By Daily Press staff
After about four months of preparing, area youth held their first peace summit last week.
In January a “youth speak out on violence prevention” meeting was held at Santa Monica High School when nearly 100 people filled the school cafeteria to address youth violence in the city, partly in response to the murder of Deanna Maran, 15, who was stabbed at a party in Westwood on Nov. 17, 2001.
One of the ideas that was borne from that meeting was a retreat organized by youth to address violence in Santa Monica and how to end it.
Organized by the Santa Monica Youth Violence Prevention Coalition, the summit focused on definitions and personal experience of bias, discrimination and violence. In a video that was shot and edited by youth, students unveiled a somber reality of lives impacted daily by systemic violence either through gangs, the home environment, society’s institutions or the culture in general.
A self-reflective exercise was then done and a youth panel moderated by a recent Samohi graduate broadened the conversation.
The Anti-Defamation League’s Tessa Hicks offered an interactive movie presentation in which students became characters in the drama and made life-changing decisions surrounding issues of racism, homophobia, stereotypes and hate.
At the same time, Santa Monica Police Lt. P.J. Guido spoke with youth about their civil rights, procedures for making a complaint and finding the best course of action for them if the police stops them, searches their car or enters their home.
School officials say the summit provided an opportunity for young people to take a leadership role on the issue of violence.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 27, 2002. Read the original PDF.