BUFFALO, N.Y. — Stopping youth violence must start with the youth, something Buffalo’s Stop the Violence Coalition knows well. 

“If I told them to raise their hand for who has been affected by murder or homicides, the whole room would raise their hands,” said Murray Holman, executive director of the Stop the Violence Coalition in Buffalo.

What You Need To Know

  • According to the World Health Organization, over 176,000 homicides occur among those 15 to 29 years of age each year worldwide

  • Even when violence is not fatal, it has a serious, often lifelong impact on a young person’s physical, psychological and social functioning

  • Stop the Violence Coalition in Buffalo is working directly with students to change their path

The program began 20 years ago and started a gun intervention program during the pandemic. 

“Same mission, dealing with our youth. We deal with a lot of homicides in our community,” Holman said. 

It's educating nearly 40 youth members on how to stay away from violence with things like curfews. That includes students like 15-year-old Nuri, who has a passion for being an artist, but is no stranger to violence in his community. 

“I was at a Fourth of July party and I actually almost got shot by a bullet, it like went right past me,” said Nuri Muhammad, a participant in the program. “When you see homicides in front of you like I saw homicides right in front of me and this is a sad thing to see.” 

He joined the program in hopes of being part of the change he wishes to see. 

“I really like speaking to people my age because you know they can hear from older people but when they see someone their age doing the same thing, they’ll be more intrigued to listen,” he said. 

A benefit that could be seen in communities across the state. 

“The governor has made it clear that there has to be programs like this, boots on the ground organizations have to have the responsibility to take ownership into the youth that's in their community,” said Holman. 

“It’s not only violence here, it's violence everywhere and I feel like if you do have an opportunity to join this program you should take the opportunity,” said Muhammad. 

The opportunity has done well for Nuri and his peers. 

“I like to move and talk positive. A lot of people my age come up to me for advice, so that already lets me know there that this program is working,” Muhammad said.