Ministers talk to Asbury Park students about gang violence

Unheard Voices was invited to the Asbury Park Middle School to hear ministers address the problems of gang violence that plagues their community. Minister John Muhammad and Minister Sylvia Coleman were the keynote speakers.

Minister John Muhammad reaches out to the middle and high School students in Asbury every year in support of helping to deter students from joining gangs.

Both ministers were called into the school system to address the recent violent student behavior that has been escalating over last few weeks of the school year. They were joined by Brother Ya Ya and Shamere who helped delivered the message of the ills of being in a gang.

Minister John Muhammed

Minister John Muhammad spoke to the 7th and 8th grade male students. He talked about the evils of gang affiliation and the consequences of being in a gang that will lead to jail or incarceration.

He went on to tell the students that they must stay focused and to handle situations in a non violent way.

Minister Sylvia Coleman

Minister Sylvia Coleman talked to the 7th and 8th grade female students and used her own personal story of being in a gang and how it got her nowhere in life. She told the students that she was considered to be one of the baddest in the gang. She had no problems fighting and picking on the toughest girl. She says she looks back and is very disappointed in herself in the way that she acted and handled situations.

She told the female students that it is not worth getting your face slashed or being subjected to having babies by male gang members. She said that it is no way to live your life.