GDLU Violence Down, Community Lifted
The impactful work of Guns Down, Life Up, an initiative rooted in Lincoln Hospital, received state-level recognition as Assembly woman Amanda Septimo invited members to Albany. This honor celebrated their remarkable achievement: 724 consecutive days without a shooting in their South Bronx catchment area, a testament to their dedicated community engagement and violence interruption efforts. The South Bronx has historically faced disproportionately
high rates of gun violence. For instance, recent data (as of May 2025 for the Bronx overall) indicated 108 people shot and 23 killed year-to- date, with a concerning rise in youth involvement, including 41 teens arrested for gun- related charges according to News 12 Bronx. Such pervasive violence doesn’t just create victims; it casts a long shadow of trauma. Young people exposed to frequent gun violence can suffer from PTSD, anxiety, and depression, leading to a normalization
of violence and a sense of hopelessness that impacts their development and future prospects. The constant threat erodes community trust and safety, making achievements like those of Guns Down, Life Up profoundly significant. Their success offers a vital counter- narrative and a blueprint for healing, demonstrating that focused, community-based efforts can reclaim public spaces and foster environments where young people can thrive, free from the daily fear of gun violence.
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LINCOLN NEWS
MAY 2025
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