KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- 'Youth Under Fire' is a national documentary about youth violence in America, why it happens, and approaches to stopping youth violence.
Tyrone Flowers, the founder of Higher M-Pact in Kansas City, is featured in the documentary. His organization works with at-risk youth in Kansas City's urban core to show them another way of life.
As a teenager in Kansas City, Flowers was the victim of gun violence. He was shot and remains in a wheelchair.
Flowers found a new way of life and founded Higher M-Pact. His approach to helping youth includes:
- Spending time with a troubled young person
- Finding out what talents and gifts that troubled youth has
- Mapping out a plan to help that troubled youth use those gifts and talents to escape violence
- Walking with that young person as they begin taking steps to achieve their new goals
"I believe people can help in this process, and they don't have to be on the front-lines," said Flowers. "An employer could say, 'I have one job and I'm willing to hire one young person a year from Higher M-Pact, or someone could choose to tutor a troubled young person to help them get an education."
The premiere of 'Youth Under Fire' was Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Rockhurst University.
Mindy Corporon, the founder of Give SevenDays, and Alvin Books, the founder of AdHoc Group Against Crime, were be honored for their efforts to stop violence in Kansas City.
41 Action News Anchor Cynthia Newsome led the panel discussion on stopping youth violence.
