The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago celebrated the strength and resiliency of 40 youth from the west and south sides of Chicago and 12 military veteran mentors last Saturday at the Urban Warriors Recognition Ceremony to mark their completion of the program. Urban Warriors is a dynamic peer support group that brings together military veterans and youth who are exposed to high levels of violence and trauma in some of Chicago’s most challenged neighborhoods. For 16-weeks, youth aged 13-19 years meet up with veterans to share their experiences with avoiding gunfire, surviving attacks and losing friends. They discuss positive strategies for coping with trauma and loss and key tools for improving their physical, mental and emotional health. Urban Warriors is just one of the programs offered to Chicago youth as part of the YMCA of Metro Chicago’s Youth Safety and Violence Prevention (YSVP) Initiative. YSVP programs are available to youth at McCormick. At the graduation ceremony, YMCA leadership presented youth and veterans with military “dog tags” as a small token of achievement.