Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says he is continuing the fight against gun violence by offering at-risk young people funds to participate in the arts and other activities.
The new funding will be distributed to some Manhattan community-based organizations who work proactively to prevent youth gun violence and deliver stipends to New Yorkers aged 14 to 24 years old. Bragg unveiled the plan in a one-on-one interview with amNewYork Metro.
“Gun violence is a significant priority for me,” Bragg said. “During my time in office, shootings have decreased by 48%, but we know that we need to do more than that. I grew up in Central Harlem. I was no stranger to gun violence and guns pointed at me, and really wanted to, in addition to the enforcement work, supplement that with opportunities for our youth who are directly affected by gun violence, particularly during the summer months.”
The funding for these programs will be increased from $200,000 to $300,000, giving organizations the chance to submit joint proposals for summer 2025. The money is expected to be awarded to community-based groups who utilize those with lived experience and provide hyperlocal programming in neighborhoods most affected by gun violence, including Washington Heights/Inwood, Harlem/East Harlem, and the Lower East Side, as well as NYCHA developments including Douglas, Amsterdam, and Wise Towers.
Bragg says he himself has seen some of the work the money has paved the way for young people to show off their skills, including everything from podcasts and mural paintings to film production that not only keeps them out of gang activity but also could carve a career path.
“We had one group that, right in Harlem, did farm-to-table cooking. It’s an array of things our youth do,” Bragg recalled. “We know from the past that when we do an enforcement action, it creates a vacuum. And then the people who are adjacent to crime before me may step into that vacuum. Well, they’re less likely to if, at the same time, when we do the enforcement action, we say, ‘Hey, look we now have a new opportunity in your neighborhood.’”
While it is easy to measure the impact of violent crime on a community — especially the lives lost —and its subsequent enforcement, the number of lives saved by prevention methods are far less accurate.
Still, according to data provided by the Manhattan DA’s office, more than 50% of youth remained connected to the organizations after the initiative ended, while 30% of the young participants were new to programs. Statistics also showed that 95 youth participated in 200 sessions, averaging 18 sessions each over three months.
Bragg added that he firmly believes these types of outreach programs have a profound impact on crime prevention, saving both the person who could have fallen into the rabbit hole of gun violence and a potential victim, which is why he says he is looking to expand the initiative in 2025.
“I’m a big believer in trying something, and if it doesn’t work, you say, we tried. We’re going to course correct. We’re going to tweak it. And if it works, to double down. So, this is working. I’ve seen the feedback from the youth, and I also see the numbers of shootings going down,” Bragg said.
Organizations can apply as an individual entity to receive $25,000 or can join another organization and apply to receive $60,000. The Office is encouraging applicants to partner and leverage each other’s strengths.
Proposals are due Jan. 14, 2025, and award recipients will be announced in Spring 2025. For more information, visit manhattanda.org.
