Violence in the Black Community: Outbreak, Epidemic, Pandemic
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editors' views or any agency, organization, or employer. Based on my research and knowledge, my statements are in good faith and are only for information purposes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), "Youth violence is common. Homicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 10-24 and the leading cause of death for non-Hispanic Black or African American youth." I don't know about you, but the statement "Youth violence in common," bothers me. I have so many questions. Also, the CDC and the World Health Organization have deemed youth violence a serious public health concern. What's even more heartbreaking is the recent news from the CDC and FBI, which reports that in 2020 we had a massive jump in homicides in the Black community; and that, on average, four black women or girls were killed every day in the United States in 2020. I'm horrified by this thought and the recent killing of a young woman in Grand Rapids on October 19th. We have to do something; I would hate for Grand Rapids to be on the rising edge of this trend.
It seems that everyone is aware of this problem, yet it persists. The Biden and Harris Administration website reports that "Black boys and young men ages 15-34 make up 2% of the population but are 37% of homicide victims, and homicide is the leading cause of death for Black men under the age of 45." This statistic indicates that it is more likely that a young Black person will die at the hand of another black youth than from anything else.
With these types of statistics and the CDC's work on this, it's undeniable that violence is a disease, and the Black community has reached epidemic and pandemic status. And while, I'm mainly talking about youth violence, I have to also mention that domestic violence was all up as a result of the pandemic.
An epidemic is a disease that has infected many people in a community or area. Violence in the Black community has undoubtedly reached that status, but I think it's bigger than that. A pandemic is an epidemic that can move from place to place. Well, violence often moves from place to place and spreads throughout different areas and communities.
To add to that, I think the growth in violence amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is evident that we were in the middle of two parallel pandemics, as some analysts predicted. In fact, the outbreak and sudden rise of crime in 2020 seem to be lingering and causing problems today.
What if the CDC and the World Health organization attacked the youth violence pandemic in the manner they addressed COVID 19? With a focus on those communities where violence is running rampant, go in and defuse violent situations. Stop the spread by targeting and treating those who are causing the havoc.
What if we had all hands-on deck, from physicians, heal th departments, police, and politicians, pushing for treatment of those infected with aggression and safer conditions for those dying at the hands of others. What if we had a news conference every single day to shine a light on the situation?
What if we studied this disease with a microscope (up close) to pinpoint how it spreads and grows. What if they did contact tracing to try and positively impact those exposed to violence monitor any revengeful spread.
What if they genuinely worked on building an understanding of why and how this pandemic is moving.
Okay, I get it; analyzing and addressing violence is complicated.
There is a science to it, and I have to admit that I don't know all that entails. However, I know that we all can be violent as human beings, but we also have the potential to be peaceful. What is making some of our young people choose the negative?
Sophia Brewer (M.L.I.S.) is Collection Development and Serials Librarian, Grand Rapids Community College; Co-President of the Greater Grand Rapids History Council; member of the Grand Rapids Study Club and serves on the Grand Rapids Public Library, Board of Library Commissioners (Elected 2016-2021). She is a former Head of Programs, Grand Rapids Public Library and former Branch Manager, Madison Square Branch, Grand Rapids Public Library
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