12-Year Old Talks Frankly About Gang Violence
MILWAUKEE- The 6th annual “Put The Guns Down” festival was held on Sunday at Washington Park. The event was meant to provide a safe festival for families in the neighborhood and a chance to rally against violence. It was also a chance to talk to children about the violence they see every day.
We met Qunnita Stokes as she was getting her face painted at the festival. By all accounts, she is a typical 12-year old girl. But when we asked her about violence in the neighborhood around 40th and Galena, it was clear that she had already seen more than many see in their whole lives.
“People getting shot, stabbed, arguing, houses burned down. Lots,” Stokes said.
The longer we spoke, the more Stokes sounded much older than her 12 years. She doubts the “stop the violence” message will get through to everyone.
“Do you think these kind of things help people understand that violence is not the answer?” asked TODAY’S TMJ4 reporter Michael George.
“A little bit. But not so much the gangbangers, though. The gangbangers, it’s not going to help them at all, until they die or go to rehab,” Stokes said.
“I think this black-on-black crime needs to stop,” she added.
As Stokes returned to go have fun at the festival with her friends, she did say that she has hope that events like the “Put The Guns Down” festival can make a difference.
“I think it’ s a good thing, because there’s not so much that we get around here, like in the bad neighborhood. The more help we get, I think it can be a better place,” Stokes said.
The festival is organized by Campaign Against Violence and the League of Young Voters.
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