A Call Back to the Village

The violence that unfolded across Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, and Albany over the Fourth of July weekend has left me with a heart that is both broken and burdened.

My first thoughts and prayers are with those whose lives were forever changed, the individuals who were injured, the families mourning unimaginable loss, the children who witnessed violence, the first responders who rushed toward danger, and the communities now carrying yet another layer of grief and trauma. Every act of violence leaves wounds that extend far beyond the scene itself.

As someone who has experienced the devastating impact of violent loss personally and who has devoted my life to walking alongside young people, families, and communities impacted by violence, I have found myself moving through many emotions over these past several days: heartbreak, sorrow, compassion, disappointment, and frustration.

The frustration comes from knowing that we too often have these conversations only after tragedy. Every young person who chooses to pick up a firearm and harm another human being bears responsibility for that decision. Accountability matters. Justice matters. Our communities deserve to be safe, and every victim deserves dignity, healing, and the full support of their community.

At the same time, accountability and humanity are not opposites. We can hold young people accountable without stripping away their humanity. We should never allow a person's worst decision to erase the truth that they are still a human being with inherent worth. Recognizing that many of these young people have experienced trauma, violence, instability, neglect, or profound disconnection does not excuse what happened. It reminds us why prevention, intervention, and healing matter so deeply.

Though I am not currently active on social media, I was heartbroken to receive screenshots of comments being shared online. What grieved me almost as much as the violence itself was seeing adults, and in some cases individuals viewed as community leaders, speaking about young people on both sides of this as though they are disposable, beyond redemption, or somehow less deserving of compassion, either because it was seen as them being someplace they should not have or because they were the ones on the other side of the gun.

That should grieve all of us. If we want young people to believe their lives have value, they must first see adults who consistently demonstrate that every human life has value.

Love does not ignore wrongdoing.

Love tells the truth.

Love protects those who have been harmed.

Love holds people accountable.

And love refuses to give up on people after they have fallen.

That is the kind of love our communities need.

For years, I have heard people say, "These kids just need something to do." Respectfully, I believe our young people deserve much more than that. They do not simply need activities to occupy their time. They need intentional environments that cultivate identity before the streets define it, belonging before the gangs offer it, purpose before hopelessness takes root, healing before trauma becomes normalized, and leadership before violence becomes an identity. They need adults who show up consistently, not just after a crisis, but long before one ever occurs.

I have also heard people say, "No one is doing this work." That simply is not true.

Across our communities, there are grassroots organizations, faith communities, neighborhood leaders, mentors, educators, outreach workers, violence interrupters, parents, and countless individuals who faithfully invest in our young people every single day. At Urban Christian Ministries, through WE LEAD, we are honored to stand alongside many others doing this work. Every day, organizations are creating spaces where young people are seen, challenged, supported, loved, equipped, and reminded that their future is greater than their circumstances.

The challenge is not that this work is absent. The challenge is that it is too often under-resourced. Those closest to the pain are too often the furthest from sustainable investment. This is not about one organization being more important than another. It is about equity. 

Every sector has a role to play, and every partner is needed. But if we are serious about changing outcomes, we must ensure that those engaged in the daily work of prevention, mentoring, family support, healing, leadership development, and community restoration have the resources necessary to meet the magnitude of the need.

I often say that a budget is a moral document. Budgets reveal what we value before tragedy, not just what we are willing to fund afterward.

What does your state budget say about young people?

What does your county budget say?

Your city?

Your organization?

Even your own household?

Scripture reminds us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)

Our investments reveal our priorities.

If we believe young people matter, our investments should reflect it.

If we believe prevention matters, our investments should reflect it.

If we believe every life has value, our investments should reflect it.

Somewhere along the way, we stopped believing that raising children is everyone's responsibility.

Strong communities have always understood that every caring adult has a role in protecting, guiding, correcting, encouraging, and believing in the next generation.

We must become the village again. Not the village that gathers only after tragedy.

The village that knows our young people before they become headlines.

The village that notices when they are struggling.

The village that creates pathways to healing, purpose, accountability, and hope.

Because no one is beyond accountability. And no one is beyond our responsibility.

I believe in our young people.

I believe healing is possible.

I believe our communities can choose courage over convenience, collaboration over competition, and restoration over resignation.

Most of all, I believe that every young person deserves to grow up surrounded by adults who refuse to give up on them, every family deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, and every community deserves more stories of hope than headlines of heartbreak. The future we long for will not be built by outrage. It will be built when all of us decide that every young person is worthy of our time, our investment, our voice, and our love.

That is how we honor those we lost.

That is how we protect those still with us.

That is how we become the village again.

In faith and service,

Rev. Denise O. Walden - Glenn 
Executive Servant Leader (CEO)
Urban Christian Ministries