DURHAM – The day Tiffany Swoope decided to move GRACED, Inc.’s meetings out of the Cornwallis neighborhood, it reflected the harsh reality in Durham’s fight against gun violence.

A program designed to keep young people engaged in safe, structured environments had to leave an area where safety itself had become uncertain. This situation reinforced the idea behind GRACED’s mission, that intervention must occur to intercept the behavior of the local youth before it becomes a pattern.

"We are hoping our policymakers, our community leaders, our elected officials will listen to our children and come up with a plan," Swoope said.

Swoope’s work has centered on building that kind of early intervention through exposure, mentorship and consistency. GRACED connects young people to structured opportunities like college tours all across North Carolina.

Swoope aims to expand how students see their futures. The program has operated for about three years and has reached hundreds of young people across Durham. “We’re not just showing students what’s possible. We’re helping them believe those possibilities belong to them,” Swoope said.

The organization also hosts events weekly that bring youth together with mentors and community members, including Thursday night podcast sessions where students discuss gun violence, decision-making and identity. These spaces are designed to build trust. In Durham, where officials have reported declines in violent crime and homicides in recent years, prevention efforts like GRACED serves as part of a more focused public safety strategy.

Angel Barnes, a North Carolina Central junior psychology major, is one of the student mentors helping carry out GRACED’s work. She supports youth through tutoring, structured mentorship assignments, and hands-on engagement that includes cooking meals and participating in small group sessions.

Barnes is part of a small mentor team comprised of about five to six NCCU students who are each assigned to work closely with young participants. Barnes also speaks at events focused on gun violence prevention, helping students develop communication skills and conflict resolution strategies.

“I feel like you can really start with the youth and get them out of the streets,” she said. “That alone would solve a lot of the gun violence, because it’s really the youth.”

NCCU accounting major Jai’Dione Moore represents the lived experience that reinforces the need for programs like GRACED. Having survived gun violence, he describes how quickly small conflicts can escalate when young people lack tools to manage conflict. “Most violence could have been resolved if people weren’t so quick to escalate it over the small stuff,” Moore said.

Gemaeka Smith recalled being shot in the hip while walking back to a friend’s dorm during homecoming at the first Youth Leaders Against Gun Violence Symposium, an event created by Swoope. "I don't want no one else to go through what I went through", Smith said.

Despite its impact, GRACED still faces major limitations that affect its reach. One of the biggest challenges has been location. It previously held meetings in the Cornwallis neighborhood but had to move elsewhere due to a dangerous environment. Even with those limitations, GRACED continues to expand through partnerships, mentorship pipelines and consistent engagement with young people across Durham.

Swoope said the focus has always been on reaching young people early and giving them opportunities to see beyond their current environment. “Real change starts with consistency and structure. We have to show the youth that a different path is possible before it is too late.”

Tyshon Holland is a mass communication student at North Carolina Central University.

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