The keynote speakers included Chief District Court Judge J. Corpening, District Attorney Ben David, with a surprise appearance from North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.
The summit featured an array of programs to educate police, healthcare providers, and teachers on the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and how to minimize those impacts in the community by building youth resiliency.
Several organizations, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Coastal Horizons, and the Harrelson Center, lined the halls of PCC Church to dole out pamphlets informing guests of their cause.
Exploring the root causes of ACEs
Judge Corpening and DA David, who refer to themselves respectively as Batman and Robin during their presentation, led a discussion titled “Giving Justice and Structure to Communities.”
The two highlighted local initiatives that will co-locate youth-centered organizations and law enforcement such as the Community Justice Center and the Carousel Child Advocacy Center.
They also explained why it’s urgent for professionals who work closely with at-risk youth to develop a “Yes, And…” mentality to de-stigmatize the crime-impacted areas that they serve and help them view these neighborhoods as areas of opportunity for youth enrichment instead.
Corpening told WHQR that their approach is not about letting kids off the hook for bad behavior. He said while some may still hold onto the ‘tough-on-crime’ philosophy, it is not effective at identifying the root causes of behaviors that land youth in court.
“Yes, we will still hold them accountable. But yes, we will also identify what are the root causes of that behavior and try to respond to that, and try to change that behavior so that they have an opportunity to become more successful,” Corpening said.
'It almost feels like a movement.'
Executive Director for Youth in North Carolina James T. Allegretto said it’s been a decades-long push to get people to understand the importance of empowering the youth.
“It almost feels like a movement, right? But the reality is that we discovered how adverse childhood experiences impact people two decades ago, and we're just now getting on board and making a difference,” Allegretto said. “And everybody really should be getting on board, but right now, only, like 3% of pediatricians even talk to youth about adverse childhood experiences. We're just not there yet. That's why it feels like it's a movement.”
Allegretto says the bottom line is people must learn to empathize with those who are impacted by ACEs if they wish to better serve the more vulnerable populations in their community.
“Before we would look at people and say, ‘Hey, what's wrong with you? Why are you doing that?’” Allegretto said. “But now, when we go back and we look at the data, we realize that people are almost a product of their environment, and it doesn't make a difference if you're white, Black or brown, it doesn't make a difference if you're rich or poor… [ACEs] is an equal divider amongst people.”
Tying your first tie
NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson discussed his experience with ACEs. Growing up in a single-parent household, in New York during the 80s drug epidemic, Anderson says he was one of those kids who “went through it.”
Anderson said he received positive reinforcement from his mother growing up, but having someone else from his neighborhood to look up to was not only vital for his childhood development, but it was critical for reaching success in the NBA.
Anderson’s mentor was his neighbor Vincent Smith, older brother of Kenny Smith, also a former NBA player.
Anderson said he and Smith would do mock interviews.
“You know, it's real simple, but it says a lot — [Kenny Smith] showed me how to do my first tie,” Anderson recalled. And even that small gesture from a trusted role model changed the trajectory of his life.
Anderson said offering as little as 30 minutes of your time to kids with adverse childhood experiences can leave a lasting effect well into their adulthood.
“And that's what I'm out here for. That's what I'm planning on doing the rest of my life. Just giving back, helping others because I was helped,” Anderson said.
Today's youth will face more complex challenges
Another highlight of the event was a special appearance from Attorney General Josh Stein, who took the stage to discuss some statewide initiatives centered on resolving ACEs.
Stein underscored the importance of the SAFE Child Act, a bill his office helped draft in 2019 as a way to keep children safe from various forms of abuse.
Stein also mentioned the most recent legislation his team helped draft, aimed at modernizing laws against sex crimes to account for the use of artificial intelligence, which passed the General Assembly this year and was signed into law by Governor Roy Cooper.
Like Anderson, Stein agreed that children need trusted adults by their side to help them take on the more complex challenges they may face, including everything from social media addiction, opioid addiction, and physical/sexual abuse.
“There is nothing more important for any of us, whether we're parents or we're nonprofits, or we're schools, educators, or we're the government, than protecting kids and keeping them safe,” Stein told WHQR. “And children today are facing more challenges and more complex challenges than ever before. So we really have to lock arm-in-arm to look out for our children.”
Building resilience
The summit concluded with a screening of the 2016 documentary “Resilience,” which follows the rise in research and advocacy for ACEs.
The screening was followed by a discussion hosted by Judge Corpening and J’vanete Skiba, director of the New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force.
Skiba and Corpening noted that the coalition was formed as a call to action by leaders in New Hanover County soon after a screening of the film in 2016.
Skiba said that the summit is a testament to the community’s dedication to building youth resiliency.
“It's a great example of how all ships rise when we come out of our bubbles, when we break down silos and actually work together to educate and bring our community together, and move people to action around trauma-informed approaches, and resilience-focused approaches,” Skiba said.
Skiba said the one thing more people should understand about ACEs, is that it is widespread and can affect youth from all parts of Wilmington, not just the Northside (though, historically, factors contributing to socioeconomic and racial disparities can exacerbate the impact of ACEs disproportionately)
Skiba said knowing how to build trust between community members and law enforcement is crucial to implementing more trauma-informed approaches.
“If we want to help people develop that ‘Yes, and...’ mentality of it's not us and them, then policing has really got to be about community,” Skiba said. “And I see a lot of folks, a lot of officers, really working toward that here. But there's always room for that to be more integrated into the culture.”
Change can happen
As Allegretto said, the ACEs research has existed for about two decades, but it will take time for everybody to get caught up.
“This is where change can happen,” Allegretto said. “It takes one person at a time. It takes one loving, caring adult to make a difference in a child's life.”
