Tackling the problem of youth and gun violence is huge undertaking, but that is just what one nonprofit in Berks County is doing, but they’re not doing it alone.
Youth gun violence is a heavy topic with many layers.
“There has to be the hard conversations. If we don’t talk about it, to find solutions, it’s going to continue,” said Pam Gockley, Founder and Executive Director of The Camel Project.
Finding solutions is what The Camel Project of Berks County is focused on doing. But they know they can’t do it alone.
“If we push ourselves to be uncomfortable, we learn, we grow, we hear unique experiences. I’ve heard from people today that our grassroots nonprofits that are out there in the street. It’s working with kids trying to help them,” said Nick Hill, Bethany Children’s Home Deputy CEO.
Three nonprofits: The Camel Project, Bethany Children’s Home and Green Building Alliance met Saturday morning at GoggleWorks for “Power of Unity: Accountability to Our Community,” for a forum.
“We had a very hard conversation about hard topics like: racism, systemic institutional racism,” said Gockley. “We talked about bullying.”
But, they know they need to expand that conversation in order for change.
“Every elected official was invited to this event,” said Gockley. “Every nonprofit, large and small were invited in.”
The Camel Project hopes more forums like this continue and the momentum snowballs.
Gockley said, “As a group, we are so much more powerful and that’s why we called it – power and unity.”