haven in 2010. While we are nowhere near the incidents of violent crime we experienced in the late 70’s to early 90’s there is a feeling in our communities that things are quickly getting out of hand. Gun violence is an epidemic in our communities and that fear is reducing the quality of ALL our lives. The effect is not only on the poorer communities (generally communities populated by people of color) but the fear virus it invokes spreads to all neighborhoods throughout the city. People are afraid to come to New Haven because it is “bad.” That not only affects our safety, security and sense of well being but also the economic viability of the city. Crime, and particularly violent crime, is a weight on the shoulders of urban areas and poisons the entire nation. In New Haven, as in most urban communities across the country, the perpetrators and victims of these violent crimes tend to be African American or Latino males between the ages of 17 and 30. Most have histories with the Criminal Justice system, low levels of education (though many have high school equivalency) and chronic unemployment. What is most frightening is that most of these young men are second, third or even fourth generation men in this quandary. As a result, this demographic in our society tends to become targets of suspicion by the police and society in general. Though they reside in our communities they are not part of what most would consider “legitimate society.” And for whatever the reason, they are disconnected from the services that can help them. In response to the recent rash of shootings in New Haven a group of the young men, directly or tangentially connected to the violence, came together and approached New Haven Family Alliance - Street Outreach Worker Maurice “Blest” Peters seeking assistance in breaking the cycle in which they found themselves trapped. We met with the young men several times to garner their interest and to gage their willingness to do the work necessary to make the changes they seek. It is upon these meetings that this proposal is based. The group decided to join together to form an organization they call Frontline Souljaz. They chose this militaristic symbolism to indentify the feeling that they are currently in a war for their very existence. It is an indication of a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. They feel that all facets of legitimate society have ignored them and they are relegated to being nothing more than statistics on the crime blotters. This group of men have decided that they are unwilling to accept that future and are willing to do what it takes to change it. They are tired of the violence and looking to do something different. They are looking to get off of the streets. They recognize that it is an uphill battle and that they are leading the way for those who will come behind them. It is a struggle. Their streets are becoming a war zone and they are on the frontline fighting to stay alive.

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