Northside community orgs help youth avoid gun violence

Tavin Stoll, 16, center, participated in a youth march against gun violence in August. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson. Stoll is part of the organization A Mother’s Love. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

By Saadiya Saed and Hanan Abdullahi, North News Interns 

Tavin Stoll, 16, was walking to football practice when he heard gunshots fired at North Commons Park. Later, he found out that his friend was killed. 

Stoll raised his hand in a room full of youth at A Mother's Love on West Broadway in July. He said he joined because community gun violence needs to end. A Mother's Love, a youth violence intervention program, is teaching him the skills, he said. 

“Being taught nonviolence, how to be peaceful instead of picking up guns,” Stoll said, “I think it's good for the next generation.” 

Stoll was one of many youth with A Mother's Love that participated in a Walk Against Gun Violence, held on Aug. 22. 

Gun violence has been a persistent challenge affecting North Minneapolis youth. There are many people in North Minneapolis trying to help young people stay away from gun violence. 

They have differing perspectives on how best to help. But they all have one goal: keep the kids alive. 

Youth programming is a crucial foundation for stable communities, said North Commons football coach Mike Tate. And in communities like North Minneapolis that are impacted by high rates of gun violence, can be a lifeline. 

Tate is often seen at Minneapolis Park Board meetings holding up a sign that reads “So, how are the children?” 

Tate believes, “If the kids are doing fine, then the world is doing fine.” 

Mike Tate said he won’t turn away from telling the truth about what can change things in North Minneapolis. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson 

He has been coaching at North Commons since 1973. His long-time advocacy has made him a well-known leader for youth groups in North Minneapolis. 

Tate said he believes youth gun violence is rooted in the structural issues North Minneapolis faces. He said a person’s home life, outside influences, interactions with community leadership, and the need for community collaboration and consistency all shape youth. 

“We got to be willing to sacrifice time and effort and be intentional with the structure that we're going to bring to the community,” he said. 

Tate said he has put “hours and hours and hours” of commitment into this community. 

“It was because the people put that in me,” he said. 

Tate has personally been affected by the consequences of gun violence through his son Terry Pettis, who is serving a life sentence without parole for first-degree murder and armed robbery. 

Tate’s other son, Mike Pettis, has become a community youth leader at Hospitality House in North Minneapolis, another youth-centered organization. 

"Definitely, my dad is a big inspiration to me and a lot of people that grew up with me,” Mike Pettis said. 

Mike Tate gives money to a member of his Saturday clean up crew during their weekly community clean up in 2025. Tate spends every Saturday cleaning up with Northside with youth. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson. 

Mike Pettis knows about the impact gun violence has had on the North Minneapolis community. 

“I think it has affected a whole generation,” he said. “I think it's not just, you know, the effects of losing a friend. It changes your life. The emotions that go on with it. It changes families in North Minneapolis.” 

In his activism work, Tate believes that everyone needs to collaborate. Local police agree. 

Lt. Kelly O'Rourke with the Minneapolis Police Department serves as the commander of juvenile investigations. He said he uses community intervention every week. 

“I think there is no stronger community than one that has community and law enforcement as equal partners,” he said. 

Tate said he feels that many people are not consistent with the work they put into local youth programs. 

“They don't have that commitment, that inner love to create this as a safe place to be,” Tate said. 

Intentionality is the drive North Minneapolis youth need to thrive, he said. 

“The recreational part, the instructional part, the part that says I want to come back because I trust you,” Tate said. 

Art and wellness spaces can help people process gun violence 

By Isra Ali, North News Intern 

Gun violence in North Minneapolis has a serious impact on mental health, leaving those impacted in the community with trauma. Advocates say addressing how gun violence impacts mental health is important to prevent future tragedies. 

Art is My Weapon is a program that uses creative expression to combat gun violence in North Minneapolis and heal from the trauma of gun violence. Nikki McComb has been running this program for ten years. 

McComb reaches those who need help by removing them from dangerous situations or removing barriers that may have them feeling the need to possess or use weapons. She said people impacted by gun violence in North Minneapolis don’t trust resources coming from bigger institutions, so they often gravitate to people like her. 

“They don't trust the resources, or they don't trust the process,” McComb said. “If I can't do it, I will find someone who can. If it's a financial need or a financial barrier, if I have the funding, I just handle it.” 

McComb said there are enough resources in North Minneapolis, but not many people know about them. She also said funding should be a bigger priority for mental health resources, and for victims of gun violence and domestic violence. 

“Oftentimes those impacted individuals just don't know about the resources,” McComb said. 

McComb also started her #ENOUGH campaign in 2016, which honors victims of gun violence and also addresses the impact of illegal firearms and gun violence on the Northside. 

McComb started the #ENOUGH campaign and Art is My Weapon to express how art can be a tool to prevent gun violence and also to be a way for grieving families to cope with the loss. 

The scope of the work is to use art as a catalyst for change, she said. Both the #ENOUGH campaign and Art is My Weapon are tools showing how art can be a tool to prevent gun violence and be a way for grieving families to cope with loss. 

“Losing a loved one to violence, primarily gun violence, can change the trajectory of a child, a partner, a parent, anyone that's connected to the person whose life was lost,” McComb said. 

McComb said that she's seen her community and people suffer life-changing trauma after a family member or friend dies, and that their mental health deteriorates, leading to PTSD or depression. 

Chanelle McDavid, board chair and director of programs at Mothers Against Gun Violence (M.A.G), said that after losing a loved one to gun violence, grief can lead to a multitude of crises like homelessness and mental health issues. 

“You lost your child, but with that, there's a whole other side of it,” McDavid said. “ Do you plan on clocking back in to work next week? Probably not. If you're not able to work, rent or mortgage doesn't get paid.” 

M.A.G is a grassroots nonprofit based in North Minneapolis and offers continuous support and wraparound services to families impacted by gun violence. 

The organization was started because there was a need for a dedicated safe space for grieving mothers and families who had a loved one die from gun violence. The organization acts as a community to fall back on if they need extra support. 

“Community wellness in mental, emotional, and psychological health plays a factor in gun violence,” McDavid said. 

The organization recently opened a branch in North Minneapolis and is expanding its programming to other states in September. 

“It's rare that we say that we don't have the capacity,” McDavid said. 

Mothers Against Gun Violence also works with kids at risk of falling into gang violence. 

“What we'll find with gang violence in particular would be impulse control,” McDavid said. “If you're placing a lot of emphasis on mental health when they're young, and you realize that impulse control is a problem.”