The Hennepin County Safe Communities program is marking two years of service in the county with a goal of tackling the issue of violence from a different angle.

In July 2022, the county started funding different initiatives from violence interrupters to summer programs that benefit youth to make communities safer. 

A Mother’s Love Initiative’s summer youth program is one of the efforts the county helps to fund.

About 40 kids from different backgrounds across Hennepin County chose to be in a room filled with opportunity.

“We’re kind of a family, but at the same time we create these big impacts for our communities,” Rikiyah Cotton, a youth worker, said.

In the paid program, the 17-year-old is placed with an employer to learn real-life job skills.

On off days, mentors give advice on the game of life.

“They teach you how to have fun, they teach you how to be respectful and they teach you how to be responsible as a human being to carry yourself on,” Cotton said.

“I feel like it’s very calming and reassuring,” said Jamarion McAbee, a youth worker. “It’s a safe space.”

A Mother’s Love works with the students year-round, encouraging them to strive for straight A’s in school and make the right choices.

“It matters so much because we pour so much into those who are getting in trouble, those who are stealing cars or maybe in the juvenile detention center, but we don’t pour into the youth that are trying to make a difference or are getting up every day and going to work and staying out of trouble,” Monique Flowers, A Mother’s Love initiative CFO, said.

The Hennepin County Safe Communities program is helping to fund efforts like these to decrease violence through education and employment opportunities at a young age.

“We have to start where we have to intervene and be proactive at the same time,” stated Dr. Tamara Mattison with the Hennepin County Safe Communities program. “So being able to train our youth up to give them the skills to be more successful and to conflict resolve in ways that are healthy, so that they don’t land in that system that is from the school to prison pipeline.”

“Back then, we didn’t really have too many of these. We didn’t have too many open organizations that will take young kids in,” Cotton said.

Organizers explained opportunity is the key step to building a better future for the youth.

“I feel prepared and I know A Mother’s Love has my back through it all,” Cotton said.

If you’re a youth member from the ages 12-17 who wants to get involved with this summer program, A Mother’s Love screens applications in the spring.