West Philly nonprofit helps teens 'squash beef' through conflict resolution workshop

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- About two dozen teens got candid about "squashing beef."

It's part of a two-day workshop at the Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout, or YEAH Philly, in West Philadelphia.

The goal is conflict resolution.

"We know that a lot of the stuff that goes on in the streets, it all can't be mediated, but a lot of it can. And sometimes it's miscommunication around stuff, it's over friends, relationships, etc," said Kendra Van de Water, co-founder of YEAH Philly.

For high school senior Daniel Avery, it's about the bigger picture.

"A lot of people are out here losing their lives for little things. I could be one of those people," said Avery.

The city has seen 73 murders in the first 50 days of 2021, which is already outpacing the violence from the same time last year.

Just this week, eight people were injured in a mass shooting at a bus stop at Broad Street and Olney Avenue.

Since November, the non-profit has trained 68 teens on conflict resolution and helped mediate disputes.