Participants in Monday’s “Breaking the Cycle” community listening session hosted by Pathways to Peace Coalition for Vance County!” got a chance to create a storyboard that reflects concerns, challenges, hopes and a vision for Vance County as a place known for something gun violence and crime.

Charles Turrentine, Jr. is one of the event organizers and a member of the coalition. Other coalition members include Gregory Kelly Michele Walker, Dwayne Russell, Laura Perkinson Roy Brown, Adriane Anderson, Darius Pitt and Matthew Todd. Joanne Evans and Kenia Gomez-Jimenez were moderators for Monday’s gathering at Southern Charm Event Center in downtown Henderson. Turrentine estimated that more than 175 people came out to participate in the listening session to offer their voices and their sentiments against senseless violence.

The storyboard created a visual representation to capture sentiments from the group as a way to generate ideas and possible solutions to challenges. Next steps, Turrentine said, will be to review the information gathered and to form an action plan – that could be as early as next week, he told WIZS News.

During the roughly two-hour session, various individuals spoke of personal experiences and provided insight to share how they had been affected by violence.

A local barber talked about gun violence and the grief it inflicts on survivors of those killed by gun violence. People look for revenge instead of resolution, he said, and added that having hope is a first step to changing the narrative.

Jonathan Pulley is a UNC Air Care Flight paramedic and he said he’s seen the whole range of situations – good and bad – in his line of work. Pulley said heart-wrenching situations like hearing a victim utter the words “Am I going to die?” or telling a mother her child is dead are awful situations to be in. He said as a first responder, part of his job is to show empathy.

One man said the county has a bad reputation that needs to be addressed. A cousin of his was killed, a niece and sister also have been wounded by gunfire, both of which are result of existing problems in the community. But if you have a problem, he said, bring a solution, too. The answer can’t be just building a new, bigger jail. There needs to be thought given to more opportunities for youth, like a youth apprenticeship program to partner with local tradespeople to give young people a chance to learn job skills.

Jamon Glover works at the N.C. Cooperative Extension and said his father was strict about curfews and staying out of trouble. Glover, a 1995 graduate of Northern Vance High School, just dropped his own son off to join the U.S. Army. Glover said having a strong parental figure – in this case, a father – remains a vital piece of the puzzle. One of the extension programs he runs supports a father’s involvement in child-rearing. Even if parents aren’t together in the same household, fathers can still co-parent and be involved in their children’s lives.

Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott shared her story as well. Her younger brother was shot six times more than three decades ago, Elliott said. “Thirty-one years later, and we’re having the same conversation.” At the end of the day, marching and meeting doesn’t work, she said. She implored the audience “to stop talking and do something.”

There are many organizations in the community doing great work, Elliott said. Having a resource map with details of available services and programs that people can access would be one way to help connect programs with those who need them.

“The violence is senseless,” she said.

One woman who spoke said she moved from Baltimore, MD, where 400 murders a year is considered “normal.” Residents there have become desensitized to the violence, she said. She has a daughter and would love to see a youth organization that doubles as a mentorship program. Parents must take back their position as heads of households and give children the security and safety they need, she said.

She said that she’s glad to see the community pulling together. “I really think something good is going to come out of this,” she said of the meeting.

Caroline Farmer, executive director of the Governor’s Crime Commission was in attendance and said her commission gives grants to groups and organizations to combat problems like gun violence.

Gun violence is a public health issue, Farmer told the audience. And that storyboard that was created during the listening session is the road map to address the issues in Vance County.

“It’s not just about giving out the money,” she said. It’s about having a plan and different groups working together in the community.

“It involves coordination. If you want the money, you work together.” Grant funding could be used to fund proposals that help bridge the gap between services that are already in place, she explained, or the money could be used for a brand-new program.

The Governor’s Crime Commission currently is accepting grant proposals through the end of April. There will be another grant opportunity in the fall, she said.