Maybe I'm just biased. I think Newark Community Solutions first National Night Out celebration
was pretty awesome! On Tuesday 8/5 the staff of Newark Community Solutions, the
Newark Youth Court, and Newark United Against Violence (NUAV), our community
violence reduction program in Newark's West Ward, and our neighbors celebrated
the National Night Out Against Crime with a block party, BBQ and community
garden dedication. The events were held in the
parking lot of the NUAV office and the adjoining street. The parking lot
had plenty of room for grilling, jumping rope and yes even some dancing! The
night also served as an open house of sorts for our neighbors and anyone else who
stopped by the event and wanted to learn a bit more about what we do.
The National Night Out
was first introduced in 1984 as the brain child of the National Association of
Town Watch. In its original iteration, the event was meant to heighten
awareness and strengthen participation in local anti-crime efforts. Since then,
the program has grown to involve millions of people in thousands of communities
in all 50 states. And, the typical expression of a community’s participation in
the program has moved beyond keeping porch lights lit to include block parties,
parades, rallies and meetings with local law enforcement.
Our National Night Out
celebration included a presentation by the Newark Youth Court. Youth Court is
our program at the Newark Municipal Court where teenagers serve as jurors, judges and
advocates, handling real- life cases involving their peers. On this
occasion the youth court members presented their plans for a vacant lot Newark
Community Solutions had recently adopted through Newark’s Adopt-A-Lot program.
The lot (soon to be garden) is located just two blocks from the NUAV
office. In front of a group of NCS staffers, partner organizations and
local residents, the teens, who are all Newark high school students, described
their theme for the garden which included the layout for a mural.
The evening closed
with a very special and unexpected visit from our newly elected mayor! Mayor
Ras Baraka chatted with residents, toured the NUAV office and posed for
pictures with staff, NUAV participants and Newark Youth Court members! It was a
perfect end to a wonderful summer evening.
Special thanks to the
NUAV team, the Newark Police Department and our awesome neighbors at 298 S.
Orange Ave. The evening was a big success and a true collaborative effort that
certainly epitomized the spirit of National Night Out!
