U.S. Attorney's Office to Host Seventh Annual Youth Summit At Friendship Collegiate Academy in Northeast Washington

            WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the D.C. Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, and a wide variety of law enforcement and community partners are coming together once again to sponsor their 7^th annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence” Youth Summit on Friday, June 30, 2017, at Friendship Collegiate Academy.

            At a time when the District of Columbia has been particularly devastated by a nationwide opioid epidemic, and consistent with the Justice Department’s focus on opioid abuse prevention, this year’s summit will focus on this important subject. Expert speakers will explain that heroin and other opioids are highly addictive and dangerous drugs that can lead to death. Other topics at this year’s summit include steps to prevent human trafficking and runaways, and ways in which youth can engage in peaceful protest when responding to issues in their communities.

            The event will be filled with dynamic speakers, entertainment, and invaluable information and resources for our youth.

            Youths from throughout the District of Columbia are invited to the free program, which will start at 10 a.m. and run until 3 p.m. Friendship Collegiate Academy, 4095 Minnesota Avenue NE, is conveniently located directly across the street from the Minnesota Avenue Metro station in order to provide accessibility for students to attend.

            The summit is one of the largest events sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office each year, and has drawn hundreds of youths from throughout the city. The program assembles young people from under-served neighborhoods in the District of Columbia to discuss the most pressing public safety challenges facing their communities. The goal of the program is to reach out to area youth on current public safety topics in an informative and inspiring way.

            Numerous partners will be coming together to present the day’s programs. They include the U.S. Attorney’s Office; the D.C. Project Safe Neighborhood Task Force; Friendship Collegiate Academy; the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD); Foundation for a Drug Free World; Amazing Gospel Souls, Inc.; Mayor Barry Youth Leadership Institute; Hillcrest Children and Family Center; Collaborative Solutions for Communities; East of the River Family Support Collaborative; the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation; the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health; Exodus Project; Black and Missing, Inc.; Go Go Fitness, Inc.; Healing Broken Wings, Inc., and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

              People with questions or interest in bringing a youth group to the Youth Summit may contact External Affairs Specialist Melanie Howard at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (202)-252-6930 or Melanie.Howard@usdoj.gov.