Oakland's Youth ALIVE! program makes '510 Day' plea to end street violence

OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- When Paris Davis hears police sirens on the streets of Oakland, he flashes back to the day he became a victim of street violence.

So on '510 Day' -- a local celebration of everything Oakland -- he was out sharing his story in his role as part of Youth ALIVE! -- a program hoping to "change the narrative" and develop violent-free streets.

Davis was shot in the stomach in 2017. It was a time when he had just graduated college, had a daughter and signed a basketball contract to play overseas. He thought his career was derailed.    

"I was scared I wasn't going to wake up," he said. "You know growing up in Oakland, I'm no stranger to danger. So the program that I now oversee...I was actually a referral for the program." 

Today, Paris is the intervention director at Youth ALIVE!. He was one of several speakers at Tuesday's breakfast fundraiser to share their stories to help heal.   

"On 510 day, a day for town pride for Oaklanders everywhere, it really makes sense," said Lauren Greenberg, Youth ALIVE! development manager.  "What we're asking people to do is to gather together and invest in a future community they want to see." 

Greenberg said people want to see a thriving Oakland, a place moving toward less violence.   

"It's not only unique to Oakland, it affects the whole Bay Area," he said. "Just because incidences happen in Oakland doesn't mean they can't carry over to other communities."   

Davis simply want to build and develop a violent-free Oakland.  

"Just wanting to be a person that can show people like look I still live in Oakland... still in the neighborhood... but I'm doing positive things and helping people impacted by gun violence," said Davis.  "Just changing the narrative and showing people that you can move forward."