If you are not spreading the disease of gun violence, you are prevention

When Tia Bell was just 10 years old, she experienced a devastating trauma, the shooting of her mother in their own neighborhood. She went to her elders, neighborhood protectors, and pleaded with them not to seek retribution. She did the same after the murder of her uncle, and other community members. She recognizes the humanity of the perpetrators, seeing them as victimized by the same lack of resources, voice and agency as those they targeted. She wants them to receive help. Now, as the Founder and CEO of The Trigger Project, she brings her lived experience, empathy and scholarship in youth development to cultivating a culture of prevention in Washington DC and beyond. In this episode of Power Station, Tia shares how The Trigger Project is rooted in the knowledge that gun violence is a disease, that we are all susceptible to it and prevention is our collective responsibility. Her vision was on display last week when she and the young people she champions hosted a conference and festival, sharing information about trauma and roots causes while uplifting strategies, including emotional intelligence training, for prevention. Tia is a star, a powerful and undaunted force for good.