LAWTON Okla_ Local pastors
have organized a pair of successful prayer walks in Lawton to raise awareness of the rising crime
problem, and now they hope to launch a program called the Community Teen Coalition.
It originated
in Atlanta. Its
aim is giving at-risk teens and young adults a positive alternative to gang
life. The program's creator presented details to the city at a town hall
meeting Friday night.
Dominic Stokes said
it's not only about getting youth to think more positively. It's getting them
to act that way as well. He said Lawton's
not alone when it comes to an increase in gang-related crime. He's said it's
jumped significantly nationwide in the past three years.
Stokes said those
in gangs are just looking in the wrong place for a way to express frustration
or belonging.
"We have
to show them how to channel that into a positive way; how to communicate with
each other."
Stokes said
since 2007, Community Teen Coalition has provided that in Atlanta for thousands of at-risk youth
between the ages of 8 and 18. CTC gives them a positive outlet to use their
skills in team building, decision-making and entrepreneurship, instead of in
criminal activity.
"Even with
youth that are involved in gangs," Stokes said, "They have the same mindset and
business acumen as someone that owns their business. If a person is selling
drugs, they're dealing with sales. They're dealing with distribution. They're
marketing it. They have customers."
Lawton pastor Lennie
Orrell, a former gang member, invited stokes to Lawton. He knows all too well how easy it is
for youth to chose wrong over right these days.
"What I'm
seeing down here is that they're pulling more to the wrong side, because of the
job situation," Orrell said. "It's the situation where they don't want to see
their family go hungry. They don't want to see their lights cut off."
Orrell said if
things are going to change with gang involvement, the entire community will
have to help.
"It's not
an "I" thing. It's a "we" thing. I have a little saying: ‘Gangs are recruiting
every three minutes'. If we recruit for positive every minute and a half, we're
a step ahead of the game."
Stokes said as
with any program, it takes the community and local businesses working together.
He said he is going to lay out several ways the two can become one and
hopefully fix some gang activity here in town.
