Pulling together to end violence

The loss of a friend brings despair and sorrow. But when one loses a friend to gang violence like I have, the death also affects the school and the community.
My friends and I had grown up with Estevan Silva since elementary school. We knew him well. When he was shot and killed last March, almost one year ago, we asked, “Why him?”
My thoughts were drawn toward his life cut short. He was 17, just a teenager.
Remembering his life brought me to the realization that kids are killing kids over sides and colors, and I asked myself how I could begin to help solve this problem.
And I wasn’t the only one. At the beginning of the school year, my leadership teacher, Doris Dorr asked, “What are things that we can do?”
We brainstormed ideas as a class and determined that getting involved in the Toppenish community was a priority. We also talked about organizations with which we could work to allow youth to take action on issues of violence.
The idea to partner with the Community Safety Network manifested while speaking to my school principals, Trevor Greene and Frank Harris, and Simon Sampson, a founding member of the group.
CSN started last April, about a month after my friend’s death, with an informal meeting at the Branding Iron Restaurant in Toppenish. Estevan had been killed at night in a double homicide near the Toppenish Library. Israel Diaz, 20, was also shot and killed.
Sampson, his wife, school district officials and many others met at the restaurant to talk about the violence and what could be done to address it.
And shortly after this school year started, I invited Sampson to speak to our leadership class. The main focus of this meeting wasn’t just to give background information on the group, but to invite us to join as student representatives.
This partnership is so important because many of the victims of gang violence are teenagers, but teenagers in general have no political voice.
“A lot of the problems are caused by teenagers,” my leadership teacher said. “Adults try to solve these problems with adult solutions.
“With teens being involved, they get to be the resolution. A lot of people think kids don’t care about their communities, but they do. They just don’t get the chance.”
Since the partnership began, several students have attended the network’s monthly meetings, voicing their opinions about activities and recreational facilities local youths would most likely enjoy. Our involvement has also included helping paint out graffiti.
My hopes for the Community Safety Network and the Toppenish leadership class are that each will continue to work together and that this newfound communication doesn’t fade away with time, but strengthens with the involvement of the youth.
With dedication and support from our families, school and community, I am certain our generation — and generations to come — can help end the plight of violence.

— Arturo Arellano is a senior at Toppenish High School and a member of the Herald-Republic’s Unleashed journalism program for students.