{"id":5058890,"date":"2023-04-26T14:01:37","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T14:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/malatinonews.com\/?p=5058890"},"modified":"2023-04-26T14:01:37","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T14:01:37","slug":"boston-startup-yung-dumme-raises-awareness-on-community-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/maln\/2023\/04\/26\/boston-startup-yung-dumme-raises-awareness-on-community-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"Boston startup YUNG DUMME raises awareness on community violence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ROXBURY\u2014As snow gently fell onto the Roxbury Community College campus, the smell of burger patties and hot dogs wafted into the Student Commons, where booths lined the foyer and people of all ages wore red and black\u2014the official colors for homicide awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the back corner stood a mother, daughter, and best friend selling a variety of clothing items with the logo YD for YUNG DUMME. Their mission, however, extends far beyond just fashion. It was turning their anger into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trio started YUNG DUMME, a Boston apparel startup, and hosted their first event on Feb. 25, called \u201cBreak the Silence, Stop the Violence,\u201d\u2014a pop-up affair that featured local vendors and resources. The aim was to unite the urban community through arts and culture while also educating the public on the enormous impact of homicide and violence of all kinds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Kidiah Roberts, Stephanie Wilson and Tanaijsa Brutus pictured left to right in front of red and black balloons at Roxbury Community College. Their business acronym, YUNG DUMME, stands for \u201cYour Universe Navigates Greatness. Discipline Undoubtedly Made Me Exceptional.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As of March 12, 2023, there have been nine recorded homicides, 28 victims of shootings, and 154 cases of domestic aggravated assaults citywide.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI see a lot of comments like what’s being done about violence,\u201d said Tanaijsa Brutus, the 27-year-old director of creation and design at YUNG DUMME who lives in Chelsea, Mass. \u201cThis event is a step in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brutus, Stephanie Wilson, and Kidiah Roberts founded YUNG DUMME last year, after losing KeAndre\u2019 Roberts, their best friend, son, and brother, to an unsolved homicide on Aug. 31, 2022. The brand is their homage to KeAndre\u2019 as he had originally wanted to create the urban apparel line himself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

KeAndre\u2019 also came up with the name YUNG DUMME, which stands for \u201cYour Universe Navigates Greatness. Discipline Undoubtedly Made Me Exceptional.\u201d After facing his own trials and tribulations with the corrections systems and violence, he wanted to create something that showcases how everyone makes mistakes but taking those next steps to learn from them would make one exceptional.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Stephanie Wilson speaking at the event with Kidiah Roberts to her left, and Tanaijsa Brutus to her right. Here, Wilson spoke about what YUNG DUMME means and how everyone has a YUNG DUMME in them.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Through their personal social media accounts, a business website, and over 60,000 views on Pinterest, Roberts, Brutus, and Wilson have taken KeAndre\u2019s vision and brought it to light via e-commerce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While their business is primarily online, the organizers wanted to bring everyone together in person, said Roberts, the 28-year-old director of community outreach and resources from Dorchester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFeeling the energy, support, and emotions\u2026 it’s totally different than sitting on the computer screen listening to a seminar talking about the same things,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cBreak the Silence, Stop the Violence\u201d title highlights the need for more openness about issues such as abuse and trauma, said Wilson, the 45-year-old director of operations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ve been abused, if you\u2019re a victim\u2026 just talk about it, speak about it. We need to break this saga of nobody saying anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\nStephanie Wilson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

At the event, 20 small businesses sold paintings, jewelry, personalized cups, and other items. The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute and the Boston Neighborhood Trauma team were among the organizations at 13 booths, offering resources to individuals affected by violence and homicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A series of resources booths in the foyer of the Roxbury Community College Student Commons. Some of the Organizations at these booths included, Mothers for Justice and Equality, One love Sports Academy and the Massachusetts Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aretha Maug\u00e9, outreach coordinator at Mothers for Justice and Equality for the last 10 years, said after losing her son to violence on the MBTA back in 2008, her mission is to make sure mothers and families get support after traumatic events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was working in corporate and lost my job when it happened because I didn’t know how to turn that pain into purpose,\u201d Maug\u00e9 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This idea of transforming pain into purpose is something that inspired Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo many people are experiencing trauma, especially after COVID,\u201d Mejia said in an interview. \u201cCreating spaces like this where people can build with each other \u2026 is one of the most important things that we could do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Boston City Councilor at-Large Julia Mejia speaking into a microphone at the event. \u201cThis event was so super inspiring,\u201d she said in an interview. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wilson recalled negative media reports after her son was killed, adding that she wanted the event to be much more. She wanted to \u201ctouch the people being touched\u2019\u2019 in a show of support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is about the camaraderie of people getting together for something positive, especially in the Greater Boston area and urban communities,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clifton A. Braithwaite, who is running for Boston City Council at-large, said he is pleased the events\u2019 emphasis was on \u201cgreat organizations,\u2019\u2019 than on violence. The way YUNG DUMME brought fashion and community together is a \u201cbeautiful\u201d thing he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe only way to get to people is through love, education, and events like this,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s more to life than just worrying about being in a body bag.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

This story was published as part of a collaboration between MA Latino News and Boston University\u2019s Department of Journalism in the College of Communication. The student journalist is a member of a Reporting in Depth class taught by former Boston Globe reporter Meghan Irons.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Annika Chaves<\/em><\/strong> is 20 years old and from Pittsburgh, PA. She is a sophomore at Boston University, studying Journalism and Anthropology with aspirations of working in the legal field as an attorney. As a first-generation immigrant from Colombia, she is passionate about finding ways to connect with and amplify the Latine voices in local communities.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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