I finally received a copy of Isabelle Kim's video thesis on Youth Video Projects. For me the most interesting part of it (besides that fact that it's a multi-media thesis) is watching the results of all the different Youth Video Projects across the city. Not only is the process of the YVPs a fun learning experience for youth, but the products are actually very good quality! My favorite project that I watched was Hear the Story, a documentary on the struggles that youth face; violence, police brutality, unemployment and racism. Click on the link to watch the video with Windows Media Player. I think that this video is particularly pertinent given that grade 9 student Jordan Manners was shot dead yesterday at C.W. Jeffreys Collegiate Institute. The press is talking about how we need more surveillance, more security, but these youth voices tell us something more. We need to stop the problem before it starts. My favorite point that the movie brought home was one of the youth talking about how he is way more likely to face a police officer that wants to put him in jail, than say a social worker, or an employer trying to give him a job. If youth can't find jobs then they are forced to hustle to stay alive, and when you are in the game you usually face a number of high security risks. I think a really great program would be to show this documentary in all schools across Toronto and have break out discussion sessions where youth can talk about how it really is on the street. The "stop snitching" community strategy against police brutality acts as a silencer on gun crime. We don't need to snitch, but we do need to figure out how this whole mess started and what we can do as a community to get out of it. Gun crime is so often ignored by Toronto because it's only black youth getting shot. It's time that we act on this issue, and it's time that our city steps up to the plate and starts solidly investing in community based strategies for early intervention. Youth leaders are out there being mentors in their communities, it is our city's job to find them and make sure they have the resources they need to get their message out to their peers.