Seattle Chief of Police Shon Barnes recently joined "The Big O Show" in the Black Media Matter Studio to discuss the recent surge in gun violence and its impact on the city's youth. According to Chief Barnes, data from the past year showed a 63% increase in juveniles aged 13 to 17 listed as suspects.

Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth recently joined “The Big O Show” to share her perspectives on the urgent need for a more empathetic, community-centered approach to the city’s ongoing gun violence crisis. 

A collective of community leaders, youth, and organizations convened last week in White Center, Washington for "Feed the Streets,” a recurring event where the community prepared and distributed free meals with the help of teen volunteers.   

Emotion and solidarity consumed the Black Media Matters Studio last week when Converge Media hosted the Empowering Youth Firearm Outreach Program (EYFO) cohort. Primarily composed of students from Rainier Beach and Garfield High Schools, the group visited the studio to witness the impact of Black-led media firsthand.

Mayor Bruce Harrell delivered The State of the City Address at Benaroya Hall accompanied by the Garfield High School Band and Drumline and a traditional lion dance. The speech recapped Seattle’s recent evolution while recognizing the immense amount of work still required to solve pressing issues facing the city.

On Thursday, August 21, Mayor Bruce Harrell, joined by Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones at Rainier Beach High School, announced a $14.55 million investment plan to enhance student safety and mental health in Seattle Public Schools. Addressing an audience of press, families, students, and school staff, Harrell emphasized that this initiative is a response to the rise in gun violence as the new school year approaches.

Mayor Bruce Harrell, in collaboration with representatives from the King County Council, the Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and community-based organizations such as Urban Family, Alliance for Gun Responsibility, and Community Passageways, launched an initiative on Wednesday called "100 Days of Action." This new blueprint is dedicated to combating gun violence throughout Seattle.

On Friday, June 7th, Mayor Bruce Harrell, city officials, and community leaders reflected on the recent surge in gun violence and commemorated a new garden in memory of victims of gun violence at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. This event comes in the wake of a shooting at Garfield High School, where 17-year-old Amarr Murphy-Paine was shot and killed while attempting to break up a fight between the shooter and another person.

Last week on The Day with Trae, guest host Deaunte Damper sat down with Eleuthera Lisch, the Director of the King County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In this episode, Damper and Lisch discuss the current state of gun violence within the United States and what actions are being implemented to deter it.