DANVILLE — Youth-led storytelling will showcase community member stories on Saturday.
Project Success of Vermilion County and United Way of Danville Area present ‘Healing Our Streets,’ a storytelling event to prompt meaningful conversations from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, June 27 at Bremer Center on the campus of Danville Area Community College.
The non-profits say there will be a special screening of a youth-led video presented with interviews conducted by young people involved with Project Success about healing the area, as far as violence goes.
The screening will showcase interviews the youth conducted in March, funded through a grant from ‘Healing Illinois.’ Eighteen students, ages ranging from 13 to 22, were involved after completing a 3-hour training course.
“They are going to be asking them to share their experiences with the community, the impact of race and inequity, and how it affected their upbringing — one way or the other,” Project Success CEO Jamie Nighlinger said at that time. “We also want to get any ideas for healing and growth in the community.’’
There will be food, community, giveaways, and talks about misperceptions, while highlighting the power of connection, according to the organizers.
Multiple members of the youth council were in Chicago for a journalism conference to learn about how to work in the media on Friday.
About a year ago, the youth council was formed following the tragic death of Aniyah Davis to gun violence. Since the youth involved have led the way in creating change with several events like this one.
“The Youth Council’s hard work, dedication, and commitment have already resulted in meaningful progress,” Nightlinger says. They completed between 30 and 50 interviews.