By: Chloé Richards
Gun violence is one of the leading causes of death for Black youth in Houston. For many children and teens growing up in Houston’s underserved communities gun violence is common. According to a study done by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Black children and teens have a gun homicide rate 20 times higher than White children and teens.
Walking home, hanging out with friends, or going to a party can end in tragedy. For decades, this violence has continued to affect families and entire communities. Texas has some of the loosest gun laws in the country, not requiring people to have a permit while carrying guns and not having a statewide requirement for background checks on all gun purchases, shows a lack of concern for the safety of Black and minority youth.
Gun violence in Houston did not happen overnight and has risen over the years. According to a report by Harris County, youth firearm related offenses increased 37% within 4 years. Black youth living in underserved communities are particularly affected by this; these communities need more support, more funding, and more resources to help the youth and decrease the violence.
The emotional cost of gun violence is not talked about enough. When young Black people are killed, it’s not just a tragedy for their families, it is a tragedy for entire communities. Parents are forced to bury their children, siblings lose their brothers and sisters, and friends are left to mourn their classmates. This can create trauma for the other youth living in those same or similar neighborhoods. They are not just left with facing the trauma but also left with the fear of becoming another statistic.
What will it take to finally break the ongoing cycle of gun violence and give Houston’s Black youth in underserved communities the future they deserve? The answer is not simple. It’s about more than reducing gun access. The root causes, lack of resources, limited opportunities, and the need for systemic change. Houston’s underserved Black communities need more youth programs that encourage, inspire and give the youth something to live for beyond the streets.
