Indianapolis youth design billboards with powerful messages to help curb violence

INDIANAPOLIS — Local teenagers are lending their words to the anti-violence movement in Indianapolis and you may see their messages on your drive to and from work.

The Marion County Prosecutor's Office unveiled a youth-led billboard campaign that aims to change perceptions and steer people away from violence.

A billboard asking "what is actually behind the violence?" will be placed in low crime areas for educational purposes, hoping to change the narrative.

Another saying "we are powerful, beautiful, family, human" will be placed in hot spot crime areas.

"I want people to express to their kids, their neighbors and have a discussion just about what these billboards actually mean — why they were put up, why should we pay attention to them, why it's important to care about us and our community and what's happening right now," said Shaniece Brown, 17.

Brown says if people pay attention to the messages on the billboards, lives will be saved.

"We would have less kids dying, we will have less families crying," she said.

Brown knows first-hand how violence in a community and efforts to make a difference can impact kids.

"Even though I was around a lot of violence, I was also around people who were changing, people who need help. I was impacted, but I was inspired," said Brown.

Brown, along with three other young adults from the Indianapolis nonprofit VOICES Corp, worked on designing and creating the billboards.

They reached out to Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears hoping to use their life experiences to help others understand what they believe are the root causes of violence: poverty, trauma, survival, societal pressure and lack of access.

Mears partnered with City-County Council Vice President Zach Adamson and Reagan Outdoor to create 25 billboards throughout Indianapolis.

"This will drive an intelligent conversation about the challenges we are facing but it starts with the ability to listen to people, listen to our young people who have great ideas," said Mears.

"It's more than a billboard," said Destiny Hatcher, who worked on the project.

"The goal behind the root causes was to hopefully promote a message of having people be less judgmental and a little more educated and understand why violence happens and then the affirmation billboard: you are great, you are amazing," said Brandon Randall, Director of Engagement with VOICES Corp.

"If any of these 25 billboards positioned throughout the market can start a conversation about compassion, love and community, we have succeeded in the first steps in providing a safer community," said Bill Platko, Reagan Outdoor's general manager.

The billboards will be on display at the following locations: