(The Center Square) – Seattle leaders are working to fund solutions – to the tune of millions of dollars – to address the root causes of youth violence that have a portion of the city’s young people feeling unsafe.
Seattle City Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth talked with The Center Square about how the city is helping youth stay out of trouble, with an emphasis on the “resources, exposure, and opportunity” strategy – or REO – which she believes are all essential for disadvantaged kids.
The “exposure” aspect is most important, according to Hollingsworth, because it helps young people connect with role models and environments beyond their immediate circumstances to broaden their perspectives and aspirations.
The city’s urgent response to youth safety comes in the aftermath of the death of a 17-year-old who was killed at Garfield High School in the Central District in June.
A few days after the incident, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell issued an executive order to take immediate action to enhance student safety. In the order, it was reported that crimes around public and private schools in the city were up 14.7% through June 10 in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. This includes more instances of gun violence happening on or around schools.
The fear bears out in data from the 2023 Healthy Youth Survey, which noted 19% of Seattle 10th grade students reported feeling unsafe at school.
This issue has continued into 2025. In February, a Seattle Public Schools building was hit by gunfire, although no students or staff members were injured.
Hollingsworth said that when she was growing up in the Central District, which she now represents, the sense of community was healthy. Neighbors held each other accountable and kept each other fed. That is not the case so much anymore.
“I think that’s the one thing that obviously has contributed or exacerbated some of the violent activity that we’ve seen on the streets with our kids,” Hollingsworth said in a phone call to The Center Square.
She noted that there is a lack of after-school programs across the city that provide academic support, opportunities to be active, and enrichment activities, thereby making it more difficult for young people to find healthy activities.
Another contribution to youth violence is food insecurity. Data noted in Seattle’s 2024 Food Action Plan points out that 25% of households in South Seattle experience food insecurity, which correlates with higher rates of shooting incidents.
“Kids are most hungry on weekends and summers – those are the times that you just don’t know where you’ll get your next meal from,” Hollingsworth said. “So to make sure that those programs have a food component to it to make sure kids are getting nutritious meals.”
Seattle Human Services Department Director Tanya Kim said her department’s work is grounded in a community-led public health approach to preventing violence and supporting youth.
“We invest in upstream strategies that ensure our young people – especially those most impacted by inequities – are connected to resources to support their growth and development and ensure we are building a strong and healthy community,” Kim said to The Center Square in an email.
One of the department’s “upstream strategies” is the “Seattle Youth Employment Program”, which supports 300 youth between the ages of 16 to 24 from low-income households. The program – with $250,000 in funding – helps youth explore career pathways and develop workplace skills that are intended to lead to well-paying jobs.
Hollingsworth said that communities of color are continuing to see a lack of economic mobility and homeownership opportunities that she believes helps pull people out of poverty. In order to address that, Hollingsworth said she wants a proposed levy to include a pathway for youth to the trades, rather than just for college.
Seattle’ proposed Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy renewal that could be put in front of Seattle voters in November would utilize $506.7 million to support student safety and mental health services.
The previous levy was approved by 68% of voters in 2018.
If the levy does not pass, the city will continue funding $36.9 million annually in violence interruption and community-based upstream services.
Last year, Harrell partnered with Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones to announce $12.25 million in funding for student mental health and violence prevention. As part of the announcement, the city and school district are implementing a three-pronged pilot strategy that coordinates school-based measures, violence intervention, and law enforcement to promote safe environments in and around schools.
When it comes to law enforcement’s role in addressing youth violence, Hollingsworth believes police officers are better suited to address gun violence through as a last resort.
In order to avoid getting to that point, Hollingsworth said detectives can help prevent gun violence through proactive policing.
Lastly, Hollingsworth touched on the success of parents is also key to curbing youth violence, as young people spend about eight hours of their day with teachers, with the remaining time spent with parents or guardians.
“We have to make sure that parents have the support they need during this process as well,” Hollingsworth said. “The component of the family – whatever that looks like – that nucleus is important.”
