RAPID CITY, S.D. – Last week, on July 18, two youth were involved in a shooting on East Omaha Street. Several juveniles were detained by Rapid City police as a result of the incident. Police believed two groups were involved and they were young – 13 to 17 years old.

On Thursday, about 30 young members of I Am Legacy’s youth group held signs and gathered on the corner of Omaha Street and Mount Rushmore Road in to share their concern and show support for a violence-free community.

“What we want for this youth group is to be able to show them alternatives and then a sense of belonging but also that there’s different choices they can make,” Morgan Bringswhite, I Am Legacy program director, said. “They don’t have to pick up the same things that have been hurting us for generations now.”

Bringswhite said the incidents like the one last weekend – driven partly by poverty, gangs and related violence – hit close to home for youth – many of whom know someone impacted in some way.

“They’re fearful for their friends,” she said. “They’re wishing that things would change.”

After the shooting incident, the I Am Legacy youth group made the decision to raise awareness to passing drivers on East Omaha. I Am Legacy played a supporting role.

“We just wanted to provide an opportunity for them to do that,” Bringswhite said. “This is their idea and all we want to do is support them.”

For those driving by seeing the youth on Thursday afternoon, Bringswhite said she hopes they takeaway an understanding that, yes, there is native on native violence reported, but violence is a community issue that involves everyone.

“It’s a community issue that warrants community solutions,” she said.

I Am Legacy was formed in 2019 and has a center in the Uptown Mall. But the work of the group started long before 2019 with the group’s founder working in the system for the better part of 16 years addressing violence and gang prevention.

The youth group – formed last fall – reflects the organization’s efforts to reach youth and families through events and after-school programs, giving the young people the opportunity to belong and have a purpose.

“We’re glad to be able to give them that voice,” Bringswhite said. “To be able to amplify their voices for the community issues that they see.”