Memphis, Tennessee, holds a grim title as the deadliest city in the U.S., according to recent statistics. With approximately 2,420.86 violent crimes per 100,000 residents reported in 2022, the city surpasses all others in terms of violent crime rates.

Four categories of violent crimes were used: murder and non-negligent manslaughter; forcible rape; robbery; and aggravated assault. Only cities with a population of at least 200,000 were considered, Statista reported.

This troubling distinction has prompted Mayor Paul Young to take drastic measures, including meeting directly with high-ranking gang leaders in an effort to broker a ceasefire and address underlying issues contributing to the city’s violence.

According to The Collective Blueprint, a nonprofit that helps unemployed young people find a successful career path, Greater Memphis has more than 45,000 young adults, aged 16-24, who are out of school and out of work, Action News Memphis reported.

During a recent panel discussion on youth workforce development, Mayor Young spoke about his unprecedented meeting with Memphis gang leaders, where he pushed for a temporary ceasefire. The mayor revealed that the gang leaders expressed willingness to lay down their arms under certain conditions, primarily centered around economic opportunities and job training for their members.

“My ask for them in that conversation,” Young said, “was can we get a seven-day ceasefire? Just seven days where there’s no shooting no killing? And they said, ‘Yeah, we would be willing to do that,’ and they gave me a couple of caveats.”

Acknowledging the root causes of gang activity, Mayor Young emphasized the need for viable employment options and skills training to steer young individuals away from a life of crime. He highlighted the importance of initiatives like The Collective Blueprint’s workforce pathway program, which aims to provide unemployed youth with opportunities in advanced green manufacturing.

”They said, ‘We don’t have programs at our community centers,’” Young said. “‘We don’t have things to do, so we go out and we steal cars, and we ride around with our friends.’”

The mayor also said, “The other thing they said was, ‘Well, you know, our young guys, they need money.’ They need money in their pockets. That’s the way you can change it.”

Memphis photo by Lesli Whitecotton : https://www.pexels.com/photo/parked-cars-on-roadside-14981932/Mayor Paul Young, website, https://www.youngformemphis.com/about