Kodak's Corner

Being a young adult born and raised in Chicago, I can safely say that there is a lack of positive resources and programs in the city, especially in neighborhoods where violence is high.

This lack of resources is to blame for the high crime rates among youth as well as the crime that youth are exposed to. 

Youth are exposed to crime at alarming rates, especially in places like Chicago’s South and West sides. 

According to the University of Chicago, “In the community, an estimated 50-60% of urban youth are exposed to neighborhood violence.” The same source states that in samples from some neighborhoods, this jumped to nearly 100 percent. 

In addition to the lack of resources that give Chicago youth a positive outlet, there is also a lack of mental health resources to aid these youth in coping with the violence that they often witness. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified these issues due to the shelter-in-place order as well as the closing of schools, a positive resource, and outlet for many students. 

“New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 37% of all high schoolers reported experiencing poor mental health during the pandemic, with 44% reported persistently feeling sad or hopeless in the past year,” said NBC Chicago. 

Chicago youth deserve to have things in their lives besides violence and negative mental health. They deserve to have somewhere to turn when they’re facing turmoil. 

Organizations like After School Matters and One Summer Chicago should be more heavily pushed to the youth of the city. Though the programs within these organizations don’t last year round, they provide youth with a positive resource and outlet where they can gain friends, gain mentors, get experience in different job settings, and even make money. 

Aside from programs that spotlight and uplift youth, different events like True Star’s From The ‘Go Fest also provide youth with a positive outlet that enables them to showcase their talents and be recognized by others from their city. 

If more funding was allocated to resources that helped youth, there would be a drop in crime and violence across the city as well as improved mental health among youth in the city. That’s the reason why One Summer Chicago was launched. 

Youth in Chicago deserve to live better lives and not be exposed to the violence seen through the city. We deserve more funding, programs, initiatives, organizations, and resources to improve the growing issue of youth violence and general violence in Chicago as well as increased negative mental health.