Local students unveil PSA to address gun violence

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — A group of students is issuing a public service announcement to speak out against gun violence in Hampton Roads and across the country.

“Off the Set & Onto The Stage” is an innovative youth development program for 8 to 24 year olds.

The group meets every Saturday at the Northampton Community Center, 1435 Todds Lane, Building A in Hampton.

Last summer, students shot, wrote and produced a five-minute video.

This past weekend, many of the students returned to the area from the university to present their work. The PSA was unveiled for the first time at the Hampton Operation Ceasefire: Beyond the Bullet Youth Summit.

“I’ve heard too many stories in this community that have affected children, men and women, and no one should have to face this violence,” said Mikayla Turner, a rising sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. “My mom wants to get them off the streets and behind the camera so they can tell their story, so they no longer have to witness this violence. We can make the change, help others and the communities that are having these issues.”

Saadia White, founder of Amazine Amazon Inc. and creator of Off the Set & Onto The Stage, lets students lead the program to help them with mental health and conflict resolution.

“I think it’s really important to be a part of these things because it’s something I care about,” said Jordan Sargent, a rising 12th grader at Phoebus High School. “I want to be a part of this change.”

Sargent recalled a student bringing a gun to school in May.

“Knowing it was at my school and I was at my school when it happened was … a little scary,” Sargent said. “They didn’t really do much about it. We had to hear about it from other students and no staff mentioned it. There was no curfew or anything. It could have been a lot worse. … Thank God no one was hurt.”

The students explain the heartbreaking numbers of this nationwide problem while calling for the provision of mental health services to prevent shootings.

“We have a voice, so why not use it? We really want to raise our voices and make a real change,” said Kennedy Hood, a junior at Howard University in Washington, D.C. “It’s great that we can showcase our hard work and raise awareness in the form of a short PSA, something that’s not just words on a screen, but really thought out and put together.”

The group hopes that elected officials will consider adopting “evidence-based safety measures for all gun owners, licensed and unlicensed,” among numerous other changes.

“I hope they see us, hear us and do something about it,” Turner said. “It’s necessary to be able to make a change and be the voice in my community and other communities in this world. I feel like not many people are doing that these days and when they do, unfortunately their voices are not being heard. We want to be that organization that takes the issue and is able to make a change.”

Learn more about From the street to the set here.