Article | - 4:06 pm
Each Month, the Youth Power Group (YPG) Organizes Events Focused on Making a Positive Impact on Others and the Community
Each month, the Youth Power Group (YPG) organizes events focused on making a positive impact on others and the community. On August 31st, 2024, YPG raised awareness about gun violence by marching peacefully through Brooklyn, NY, to highlight this critical issue.
In the days leading up to the event, youth participants from all 15 YPG branches in NYC have been actively involved in creating chants, making signs with the slogan ‘LIVE MORE X DRILLING’—and spreading the word that the Gun Violence Awareness March is a must-attend event.
Four police precincts and Community Affairs Officers escorted the entire group during the march on August 31st, starting at 12 noon in front of Barclays Center. Two drumline bands led the march as participants made their way to the YPG Headquarters at 1091 Fulton Street.
Drill is a popular type of beat among youth, but it has also become associated with violence in New York City, particularly in rap songs that reference ‘drilling.’ YPG aims to raise awareness and demonstrate that this music doesn’t have to be linked to violence.
About eight out of every ten U.S. murders in 2021, or 81%, was committed with a firearm. Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, and Wyoming had the highest total rates of gun-related deaths in 2021.
According to a report by The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, the gun death rate for kids and teenagers aged 1 to 17 has gone up by 106% since 2013. For children and teens aged 1 to 17, firearms were the main cause of death.
In awareness of this critical issue affecting teens, the YPG promoted the ‘Live More X Drilling’ movement, which was not limited to NYC; it also extended to all YPG branches nationwide.
Follow YPG on Instagram @ypg.usa and share with your family and friends.
If you or a family member or friend would like to join the Youth Power Group (YPG), attend its next community event, or provide support, please visit one of the locations of The Universal Church (click here) and speak to the pastor. You may also call 1-888-332-4141 for more information.
The Universal Church of Brooklyn, NY, is located at 1091 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11238.
