A conversation with Newport News' first community violence prevention manager

Yahoo

22-04-2025

For Synethia White, being Newport News' first community violence prevention manager isn't just about crime reduction, it's about working with the community to give as many people as possible opportunities to succeed.
Newport News brought White on in the new role in November to oversee community safety efforts in the city. The position is a conduit between organizations and city services to ensure both are aiding each other as efficiently as possible, White said.
Part of that process includes hosting events like National Youth Violence Prevention Week. Events for the week include a discussion and open space for young people to share their journeys and create positive relationships. The April 29 event is led by local activist Kaaleah Jones, of the Abu Unity Foundation, a local anti-violence organization named after her father who was killed in 2003.
Other events will include discussions with experts from national organizations and local nonprofits about collaboration and how to pay for programs. Representatives from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Health Resources in Action will discuss strategies to help Newport News and local organizations receive federal funding.
'These are the things you need to continue to grow,' White said. 'There's no time like the present to know you need to have diversified funding streams.'
Intervention is also an important aspect of White's approach to the job. While part of violence reduction is prevention and responding to problems when they occur, White said some of the biggest return on investment she's seen in violence reduction is building trust with residents to create opportunities to step in and disrupt violence before it has a chance to become cyclical.
White said intervention efforts can take longer to show tangible results. However, addressing root causes of violence works to avoid a 'ping-pong' situation in which cities respond to violence without questioning why it is happening in the first place.
'Violence is a symptom of a larger disease,' White said. 'If you address the root causes, then people have more opportunities to succeed. People have more opportunities to develop empathy with others.'
In March 2024, Mayor Phillip Jones announced a pledge to reduce gun violence and homicides in Newport News by 15% over the next 18 months. The city was already making strides before White was hired. In July, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew reported a 55% decrease in homicides compared to the previous year.
White said cities across the country saw a decrease in violent crime last year, but she was excited to step into the role to continue building on that progress in Newport News.
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'It was very good to hear that there was going to be some targeted positive resources, particularly around how you maintain reductions and continue to improve outcomes for young people and community,' White said. 'The big thing with community is the willingness of local elected and appointed leadership to make sure that they are using resources wisely.'
White has roughly 20 years of service on the Peninsula, including serving as the director of strategic initiatives for Cities United and youth violence prevention program manager for Hampton. White added that having already built a foundation with local organizations has helped both sides collaborate better.
'That was something that you hope to walk into in any position, where what you were going to put forward is going to be received,' White said.
A lot of people's limited opportunities come down to circumstance, according to White. She grew up in York County with her great-grandmother and grandmother, and knows her circumstance could have been much different if she hadn't had support from her family.
That's why White's approach to reimagining public safety in Newport News focuses on filling community deficits toward equitable opportunity, whether it's connecting someone in need to mental health services or helping a young person obtain an identification card to help get them a job.
'It's helping our organization continue to grow and understand there is a difference between prevention and intervention, and the expectation we should have on community to support each of those pockets,' White said. 'Things are still going to happen and go left sometimes, so we still need the resources in place so that if somebody makes a mistake, we've got things in order to get them back on track.'
White said it's unlikely all crime will be completely eliminated. However, she has seen many lives turn around throughout her career, and celebrating that progress matters, too.
'The good outweighs the bad, believe it or not, and the small wins count,' White said. 'If you do this work and you have heard a parent cry after losing a child, you don't forget that. But you can turn it around and make sure you know that you're always doing your best to be true to the work that you're doing.'
Devlin Epding, 757-510-4037, [e-mail]