KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One Kansas City group is putting in the work to stop the number of homicides - 127 as of Friday - from climbing through the launch of a new campaign called "We Must Stop Killing Each Other."
The group behind the New Reflections Technical Institute teaches students life skills as an alternative to gun violence. It’s a vocational school that offers CDL training, construction, culinary classes, and more.
President and founder Mark Byrd says around 80% of their students have experienced gun violence in some form of their life before coming to their program.
“We are fighting back against it, with the chance of giving them something to do, a career,” he said.
The school provides an opportunity to make positive changes in the community.
“If you had a job, you wouldn’t be out there at 4:30 in the morning. You’d be thinking about how to go home and enjoy the amenities of your life,” Byrd said.
He said the launch of the new campaign drives home their mission in the community: empowering people to make their lives and others’ lives better.
“Visually, hopefully it would deter someone from doing something bad, like hurting someone, or themselves,” he said. “Now they start talking about what they’re not going to do anymore. They realize, they learn their lesson, and they see another way.”
One New Reflections Instructor knows this journey well.
“Coming from the walk of life I’ve traveled, and the encouragement I can provide for them, leading by example,” Michael Enriquez said.
He said he’s been in and out of prison and was shot himself 20 years ago.
Monica Henderson founded the Brian Derek Henderson Foundation after her son, who was shot and killed when he was 12. Her group works closely with New Reflections.
“I urge people to get involved, get in the community and save our children before it’s too late, before you are me,” she said.
She said the campaign is a reminder that this loss is not an exclusive one.
“Your kids don’t have to be in the streets, they don’t have to drop out of school, they don’t have to be making F’s to end up in my shoes,” she said.
It’s a sign that we all have an opportunity, to make a change.
“If you could save one person, you could help them save others, so that ‘each one teach one’ concept would grow,” Byrd said.
New Reflections is selling yard signs, shirts and more for their campaign. 100% of the money goes toward their students for scholarships or any academic or financial support.
—
