MILWAUKEE — A wave of gun violence has gripped Milwaukee this week. According to the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), at least 18 people have been shot since Monday, including an incident involving a 1-year-old.

In response, community activists such as Dawn Barnett, the co-executive director of Running Rebels, called for action. Running Rebels has been in the city for 44 years and provides resources and mentorship for Milwaukee’s youth.

“What I love about it is that they have real conversations with them,” said Barnett.

Barnett said with the nice weather and summer break from school, more kids are on the streets, which coincides with a rise in gun violence.

“Violence, we usually see an uptick in summer,” said Barnett. “It’s more people out and about. It’s more opportunities for people to run into each other.”

She said she wants to make sure kids get involved in her organization to focus on financial independency and stability. It’s something 16-year-old Jamarion Davis said is helpful.

“What brought me here is probably the mentors,” said Davis. “I would say the male role models — I’d say for sure because you could actually see like the side of African American men that are actually successful.”

Davis said he recognizes the cycle of violence plaguing his community.

“They are only doing what they are seeing,” said Davis. “When they were growing up, they were seeing were seeing that stuff. That’s what they are doing.”

He said Running Rebels offers a different path.

“We take initiative here,” said Davis. “We actually go to all sides of the community and engage with them.”

In light of the many shootings seen this week and summer in full swing, Running Rebels said it remains dedicated to its mission of working to prevent violence and help the area's kids. 

“Our work is not reactionary to those situations. It is continuing to do the work every day to prevent those situations," Barnett said.