On June 10th, the Anniston Performing Arts Center will host a community event featuring actor and former athlete Omari Hardwick, along with violence prevention advocate Angela Harris.
Ballers Against Bullets is an event that aims to address the issue of gun violence among children and young adults in eastern Alabama. It was organized in response to concerns expressed by community members who were surveyed by the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention. Shockingly, gun violence is currently the leading cause of death among children in Alabama.
The event aims to counter the narratives that many children are exposed to on social media, which promote violence.
Seyram Selase, the executive director of Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention, believes that celebrity athletes can play a crucial role in reducing violence among young people. She states that if these athletes can convey the message that violence is uncool and unacceptable, it can have a significant impact as young people look up to them as their role models. Selase emphasizes that it is essential to make it clear to the younger generation that violence is not the solution to any problem, and it is essential to resolve conflicts peacefully.
In his past, Hardwick was a defensive back for the University of Georgia football team and also had a role in the TV drama “Power”. In a video, he expressed the significance of advocating against gun violence.
Hardwick emphasized the need to take action and save lives by addressing both gun violence and substance misuse. “It’s time to truly make a difference,” he stated.
In 2019, Aniah Blanchard, a former high school softball player, was tragically abducted and murdered. Harris, Blanchard’s mother, has been deeply affected by this heartbreaking loss.
According to Selase, the objective of the campaign is to transform it into a broader social movement that would encourage young people to advocate for a peaceful society by refraining from carrying guns.
According to experts, adolescents who carry weapons tend to be more popular, and the decision to carry a weapon is often influenced by social pressure among young people.
According to a study conducted in 2021, expressing support for nonviolence among youth can significantly reduce the likelihood of their peers experiencing violence and victimization. The researchers discovered this correlation during their study.
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