13 December 2007

BPD gun search plan under fire at City Council hearing

By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

Community leaders, local politicians and city residents came together Monday for a City Council hearing on the potential benefits and dangers of the Boston Police Department’s controversial new Safe Homes initiative to residents of Roxbury and Dorchester.

As has been the case since the BPD announced the initiative last month, reactions to the program’s proposed warrantless weapons searches were heavily mixed and highly emotional.

Read the full article here.

8 November 2007

Boston youth speak out on violence, education, health

taliawhyte Uncategorized crime, education, health disparities, youth

By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

As the old saying goes, children should be seen, not heard. But today, with quality of life problems growing for many Boston kids, more adults are recognizing that the city’s youth need to be part of the conversation about finding solutions.

Read the full article here.

1 November 2007

Nobel laureate Tutu trumpets reconciliation

taliawhyte Uncategorized Africa, crime, Desmond Tutu, South Africa

By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu spoke to over 700 Boston school students Monday about why they need to take charge of ending violence on the city’s streets. The Nobel laureate was the keynote speaker at a youth symposium hosted by Wheelock College called “Bridges to Hope and Understanding: Exploring Truth and Reconciliation.”

The symposium highlighted the archbishop’s reconciliation tactics that have been used with youth in his native South Africa, and recognized five Boston youth who are “emerging leaders” working in their communities on issues related to violence.

Read the full article here.