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Don’t complain if you’re not willing to be part of the solution. Next month will be the anniversary of the City Manager’s Gang Advisory Board, which includes Lowell leaders from the schools, colleges, police, city, and youth groups, as well as the district attorney’s office and the Sun. The group has been meeting monthly for a year to develop ways to address the gang problem in Lowell. At its most recent meeting on Monday, the board decided to mark its anniversary by hosting a forum to discuss the group’s efforts, accomplishments, and future goals with members of the community. The forum will be held the first week in November at MCC (exact date/time to be determined). At this public meeting, the board will share its work around gang prevention, inform the community how it can be involved (vital for lasting success), and listen to citizens’ concerns and suggestions. As a community, we must work together to reduce the impact of gangs and youth violence on our city. The reality is that gangs are with us and police suppression can only go so far; for instance, this summer there was a marked decrease in gang violence compared to last summer—a fact which Police Superintendent Lavallee attributes to increased police patrols (paid for by the state-funded Shannon Grant) and more summer jobs for youth (a result of the city manager’s efforts to recruit local businesses as employment partners). These short-term improvements are encouraging, but lasting solutions will require a multi-pronged approach with efforts involving not only law enforcement, but also education, community support, jobs, social services, the courts, and yes, citizen engagement. To find out how you can help, watch for the date, and attend the forum.