WA nonprofit kicks off ‘100 Days of Peace’ by staging I-5 traffic jam

Nonprofit takes stand against gun violence with I-5 slowdown

Traffic came to a standstill on I-5 today as local nonprofit Urban Family staged a sprawling traffic jam to raise awareness for its "100 Days of Peace" initiative.

SEATTLE - Traffic came to a standstill on I-5 today as local nonprofit Urban Family staged a sprawling traffic jam to raise awareness for its "100 Days of Peace" initiative.

"Enough is enough," said Shantelle Patu, Executive Director of Urban Family. "If we have to jam up traffic to raise awareness, that's what we'll do."

The event, dubbed "Traffic Jam for Peace," saw an unusual scene on Seattle’s highways. Instead of frustration and impatience, there was a collective sense of purpose.

"It’s going to take all of us," Paul Patu, a youth intervention expert, said as he slowly rolled along I-5.

"We should not have to stand around and figure out ways for our kids to live." Shantel said.

Janine Lewis, who lost her son Elijah to gun violence in April 2023, was among those helping to kick off the rally. Elijah died while shielding his nine-year-old nephew from gunfire. The pair were on the way to the Monster Truck Jam.

"It seems like every day, every weekend we have at least one to three casualties, and it's predominantly youth," Lewis said. His loss only fuels her to keep strong and share a message of hope.

The rally also comes in the wake of another tragedy: 13-year-old Jayda Woods-Johnson was killed after a fight broke out between a group of teens at Lynnwood's Alderwood Mall earlier this week. Woods-Johnson was an innocent bystander.

"Violence is a disease," Shantel said. "We need to address this because our kids are caught up in it."

Urban Family’s "100 Days of Peace" initiative aims to fill the summer with positive activities for kids, giving them something constructive to do and keeping them away from violence.

"Summer's kicked off, kids are out of school and they still don't have a lot to do. They're walking around, they're loitering, they're getting into trouble," Shantel said. "Our goal is to fill this 100 days with so much activity that kids have nothing better to do but enjoy themselves and be kids."

Jamyn Patu, 24, a youth mentor at Urban Family, emphasized the tragic reality facing young people today. "It's tragic seeing people my age or younger not being able to live their lives fully or even have the chance to," said Jamyn.

His brother, Davyn Patu, also a youth mentor, urged young people to consider the consequences of their actions. "Think before you act," said Davyn. "There are a lot of avenues besides violence. You're not alone."

Urban Family, founded in 2007 in Skyway, has been working to address gang violence and gentrification issues that have led to increased violence in the community.

"A child that does not feel embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth," Shantelle said. "They're looking for attention and connection, and they're finding it in gangs."

Today's event was just the first step in raising awareness. Urban Family and its partners are dedicated to creating change and providing opportunities for the community's youth.

For more information on events or to connect with Urban Family, visit their website.