Mayors, Youth and Community Leaders Meet in Knoxville, TN to Provide a Roadmap to Safe, Healthy and Hopeful Communities
Cities United’s 5th Annual Convening Shares Strategies to Prevent Violence Against Young Black Men and Boys
Mayors, youth and city leaders met in Knoxville, TN, this week to share solutions for creating safe, healthy and hopeful communities, redefining what public safety looks like and reducing the violence that takes the lives of too many young Black men and boys in half by 2025.
The 2018 Cities United convening, Uniting Leaders for Change: The Road to 2025 (#UnitingLeadersforChange), was a three-day gathering focused on efforts to restore hope to communities across the country by building pathways to justice, employment, education and removing barriers to opportunities for Black men and boys.
“It’s been an honor to host this inspiring group of mayors, city leaders and young people engaged in Cities United’s mission to reduce violence in our communities,” said Mayor Madeline Rogero of Knoxville, TN. “Working together with local church leaders, law enforcement and service providers, we will keep increasing opportunities for safe, hopeful futures for Knoxville’s boys and young men of color.”
Cities United is a national network of mayors and other local leaders in more than 130 cities that helps equip key stakeholders with the tools and resources they need to reduce the homicide and shooting rates of young Black men and boys in half by the year 2025.
“Those who attended the convening are working on the frontline, dealing with the day-to-day impacts of community violence,” said Anthony Smith, executive director of Cities United. “They get the calls when a young Black man or boy is shot, they console the family members, they attend the funerals – they use this pain to guide their work and push for better outcomes for young Black men and boys, their families and the communities they call home. We thank Mayor Rogero and mayors across the country for working with us to reimagine how we define public safety and create opportunities for all young people. We must take down the structural barriers to education, employment and economic well-being that keep our Black men and boys from truly thriving.”
Cities United prioritizes a comprehensive approach to reducing violence that is grounded in the public health model and relies on data, prevention and community participation, moving resources and focus toward addressing the root causes in neighborhoods—poverty, limited opportunity, lack of social or economic investments.
“We cannot rely simply on policing and incarceration alone to create public safety,” said Melron Kelly, Deputy Chief of Police, Columbia, SC Police Department and Member of NOBLE (National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives). “We must improve trust and relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve while partnering with youth most likely to be caught up in the cycle of violence.”
The convening explored the root causes of community violence; highlighted examples of how cities are using a comprehensive, public health approach to address violence; and reflected on both the past and future of Cities United.
Among other highlights, Cities United founders Michael Nutter (former mayor of Philadelphia), Mitch Landrieu (former mayor of New Orleans), Dr. William C. Bell (President and CEO of Casey Family Programs) and Shawn Dove (CEO of the Campaign for Black Male Achievement) reflected on the founding of the organization and lessons learned.
“Here in Knoxville we came together to share solutions that are working right now in our nation’s cities,” said former Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia, PA. “We all need to bring our best thinking and best practices, take those lessons home and take action to transform our cities. We must mobilize investment in education, health and mental health, jobs, housing and the justice system so that all our young people can be successful.”
At the convening, Cities United released a new strategic resource for mayors to disrupt community violence and prevent homicides. Cities United also announced the Roadmap Academy Fellowship, an intensive year-long experience designed for 18-24 year old young leaders. Throughout the Fellowship, young leaders will gain insights regarding Cities United violence prevention strategies, personal leadership, policy and legislative processes and capacity building.
Author, activist and cultural theorist Darnell Moore delivered the closing keynote while the Black and Brown Gun Violence Prevention Consortium—a strategic national partnership of 25+ gun violence prevention organizations, researchers and practitioners led by communities of color—announced the launch of its efforts to create equitable opportunities and safe communities by employing proven community-driven gun violence reduction strategies.
“We have come a long way towards creating safe, healthy and hopeful communities for our Black men and boys,” said Shawn Dove, CEO of the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. “But there is still so much more to be done before we can really say that America is a place where everyone can thrive. Now we must redouble our efforts and focus on health, healing and creating opportunities to truly reduce violence.”
Cities United was founded to address the harsh reality that homicide is the leading cause of death for young African American men and boys age 10-24. The CDC estimates that reducing violence by 50 percent will save over $35 billion in annual medical and lost productivity costs alone. Convening leaders identified strategies that will build safe, healthy and hopeful communities for all young people.
The 2018 convening was sponsored by Casey Family Programs, Executives’ Alliance For Boys and Men of Color, the Langeloth Foundation, the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust, the Walmart Foundation, the Campaign for Black Male Achievement and Visit Knoxville.
ABOUT CITIES UNITED:
Cities United was launched in 2011 by former Philadelphia Mayor, Michael Nutter, who partnered with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Casey Family Programs President and CEO, Dr. William C. Bell, Campaign for Black Male Achievement CEO, Shawn Dove and the National League of Cities to forge a national network of communities focused on eliminating violence in American cities related to African American men and boys. Today, this movement has grown to 130+ mayors committed to working with community leaders, families, youth, philanthropic organizations and other stakeholders to cut the homicide rate of our young Black men and boys in half by the year 2025. These mayors are focused on restoring hope to their communities and building pathways to justice, employment, education and increased opportunities for residents.
Debayani Kar, [email protected], 510-356-7733
Bilen Mesfin Packwood, [email protected], 510-681-5978
