By Kayenecha Daugherty

There’s something beautiful, and powerful, happening in our city. For the first time in decades, Baltimore is witnessing a historic drop in youth homicides and gun violence. The numbers are not only encouraging, they are transformational. 

But let’s be real: this change didn’t come from chance, it came from choice. A choice by our mayor, Brandon Scott, a choice by City Council leaders that created the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund, and a choice by funders who are serious about funding what works at the grassroot level in our community and neighborhoods. 

It came from intentional investment in Black-led organizations. It came from reopening recreation centers, building playgrounds and filling public spaces with laughter, rhythm and color. It came from funding the healing, creativity and leadership already rooted in our neighborhoods. 

In the first half of 2025, Baltimore recorded just two youth homicides, the lowest number in over 10 years. Overall homicides are at a near 50-year low, and nonfatal shootings are down significantly. But behind those headlines is something deeper: a shift in how we treat public safety—not just with policing, but with purpose. 

As the executive director of Creative Nomads, a Black-led grassroots arts organization, I’ve seen firsthand how art saves lives. That may sound poetic, but it’s real. Studies show that youth who engage in arts programs are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and reduce disciplinary issues by 50 percent. When young people have creative outlets, they’re more connected, more confident, and more engaged in school and community life. 

And it’s not just about painting murals or drumming in a circle (although we do that, and it’s powerful). It’s about expression. It’s about agency. It’s about showing up in a world that often tries to erase you, and having something joyful and purposeful to reach for. 

When our city decided to invest in organizations like the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund, when it said yes to renovating recreation centers, upgrading playgrounds and launching more summer youth jobs, we began to see real returns. We didn’t just give kids something to do, we gave them multiple places to belong. 

Let’s continue to be real: playgrounds are prevention. Recreation centers are intervention. Black-led organizations are AND HAVE BEEN the blueprint. 

Organizations like Creative Nomads, Let’s Thrive Baltimore, RICH in Cherry Hill, and others aren’t new to this. We’ve always been here, working after school, on weekends, and through the summer, offering arts, mentorship, meals, mental health support and love. Our work is strategic, community-centered and trauma-informed. And now, data backs up what we’ve always known: 

• Cities that invest in youth arts programs see lower youth arrest rates. 
• Neighborhoods with safe, accessible parks and recreation centers report significantly less violent crime. 
• According to the Urban Institute, investing in youth arts reduces crime by creating “protective factors,” including increased school attendance and improved self-regulation. 
• Studies also show that Black-led nonprofits are uniquely equipped to address the root causes of violence, yet they receive a fraction of philanthropic funding. When funded equitably, these organizations deliver high-impact, culturally relevant services that reduce violence and increase community trust.

Here in Baltimore, we’re seeing it work. The recreation centers are reopening. The murals are blooming. The youth are showing up, not just to programs, but to possibility. 

Lets not be naive: these gains are fragile. Federal cuts to violence prevention are already hitting home. Proven programs are scaling back. Black-led organizations are struggling with sustainability 

We know what to do! We double down on what works. We fight to protect and expand investments in Black-led organizations, youth arts programming, and public spaces that welcome creativity over chaos. We demand philanthropy step up and fund what’s already building safety, not in theory, but in practice. Because if we want a safer, stronger Baltimore, we can’t afford to divest from the very things making that vision real. 

Art is public safety. Recreation centers are prevention. Black-led organizations are infrastructure. And young people are not problems to be fixed, they are the solution when given the tools, support and space to thrive. 

We are watching what happens when a city believes in its youth. 

Let’s keep believing. Let’s keep investing. And let’s keep rising…together. 

Art over everything! 

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.