The young people who dream of a Montreal without violence

Last Saturday, more than 100 people gathered in Wilfrid-Bastien Park to denounce the recruitment of adolescents by street gangs. Parents are increasingly worried, especially since the tragic death of Yanis Seghouani. The 14-year-old lost his life in Beauce, and the circumstances of his death are still unclear, according to the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM).

Today, La Converse interviewed three young Montrealers in order to better understand what concerns them and to hear them talk about an issue that concerns them directly. Malik, Ali, and Kayla* share with us their concerns, their hopes, and their dream of a violence-free metropolis, all while aiming to inspire other young people.

Malik: “I don't want to see a childhood friend die anymore”

Even though he is only 13 years old, Malik has already grieved. He attended the same elementary and secondary schools as one of his friends who lost his life in a story similar to that of Yanis Seghouani.

“Even though he was a year older than me, we played together every day. We played soccer, we went to the same park and we always played together,” Malik recalls. After his boxing training, in a gym located on Langelier Boulevard, he wiped the last droplets of sweat off his forehead. The sun is setting and the gym parking lot is gradually emptying out.

Malik was born in Montreal. His family had emigrated from Algeria a few years earlier. Benjamin of three siblings, he has a big sister and a big brother. He has big green eyes. “I've always lived here,” he says, talking about the neighbourhood where he grew up, Nouveau Rosemont.

He is also witnessing the rise of youth violence. “I think it's sad. It's stupid to lose your life like that,” he said, staring at the ground. "One should not get involved in everything related to crime, much less organized crime,” he said, referring to the increase in the number of young people joining street gangs in the city.

A few months before he died, his late friend had started to change. “He stopped coming to play soccer with us in the park. Then I saw him with older people. He was coming to school less and less," he recalls. "A few times I saw him smoking, then wearing luxury clothes. I suspected that he had started doing illegal things, but I never thought it would go to the point of no return.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the teenager is still empathetic: he understands the reasons that push some people into the gang world. “Some people think they can be protected if they hang out with certain guys,” he begins. "Others do it for the quick and easy money, I imagine. And then there are some who want to feel a sense of belonging.”

Malik no longer wants to see other young people die in such conditions. He believes that there is a multitude of things that can be done to prevent people from giving in to the vices of the illegal world. “Since I started boxing, I have always been busy. I like it, it lets off steam and it's good for my health. If everyone could have access to an activity like this, I think it would help a lot of young people,” he says in one breath.

Kayla: “I can't believe I'm still underage”

Kayla is on the eve of her 18th birthday. She has spent a good part of the last few years in various youth centres in Montreal. “When I think about everything that happened to me, I have a hard time believing that I am still underage,” she tells us after leaving her classes. Going back and forth a lot between detention centres and home and also stayed with a foster family, hers cannot be described as an“ordinary” adolescence. “But that's what makes me who I am today,” she nevertheless wishes to specify.

Despite her unusual background, the young Montrealer from the East Island has a clear message for young people: “You have to be careful about the choices you make today.” She refers to all those young people who choose to work illegally and criminally and who “fall into the illusion of easy money,” she says.

“The people who want to recruit us and who draw us to evil do not want us well. Look, how many young people have died trying to prove their worth to older people? ” she asks right away. She refers to all young people, minors or not, who have lost their lives in a context of conflict between street gangs and armed violence in Montreal.

Kayla has seen all sorts of people. When she was younger, she found herself surrounded by criminals more than once. “When you're young, it's easy to be seduced by the world of crime. You see people with nice clothes, nice cars, and then when you see that you can be like them, you take your chance, you don't think about the consequences of your choices,” she explains. She believes that appearance is important for teens. “Adults who use minors to do their dirty work know that. They sell dreams to 13- or 14-year-old people.”

Today, Kayla is more determined than ever to take charge of herself. She is in school, wants to find a part-time job and wants to work in the music industry. “When I was in a youth centre, writing helped me a lot. I spent hours in my room writing how I was feeling. It took the form of poems, texts, songs,” she recalls.

Kayla believes that to help young people avoid falling into crime, they need to have role models who look like them. “You need people who you can identify with as mentors. The reason why young people turn to gangs is because they have no one else to identify with except these people who promise them mountains and wonders. If we saw people like us succeed, it would motivate us to choose the right path,” she believes.

Ali: “I want to be a good influence”

Ali came from Venezuela seven years ago. He was born there, but his parents are of Syrian origin. Since arriving in Montreal, he has lived in Saint-Léonard. “Thanks to my parents, I speak four languages,” he says, very proud. "French, English, Spanish and Arabic.”

Ali enjoys sports, manga, spending time with friends, and martial arts. He tells us this while sitting on the bench in front of the pond in Wilfrid-Bastien Park, in Saint-Léonard. The weather is nice and cool, and the wind is blowing quietly, reminding us of the beginning of October, despite the unusual heat of the past few days.

The adolescent tells us about his daily life. He is aware that his neighbourhood and his school are often in the spotlight following episodes of violence, but he absolutely wants to reassure us: “There are also normal young people,” he tells us before smiling with all his teeth.

The young man is well aware of the reality in which young people grow up. “I think that some people turn to crime out of curiosity, others out of the need to belong to a group,” he says. "But regardless of why some people do this, we need to find ways to prevent behaviours that lead to delinquency.”

“I don't like to see young people do bad things,” he continues. "It's hurting their parents, family, and friends, but most of all, it's hurting themselves. I would like us to try to take responsibility for ourselves as young people and to be able to make good choices,” he hopes.

Ali wants to finish high school this year and enroll in computer science at CEGEP. He wants to continue his studies, while continuing to work part-time at the local pastry shop, as he has been doing for the past few months.

“I also want to be able to help the youth community in my neighbourhood,” he adds. “I know that I can have a positive impact on other young people my age. I wish we could all improve and become better people; I wish we could be examples,” he says, with stars in his eyes.

*The first names have been changed for the sake of safety for the young people we met.