Some 170 young people from across Central Virginia gathered recently in Charlottesville for a day of activities focused on building community, resolving conflict and reducing the potential for violence. The “Tweens & Teens Summit” was part of a series of weekend events in November sponsored by the Central Virginia Listening & Learning Exchange (CVLLE), a student-led initiative at UVA’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.    “Conflict is a part of life, but there are ways to avoid or resolve conflict that lessen the likelihood of violence,” said Brian N. Williams, an associate professor of public policy at the Batten School who organized the event. 

The summit was underscored by the “UVAStrong” message that arose from the tragic shooting deaths last year of three UVA student-athletes – Lavel Davis, Jr., Devin Chandler and D’Sean Perry –  and proved to be an extraordinarily impactful event that fostered meaningful dialogue among young people and empowered them with practical skills for conflict resolution. “Lavel, Devin and D’Sean all left legacies of serving others, which was a motivating factor for planning this event,” Williams said.

The CVLLE Approach

CVLLE is a platform for community engagement and is hostedd by the Batten School’s Public Engagement in Governance Looking, Listening & Learning Laboratory (PEGLLLLab), which advocates for inclusive dialogue to shape holistic policies for community safety and thriving. “My objective was to encourage our community, on Grounds and off, to be proactive in a coactive way, instead of being reactive to the disastrous consequences associated with unresolved conflict that often results in violence,” said Williams, lab director. 

Other events during the CVLLE 2023 weekend, which was supported in part by the Manning Family Foundation, included a worship service and brunch at Mount Zion First African Baptist Church, and a panel of featured speakers on November 13 – the one-year anniversary of the UVA shooting – with Happy Perry, D’Sean’s mother, and other speakers, all sharing their personal stories of dealing with the aftermath of gun violence. 

“I could not believe the sheer number of kids who participated,” said Heidi Burnette of the foundation. “These kids chose to spend their Saturday with us.  That says a lot to me. They knew their voices would be heard, and they want them to be heard.  I also appreciated the people from the community who came to show their support.”

A Day of Learning and Fun

The Tweens & Teens Summit was co-sponsored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia and drew young people from Charlottesville, Albemarle County and Richmond, as well as over 60 adults, including parents, UVA students and faculty. It kicked off with an exclusive tour of Scott Stadium led by UVA football players and other student-athletes who led warm-up exercises on the field and group chants to release energy and foster camaraderie among the participants. 

“I think the kids loved touring the football facility and running around the field with the players. It opened them up to feeling comfortable with the mentors,” said 4th-year Batten student Ceili Canning. 

The students then delved into the world of interactive theater guided by Bernard Hankins, a local artist who teaches workshops on hip-hop, poetry and identity. Hankins led the youth in exploring their own past conflicts, whether in the workplace, school or family, and used role-playing to explore how things could have played out differently. “We gather stories from the audience, play the stories back to the audience, and then allow the audience members to transform their own stories in real time,” he said. 

One student’s story stood out to Hankins as especially impactful. “There was a nine-year-old girl who had been carrying a story from when she was three about her parents fighting in front of her and her sister. She bravely shared with the large crowd in the room that her parents have since been divorced, amongst other heavy family issues. At first I didn’t know how this would all play out, but she seemed eager to be able to have the drama troupe play back her story. It was very meaningful to see her take some control over a story where I imagine she must have felt powerless at the time.” 

The day's activities included a mock podcast recording facilitated by UVA students. The youth were encouraged to express themselves creatively and engage in meaningful conversations about conflict resolution and violence prevention. 

“The kids in my podcast group were telling me about issues they’ve had with friends where they felt like they lost trust in them,” said Canning. “I remember experiencing things like that for the first time and how confusing and jarring it was. Hearing them express how the situation made them feel, and how they set healthy boundaries to protect their mental health was so encouraging.” 

Another UVA student volunteer, Ethan Fox, said the students he worked with “really resonated on the transition to high school and how they wanted to change their school for the better.” The mock podcast offered a safe space for these students to share personal experiences and insights. 

Looking to the future

The success of the Tweens & Teens Summit highlights the importance of engaging youth in conversations about conflict resolution and violence reduction, Williams said. “I hope participants left with an understanding that their perspectives matter, that they have a role and a responsibility to shape the policies, practices, and programs that impact them.

“UVAStrong embodies being resilient, buoyant, loving, empathetic, graceful, compassionate, illuminating and caring about others. These were attributes of Devin, D’Sean, and Lavel and are attributes of UVA and the greater Charlottesville area.” 

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