Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. The causes of gun violence are rooted in economic decline and racist policies like redlining that have contributed to unequal resources and opportunities. Muskegon is just one of many communities across the country that has faced challenges with youth gun violence as a result. Despite this history, youth and communities are often unfairly blamed for gun violence. 

Youth leaders have a clear understanding of what causes gun violence and what’s needed to prevent it. But youth voices have not always been included in prevention planning and decision-making. The Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center (MI-YVPC) is collaborating with Muskegon-based community partners to flip these scripts by engaging youth leaders as part of the solution.

How did the MI-YVPC come to Muskegon?

In 2021, after treating multiple shooting victims, Dr. Brian Stork, a Urologist in Muskegon had had enough. He approached the University of Michigan (U of M) with the goal of expanding prevention programs in Muskegon county. That spring, Dr. Stork teamed up with U of M and local partners including the Trinity Health Emergency Department, HealthWest, Muskegon Pediatrics, the County Prosecutor’s Office, and Gaining Unity through Non-Violence Solutions to write a grant to expand evidence-based prevention in the community. The result was a 5-year grant to establish the MI-YVPC in Muskegon as one of five CDC National Centers for Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention. 

What programs is the MI-YVPC implementing?

The MI-YVPC is now implementing two prevention strategies with the goal of reducing gun violence across the community. 

MI-YVPC’s first strategy is SafERteens—an evidence-based program that connects youth seeking medical care with a community health worker to receive a motivational interviewing session. The brief intervention helps youth reflect on their life goals and develop healthy conflict resolution skills. While SafERteens was previously shown to reduce youth violence, until now, the program had only been delivered by researchers. The current study is supporting local community health providers to champion and deliver the intervention so it can be sustained as a long-term prevention resource in Muskegon. Read more about SafERteens.

The MI-YVPC’s second program is centered around establishing a Youth Advisory Board to guide and implement gun violence prevention in Muskegon County. This program began in the fall of 2023, when the MI-YVPC teamed up with local violence prevention organizations, including Gaining Unity Through Non-Violent Solutions (G.U.N.S.) and Pathfinders, to recruit and form Muskegon Violence Prevention or MVP (as the youth call it!) 

MVP is made up of youth ages 14-20 from schools across Muskegon County, each bringing unique perspectives, skills, and experience to prevent violence. 

[MVP logo designed by MVP member, Vi Le.]

MVP first came together for a two-day kick-off Camp at Miniwanca. During the camp, youth became fast friends, bonding through games, a strenuous dune climb, and ropes-courses. In the evening, youth sang songs at a fire circle and shared their motivations for getting involved. For many youth, the issue felt deeply personal as they have been affected by violence in their schools and community.

[Youth pictured with a group flag they created at Camp Miniwanca]

The youth had such a positive experience at camp that the group quickly expanded through peer referrals. Since then, MVP has met twice a month, receiving foundational training in public health and gun violence prevention. These trainings have supported youth to create a prevention action plan that included assessing the root causes of gun violence in Muskegon, learning from other youth leaders, and creating prevention campaigns. MVP presented their Action Plan at the Community Livability Lab challenge last fall and have since been hard at work.

[MVP members presented MVP’s Action Plan at the Livability Lab]

In alignment with these goals, the MVP has completed a full year of prevention trainings, including visiting and learning from local violence prevention organizations (e.g., Every Woman’s Place). 

In the spring of 2024, MVP members participated in a photovoice activity where they took pictures of community strengths that protect youth from violence (e.g., youth-serving organizations) and issues that contribute to the problem (e.g., substance misuse).

[Photovoice images of community strengths and risks taken by MVP youth]

MVP youth were excited to present their photovoice during a Learning Exchange held in Washington D.C during National Youth Violence Prevention Week in April 2024. The four-day event brought together 20 youth leaders from MVP and DC-based prevention program, The True Reasons I Grabbed the Gun Evolved from Risks (T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project).

During the exchange, the youth visited the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP), where they spoke with Deputy Director, Greg Jackson about how gun violence affects their daily lives. They shared what changes are needed to keep them safe in their schools and communities. For many youth, the meeting was a validating and empowering experience that highlighted they could be part of societal change. “I finally felt heard. My voice was important,” one participant shared.

[MVP and TRIGGER youth were excited to visit the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.]

In honor of Youth Violence Prevention Week, MVP leaders also participated in a podcast hosted by The Game Changers, a group of youth leaders from an affiliated Youth Violence Prevention Center in Denver, CO. During the episode, the youth discussed how to support peers grieving losses to gun violence, and how to channel these experiences to spread peace. 

Reflecting and Looking Ahead: What Next For MVP?

Reflecting on their experience participating in MVP over the past year, youth leaders reported the group has become a tight-knit community: “You guys are a very good impact on me and are an inspiration to me as well. Not a day goes by where you guys don’t cross my mind,” one youth reflected.

Looking ahead, the MVP is set to put their learning into action. The group has hired two leaders to serve as junior advisors, bringing the group one step closer to being fully youth led. MVP members plan to become Co-Trainers for Stop the Bleed; attend and host outreach events to strengthen relationships with partners and spread awareness in the community; and partner with T.R.I.G.G.E.R project youth on a prevention campaign to change narratives about root causes of gun violence. Additionally, they will facilitate advisory circles with community partners to determine how they can collaborate while centering youth voices in prevention.  

Finally, the group plans to advise other emergent community prevention efforts, including a newly funded Byrne grant to expand implementation of SafERteens to Muskegon Schools. To learn more about the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, visit our website or follow us on social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook.

Note of Gratitude 

I would like to personally thank Lauren Meldrum, Ebunoluwa Odueso, and Laney Rupp for writing this post and everyone at the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center for their ongoing efforts to improve the lives of Muskegon County Youth.