Albany hosts Capital Region Youth Speak-out
Forum touches on justice, racism, isolation, solutions
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ALBANY – Teenagers from around the Capital Region gathered Saturday for an open forum on gun violence, the impact of the pandemic on their lives, restorative justice, and intertwined issues like poverty, domestic violence and systemic racism.
Eva Bass, CEO of Bridge da Gap and chair of the city’s equity agenda, oversaw the Capital Region Youth Speak-out event. The idea for it grew out of discussions between non-profits in the city and members of the city’s gun violence task force, she said.
Bass said they wanted to create a platform to amplify teenagers’ voices on issues that directly affect them but they are often not heard on, as well as connecting them with resources.