It’s not all curfews this summer for young people in Baltimore City — it’s party time too.
On Friday, Mayor Brandon Scott announced a new series of summer pool parties, basketball games and cookouts exclusively for young people. It accompanies the summer youth curfew as part of the administration’s comprehensive effort to tackle rising instances of violence, including gun crime, among the city’s youth.
“We cannot continue to tell youth what they can't do without creating spaces and places for them to go,” explained Noell Lugay with the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success during a Friday afternoon press conference at the Druid Hill park pool.
Some of those parties, like midnight basketball, end after curfew. Kids will have one hour to get home and will have a wristband to show they are not in curfew violation. Volunteers will even provide a ride home to young people who need them.
It’s a program that was created in tandem with Baltimore teens who the city hopes will be attending the parties. Officials described going to ten schools around the city and speaking with over 300 students about what a “perfect summer would look like”.
One of those students was Tori Howard, 14, of Booker T. Washington Middle School. It’s been hard for her as a young person dealing with so much gun violence over the past year, she said.
“It kind of made me sad to see that all of my friends were dying to gun violence,” she said, and is looking forward to the activities she was able to help plan. “We are coming together just having fun, getting our mind off things.”
Officials had all of that in mind when planning the summer’s activities.
“There will be information about resources made available, such as wraparound services, and support for children and families that are in need,” said Mayor Brandon Scott about the parties.
Scott, a Democrat, is up for re-election next year and has signaled his intent to run again. During his State of the City address last month and during recent hearings on his budget proposal, he has touted his investments in youth and education.
The first event will be Sunday at Rash Field from 6-10pm and feature live entertainment, DJs, and food.
Schedules, information about volunteering and more for the B’Lit, B’More Summer program is available on the city’s website.
