Youth Mentorship & Safe Passage
True public safety isn't built on mass incarceration or over-policing children; it is built on opportunity, prevention, and investing in neighborhoods before a crisis occurs. Right now, juvenile arrests spike during the "gap hours" of 2 PM to 7 PM when young people have the fewest places to go. This isn't a failure of children; it's a failure of DC decision-makers who have historically left communities under-resourced, especially east of the river. My plan replaces failed, punitive cycles with a community-led network that wraps its arms around young people.
The Plan
- Expand the Safe Passage network citywide by doubling the number of trained, neighborhood-rooted ambassadors so children can travel to and from school in absolute peace.
- Provide universal after-school access by keeping recreation centers open late and launching over 100 enrichment hubs to keep 10,000 youth safe, active, and engaged during peak afternoon hours.
- Launch the "DC Youth Thrive" campaign to completely flip the script on how young people are viewed, celebrating local Black youth excellence and offering real incentives for community leadership across all eight wards.
- Put credible messengers on the ground by expanding violence interruption teams through the Cure Violence model, using trusted neighbors to mediate conflicts and de-escalate tensions in high-priority corridors.
- Create 10,000 paid municipal internships to put real money in teenagers' pockets and give them a direct head start on good-paying, long-term careers.
- Hold these programs accountable with a live data dashboard so the public can see exactly where resources are going and how effectively youth initiatives are performing.