July 30, 2025
The brand new terminology is a slang time period rooted in African American tradition — labeling younger Black individuals who probably interact in harmful exercise, made widespread on social media.
Leo Williams, mayor of Durham, North Carolina, is catching warmth for referring to the town’s younger folks as “YNs,” a slang time period that means “younger n***as” throughout a city corridor dialogue about gun violence, with voters labeling it as “offensive,” Blavity experiences.
The city corridor befell on July 3 at Rookie’s Sports activities Bar, the place Williams addressed urgent points in Bull Metropolis, together with crime, violence, and the town’s youth. Out of every little thing the mayor mentioned, one remark stood out. “We’re coping with some YNs out right here simply doing their very own factor, stealing [guns] out of automobiles, they usually don’t know tips on how to talk,” Williams mentioned.
The brand new terminology is a slang time period rooted in African American tradition, labeling younger Black individuals who probably interact in harmful exercise, made widespread on social media. Nevertheless, critics really feel it was of dangerous style, particularly coming from a former Durham Public Colleges instructor, because it strengthened stereotypes, implies a racial slur, and places an unfair label on youth. ”As somebody who brags about being a former educator, you understand the facility of phrases,” Durham author and activist Paul Scott mentioned, in keeping with The Information & Observer.
“You understand that individuals would take you calling younger Black males breaking into automobiles YNs, folks would take that and run with it. Durham already will get bashed sufficient.”
However Black social media customers are defending Williams, questioning why the mayor, who’s Black, is receiving backlash to be used of the time period. “What? Even Black folks aren’t allowed to say it now? Undoubtedly didn’t have THAT on my bingo card,” @jimdandy1969 mentioned on X.
What? Even black folks aren’t allowed to say it now? Undoubtedly didn’t have THAT on my bingo card
— JimDandy (@JimDandy1969) July 18, 2025
Different customers mentioned they’re “fairly certain he’s allowed to say it,” and Williams agrees.
Following the backlash, the mayor has stood his floor, claiming he was merely protecting it actual with the viewers. “It was me responding to an viewers within the context wherein we had been having a dialog,” the mayor mentioned. “I’m not taking again the context of that dialog, and I’m not going to apologize both,” he mentioned. “My reference is, these youngins on the road are killing one another, one thing must be finished. I want folks would concentrate on that, quite than two letters that got here out of my mouth.”
Throughout his remarks, the mayor and enterprise proprietor touched on how weapons are taking the place of youngsters merely preventing. “Younger folks used to only combat, however now they attain for weapons, he mentioned. “No worth for all times, that’s what we’re coping with. And so they’re 12 years previous.”
Knowledge from the Durham Police Division reveals 92 folks had been shot within the metropolis simply in 2025 as of July 12. Twenty-seven of these victims have been described as Black males.
Nevertheless, Williams understands his function as a pacesetter and launched an announcement to these harm by the slang utilization. “For the parents that I do know and respect who’re harm by how this has materialized into one thing else, I apologize,” the mayor mentioned.
“I additionally apologize round the truth that although the intent was one thing completely different, there could also be a youngster who’s taking what they’re seeing and considering that they’re undervalued, and that isn’t one thing that I need.”
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