CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - With summer fast approaching, Chicago's cadre of antiviolence organizations and agencies met on the West side Wednesday to get an update, and coordinate their efforts to combat shootings and murders.
Workers and officials from Chicago’s growing community of violence prevention groups, researchers and others filled the gymnasium at the Garfield Park Field House, and Pastor Marshall Hatch Jr, who runs the MAAFA Redemption Project was happy, but not satisfied.
“I’m encouraged, I am heartened to see so many of the public and private interests come together on this issue, but we need more…and we will recruit more,” Hatch Jr. said.
Researchers on hand, like Jack Jomarron of Chicago CRED, said the numbers show that where these groups are working the streets, violence is down.
This month, however, is bad so far and they’re all gearing up for the summer.
There were a lot of statistics at the gathering dubbed, "Violence Prevention 2022," some illustrating challenges, exemplified by Roseanna Ander, director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab. She said Black people living in Chicago are still living at a time that is far more dangerous than it was in the 90's.
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But, there were also illustrations of success. Rashaniece White spoke of her horrifying childhood and brushes with trouble before she and her late husband were helped, and then started helping others with the group Chicago CRED.
“Even though my husband lost his life to gun violence, he was able to help many soldiers turn their life around first, and it has encouraged me to go hard as a life coach, to save even more soldiers from the street life. Thank you Chicago CRED for saving me and allowing me to believe in myself,” said White.
And, she’s still doing the work.
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