Group Stems Female-On-Female Violence

LAKE PLACID - Over the past several years, street fights between young women in the Highway Park district became so common that the neighborhood's residents knew something had to be done.

"Fistfights were a major problem," said coordinator Felecia Samuels about the southern Lake Placid district. "Things were becoming more violent. There wasn't a day that went by where you didn't hear about women fighting in the street."

To deal with the female-on-female violence, the Highway Park Neighborhood Preservation and Enhancement District Council decided to come up with a "Young Sisters in Unity" group, which it passed along to residents.

"People are pitching in and trying to get rid of the black eye that is female-on-female crime," said district council president Vincent Hill. "It was getting to the point where things were becoming like a football game; it was 'Who's fighting who today?'.

Young Sisters in Unity started meeting in August, at the RCMA Resource center located in the district. Since the initial meeting, member-ship has grown to more than 25 women and new members are seemingly joining every week. Meetings are held Monday night beginning at 6:30 p.m.

According to member Rachelle Holden, Young Sisters in Unity is focused on the success and empowerment of young females. The group's theme is, "No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper."

"There were so many female fights going on that we needed a group to work towards ending the hatred, while working together for good," said Holden.

So far the group has participated in car washes, movie and dinner outings and has run an adopt-a-grandparent campaign, cleaning the home of a district senior citizen. To celebrate the holidays, the group will host a Christmas dinner where they expect to feed hundreds of people. During the group's Thanksgiving dinner, the women fed 105 individuals.

As a result of the group's efforts, Samuels said that law enforcement officials have told her crime has dropped significantly in the district.

"We needed something that would help keep women off the streets and keep their attention, while enriching the community," said Samuels.

"I'm so proud of them," said Hill. "They're really making a big difference."

The group is open to females ages 12 to 30. Samuels said there are several students from Lake Placid Middle School and High School involved. She said that the group is actively trying to seek student athletes to spread word of its goals and open membership.

Students have to pay a $2 dues fee at every other meeting, while adults pay a $5 fee.

Samuels said that eventually she'd like the group to move its meetings closer to the city, and said that women who want to join don't have to be a resident of the district itself. The group hands out updated fliers every week at area churches and community centers.

"As we've had more meetings, we're coming up with more ideas for things we'd like the group to get involved in," Samuels said.

"We are our own community, so we have to speak up and take care of ourselves," said Hill.

Hill said that in the future, he is expecting a Young Brothers in Unity group to form because of the success of Young Sisters.

For information about Young Sisters in Unity, call Holden at 863-441-5808 or Samuels at 863-441-0409.