Voice Buffalo combating gun violence with Midnight Basketball League program

Voice Buffalo is combating gun violence on Buffalo's East Side by reintroducing the Midnight Basketball League summer program.

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Alia Wiliams is the youth-adult organizer of Voice Buffalo.

She tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person she grew up on the East Side of Buffalo and knows what it’s like to be close to gun violence.

“I have witnessed friends and family lose their lives due to gun violence so having the privilege to work for an organization that’s able to do something like the Midnight Basketball League is something that I am very excited about,” she says.

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The program is designed to keep young people safe by giving them something to do. It is for those ages 14 to 25 years old.

“It was birthed during the 90s and it is a tested evidence-based practice to reduce violence in areas that are similar to Buffalo,” she says. “There will also be educational workshops like financial literacy and healing circles.”

Neighbors and mentors in this community say something like this is needed.

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“I think it’s a good thing for the city and it’ll keep the kids occupied and off the streets and we do need more stuff like this around here,” says a resident.

The program will be held every Thursday at the Resource Council of WNY from 6 to 11 pm.

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“We specifically picked the Cold Springs area because, for those that don’t know the past couple of years, there have been young people that have died due to the hands of gun violence. One specifically being in this park right here,” Alia says.

Others who took part in summer programs while growing up on the East Side say it helped them become the young adult they are today.

Khalil Carr is one of them.

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He's the first young Black film producer in Western New York and also the Executive Director of Buffalo Fashion Week.

“There's no resources for you, there's absolutely nothing. It's basically crawling from the ground up to really get to what you need to get,” Khalil says. “So, I really think growing up around here was more of sharpening me, developing me to become a successful person or the man that I’m becoming.

The Midnight Basketball League will begin July 18th.