Bullets Have No Name

Gun violence is continuing to shape the everyday lives of young people such as me,  in communities like New York City, and it’s something that many teenagers, parents, and residents are seriously worried about. Right now, in the present day, this issue is affecting how people feel both inside their homes and when they step outside, making simple things like going to school or hanging out with friends feel unsafe due to the fact that bullets have no name.

Artist: Micah Bazant

Teens, families, and community members, including people at Forsyth like Mike, Deanna, and Andrea, shared with me how gun violence has impacted them directly or indirectly, whether through personal experiences or constant exposure to it in their neighborhoods. Many believe that factors like community conditions, easy access to guns, and not enough restrictions are part of the reason this problem keeps happening.

As a result, young people are growing up surrounded by fear, hearing about shootings, or even witnessing them, which affects their mental health and sense of security. Overall, gun violence isn’t just something that happens once in a while, it’s an ongoing issue that continues to influence daily life and raises important questions about how communities can better protect their youth and create safer environments for the future.

For example the recent violence that was presented in Brooklyn where a baby lost her life and her brother being hurt. Not only did that hurt a child that didn’t even get to learn how to speak and view the world fully it also hurt her whole family leaving them with a hole in their heart for years to come. Two men who had one target ended up hurting the sweet and innocent soul of Kaori Patterson-Moore. Gun violence isn’t a game or a joke, it's a death wish for anyone and it should be stopped.