Public Safety Forum on Guns, Drugs, and Gangs
Read the full report here: Public Safety Forum on Guns, Drugs, and Gangs Impact Report
On March 26, 2025, over 550 community members—half of them youth—gathered at the Taj Park Convention Centre in Surrey for a groundbreaking Public Safety Forum on Gangs, Drugs, and Guns. Co-hosted by the Foundation for a Path Forward and KidsPlay Foundation, and supported by SACH and Moving Forward Family Services, the forum addressed the deepening crisis of gang violence and fentanyl-related harms facing the city’s youth.
With leadership from all levels of government—including the Hon. Garry Begg, Hon. Terry Yung, Jessie Sunner, Amna Shah, MP Randeep Sarai, and Surrey Councillor Rob Stutt—the forum tackled urgent issues such as mental health, systemic racism, marginalization, and intergenerational trauma. Government officials stood side by side with grassroots leaders like Kal Dosanjh (KidsPlay) and Tariq Tyab (Foundation for a Path Forward), reaffirming their commitment to youth-focused, community-led solutions.
Key themes included the psychological toll of hate and exclusion on marginalized youth, how systemic discrimination increases vulnerability to gangs and substance abuse, and the importance of culturally grounded, inclusive prevention programs. Powerful testimonies from speakers like Shenan Charania, Mindy Bhander, Yusef-Andre Wiley, and Dr. Randy Gill brought real-life experience into sharp focus, showing both the risks youth face and the hope that community engagement offers.
The forum was more than dialogue—it offered direct support. Twenty youth received $5,000 in bursaries on the spot to pursue extracurriculars, and service providers connected families to real-time counseling, mentoring, and outreach programs.
This collaborative event also marked the start of a broader movement, bridging policy-makers with community voices. As one of the largest anti-gang/drug gatherings in Surrey’s recent history, it reinforced a powerful truth: when community, government, and frontline advocates work together, meaningful change is possible.
Read the full report here: Public Safety Forum on Guns, Drugs, and Gangs Impact Report