The group gathered at the Douglass branch of the Champaign Public Library for a special meeting of the Champaign Community Coalition. It was an opportunity, said facilitator Tracy Parsons, to brainstorm why shootings are on the rise, and what the community can do to curb the violence.

Children who experience trauma often face behavioral, health and academic challenges, according to decades of research.

Conversations around gun violence often revolve around long-term solutions, like improving schools or the local economy. But even if those things were easy — and they’re not — it would take a generation to realize the benefits.

For many families and young adults living in Peoria’s South Side, gun violence is too often a part of life and something they’ve been fighting against — with few resources.

The national conversation around gun violence generally centers around mass shootings, school shootings and gang activity. These problems need to be addressed, but may overshadow the largest group affected: suicide victims.