To youth out there who feel like they are trapped or hopeless, you are not alone. Understand that you have a purpose in life.

No matter what obstacles you face, you can recover, and you can make a difference!

If you want to become a leader, get focused, keep pushing – even when it's tough – and stay positive.

...there is hope!...never keep your feelings bottled up...It is not bad to get help when you need it.

I was very eager to meet and converse with my peers as well as key leadership throughout the country. I think that it is very important to give folks that may not normally interact the opportunity to do so.

The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention is an epitome of what cities should be implementing to reach the needs of their own cities — since not every city requires the same things.