Organization gives Chicago failing grade for efforts to end youth violence

The Black Star Project Youth Violence Report Card — A report card prepared by The Black Star Project, documenting Chicago’s failure to end youth violence. Photo by Katherine Iorio

On Feb. 5, The Black Star Project, a community group dedicated to improving the lives of blacks and Latinos in Chicago, mourned the deaths of 108 children killed in the city last year, and criticized Chicago’s politicians and police force for not doing more to stop the killing of Chicago’s young people.

A gong was rung for each of the young people killed in 2012, ranging from 3 weeks old to 19.

The group’s executive director Phillip Jackson read aloud the children’s names and complained of a lack of outcry from political leaders.

So far this year, 13 young people under the age of 20 have been killed, according to the Chicago Red Eye homicide tracker, up from 11 at this same time last year.